"Never since _racing_ was patronised by the _Merry Monarch_, has the _Turf_ been so much on the decline as at this period. His Grace of Bedford is the only person who retains a considerable stud. Lord Grosvenor has disposed of nearly the whole of his, with the reserve of two, or three, capital horses, and some few brood mares."--(_Times, Sept. 8, 1797._) * * * * * "A _Mr. Marston_, of the Borough, has laid a bet of 2000 guineas, that he will, in the course of the ensuing week, go into one of the great wheels of the water-works at London Bridge, while it is in its swiftest motion with an ebb-tide, stay there five minutes, and come out again with safety, though not without accident, in a different part from that in which he went in: and afterwards walk one mile within an hour, on condition that the lower bucket of the wheel is two feet distance from the river bottom."--(_Times, Sept. 11, 1797._) [Illustration: Discipline à la Kenyon.--1797.] These water-wheels which were situated where Fishmongers Hall now stands, were commenced in 1582, by a Dutchman, named Peter Moritz, or Morrice, with one wheel. _Hatton_, in his "New View of London," published in Queen Anne's time, says, "besides the old work erected by Mr. _Morris_, the New, placed in the 4th Arch of the Bridge, consists of 2 Wheels with 7 Engines, set up about the year 1702, so that there are in all 13 engines. They are the contrivance of that great English Engineer Mr. _Sorocold_, whereby the _Thames_ Water is raised from the N. end of the Bridge, to a very great altitude, by which means, many parts of the City, &c., are served with the Thames Water." THE THEATRE. Our forefathers were fond of the Theatre, and patronised it nightly. They were exacting as to the quality of the acting represented before them, and that very _exigeance_ procured them what they wanted. In the years of which I treat, there were, in London, the following Theatres:--The King's (now Her Majesty's) in the Haymarket--Drury Lane--Covent Garden--The Theatre Royal, Haymarket--Royalty Theatre, Wells Street, Goodman's Fields--Royal Circus, St. George's Fields--Sadler's Wells--The Royal Grove, and Amphitheatre (Astley's) Westminster Bridge--afterwards Astley's Royal Saloon--and still later called, Astley's Amphitheatre of Arts. Whilst at the Lyceum in the Strand, there were Musical Entertainments, and a New Circus.