Although so many useful and even important improvements have been recently effected in the metropolis, there are yet many things left undone that ought to be done, and others proceeding in a manner that will neither be creditable nor beneficial. The widening and opening of _New Streets_ from Pall Mall to the British Museum; from that national repository to Waterloo Bridge, skirting the two theatres;--from the Strand to Lincoln's Inn Fields, and thence to Holborn; and again to Covent Garden;--from Charing Cross to Somerset House;--from Oxford Road to Bloomsbury Square and Holborn;--from Blackfriars' Bridge to Clerkenwell, removing and clearing away that nuisance in a public thoroughfare, Fleet Market;--from Moorfields to the Bank, and thence obliquely to Southwark Bridge;--widening and opening the area around St. Paul's Cathedral,--are all calculated to be very beneficial to the public. Other essential alterations are still required; and the legislature, as well as all public-spirited individuals, should co-operate to promote them. The formation of open, respectable quays, terraces, and streets, on the banks of our fine river, is an event greatly to be desired. The vastly-increasing population of London, has occasioned a great augmentation of _Churches_ and _Chapels_, both for congregations of the establishment, and for dissenters. In consequence of urgent, and argumentative appeals by some truly pious and benevolent Christians, the legislature has granted a large sum for the purpose of aiding parochial committees, to build new churches or enlarge their old ones. The _New Post Office_, in St. Martin's-le-Grand, is fast approaching conclusion, and will constitute one of the most imposing public buildings of the city. Preparatory to the re-erection of the whole of the _Blue Coat School_, or _Christ's Hospital_, in Newgate Street, a spacious and handsome Hall has been erected, from the designs of Mr. Shaw. A _new Chapel_, of novel design, being of an amphitheatrical form, has been recently completed, from the designs of _W. Brooks_, architect. It is seated near the Catholic Chapel, in Finsbury Circus. * * * * * THE SKETCH-BOOK. * * * * * THE FIRST AND LAST CRIME. [_Blackwood's Magazine_ for the current month contains a sketchy article under this title, which displays much of the breadth and vigour of one of Maga's contributors. Our extract is in the form of the confession of a reckless, daring spirit, who being imprisoned for murder, commits suicide. The early developement of his bad passions is admirably drawn, and altogether this is one of the most powerfully written papers that we have lately met with.]