And he returns to the charge a few months later in an ironical plea for the destruction of Wren's churches--St. Mildred's, Poultry; St. Dionis, Backchurch; St. James's, Aldgate; St. Martin's, Outwich, and St. Antholin's, Sise Lane. "Sir Christopher's Cathedral, as it is also a mausoleum, will probably be spared until some railway or tramway shall want the site." When the destruction of Northumberland House was projected in 1873 _Punch_, in a fit of feudal enthusiasm, deplored the vandalism and commercialism of the Philistine Board of Works, and pointed out that there was still time to save the time-honoured house of the Percys. When the demolition was carried out in the following year, and the lion was removed to Syon House, he was consoled by the reflection that it would be at least out of the reach of ignoble and mean-minded vandals. On the other hand, he had rejoiced greatly when in 1866, as the result of a deputation headed by Lord Stanhope and Dean Stanley, Parliament voted a sum of £7,000 for the restoration of Westminster Chapter House. In 1873 St. John's Gate, Clerkenwell, an inn which had been a favourite resort of Johnson, Garrick and "Sylvanus Urban," was taken over by the order of St. John of Jerusalem, and _Punch_ compares the public spirit of these Templars favourably with the zeal of the "good Templars" whom he regarded as fussy fanatics. There was no controversial acrimony, however, in his plea for the preservation of the Tabard Inn, Southwark, and the poem "For the Tabard" was written by one who had not merely read but loved his Chaucer. [Illustration: THE SMALL BORE MAN. WIMBLEDON, 1863 BOISTEROUS RELATIVE: "Hullo! Gus, my hearty, why I haven't seen you for ages! How are you? Give us your hand, my----" GUS (alarmed): "Hoy! Keep off! Keep back, stand o' one side! Don't come near me----How d'e do. Glad 'see you, but keep off at present, will you----I've just adjusted my sights!"] The preservation of the amenities of London and the suburbs found a strong champion in _Punch_. We note a change of temper in 1864 in his comment on the rowdy behaviour of members of the "lower classes" who frequented St. James's Park, and the suggestion that it should be renamed "St. Giles's." In earlier days _Punch_ had warmly resented the exclusion of working-men in fustian from this same park. But no class prejudice impairs his satisfaction in November, 1864, when Wimbledon Common was preserved for the nation and the "small bore man" by the good offices of Lord Spencer:-- WIMBLEDON PRESERVED There is for us, and shall be, one retreat, If but that only one, saved stucco-free, Wimbledon, evermore for pilgrims' feet Kept sacred, noble Spencer, thanks to thee! Thy generous charter gives us scope to flee Still thither from the hubbub and the heat.