The great benefaction for which Baron Grant will always be remembered is the gift of Leicester Square to the Metropolis at a cost to him of upwards of £30,000. For years this Square had been dilapidated and a disgrace to London, with a huge hoarding round it. Baron Grant secured, by purchase, all the rights of the owners. He then planted the gardens, and erected in the centre the statue of Shakespeare by Signor Fontana. This was, at the time, the only statue of the world’s greatest dramatist existing out of doors in his own country. The liberal donor also placed in the Square busts of celebrated men who had lived in the neighbourhood. These included Sir Isaac Newton, John Hunter, William Hogarth, and Sir Joshua Reynolds. This act of munificence did not bring the Baron the popularity he so much desired, for after the princely gift was presented by him to the Metropolitan Board of Works on the 2nd of July, 1874, the following verses were freely sold at the opening ceremony: Of course, you’ve heard the news that Baron Grant, To gain what most he wants--a good repute, Has promised to reclaim Wild Leicester Square, so long the West End’s shame, And turn that waste ground, nigh Alhambra’s towers, Into a smiling garden full of flowers. But will the world forget these flowers of Grant’s Are but the product of his City “plants”? And who, for shady walks, will give him praise For wealth thus spent, _when gained in shady ways_? In short, what can he hope from this affair? Save to connect his name with one thing Square! It was this same public-spirited though erratic “plunger” in stocks and shares who, in February, 1875, widened, at his own cost, the road leading to Kensington House, so as to avoid the curve which was dangerous to carriages when driving in. It was an approach that Queen Victoria frequently used. CHAPTER XXX King of Siam’s visit--The Shahzada’s clothing--King of Burmah’s war elephant--Tale of two monkeys. The King of Siam and the Shahzada of Afghanistan are linked in my memory because of the peculiar interest King Chulalongkorn took in the Afghan Prince, whose model appeared in all the splendour of one of the Shahzada’s own State dresses. The moment the King of Siam was confronted by this portrait he exclaimed in surprise: “How did the uniform come here? Where did you get it?” “Oh,” I replied, “we purchased it.” “Whom did you get it from?” the King of Siam persisted. “From the Shahzada himself?” The information was imparted that the elaborate costume had been offered to us by a member of the Shahzada’s suite, who took a keen personal interest in the transaction, and gave us to understand that his royal master would prefer that the portrait should not wear his own clothes till after his departure from this country.