The London pleasure gardens of the eighteenth centuryWroth, Warwick William
History
The London pleasure gardens of the eighteenth century
Wroth, Warwick William
London (England) -- History -- 18th century; Parks -- England -- London -- History
The gardens opened[356] for the season of 1822 on June 3rd, and for the
first time received the appellation of The Royal Gardens, Vauxhall.
This change in the name was made with the approval of George IV. who
as Prince of Wales had been a regular frequenter of the gardens and
had received from a grateful management public recognition of his
patronage. In 1791, a gallery had been constructed in the gardens
and named after him.[357] This was the shrine of an allegorical
transparency portraying him leaning against a horse held by Britannia.
Minerva bore his helmet; Providence fixed his spurs, and Fame blew a
trumpet and crowned him with laurel. The good-natured Darley came to
the front of the orchestra (August 1792) and sang in his best manner,
“The Prince of the People”:--
Endow’d with each virtue, the dignified Youth,
Ere Reason enlighten’d his mind,
Burst forth on the world in example and truth,
The boast and delight of Mankind.
The gardens had now (1822) completely assumed their nineteenth-century
aspect and Vauxhall, lit with “20,000 additional lamps,” began to
supply a constant succession of variety entertainments.
[Illustration: DARLEY IN THE ORCHESTRA AT VAUXHALL.]
The Rotunda was decorated as an Indian Garden Room, and at a later
date was fitted up with seats and boxes and used for the equestrian
performances. In the Saloon (or Picture Room) adjoining, where
historical pictures by Hayman were still hanging, was an exhibition
called by the erudite managers Heptaplasiesoptron. On plates of glass
ingeniously distributed manifold reflections were produced of revolving
pillars, palm-trees, twining serpents, coloured lamps and a fountain.
The old Cascade had been abolished about 1816, and a stage for
rope-dancing occupied its site (1822). A Submarine Cavern and a new
exhibition of Waterworks appear to have covered the Rural Downs.
At the eastern end of the garden was a building of wood and canvas
representing a Hermit’s Cottage, wherein might be seen--all in
transparency--the Hermit himself pursuing his studies by the aid of a
lamp, a blazing fire and a brightly-shining moon. At this end of the
gardens was the Firework Tower, where the fireworkers Hengler, Mortram
and Southby were now (1822) at work, preparing for the ascent of
Longuemare, which was to take place at twelve o’clock _à la Saqui_.
The South Walk (so much of it at least as remained uncovered) was
now known as the Firework Walk, and the three Triumphal Arches had
disappeared.
The Dark Walk of Vauxhall now began at the Submarine Cavern, passed
along the left hand and eastern boundaries of the garden and terminated
at the right hand end of the Grand Cross Walk, the last branch of it
being thus identical with the Lovers’ Walk of old days. The Cross Walk
was now usually denominated the Chinese Walk from its being lit with
Chinese lanterns. Four cosmoramas had taken the place of its Ruins.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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