I Supposed It To Be A Garden Somewhat
Different From That Of Vauxhall; But, In Fact, I Hardly Knew What I
Thought Of It.
Yesterday evening I took a walk in order to visit
this famous place of amusement; but I missed my
Way and got to
Chelsea; where I met a man with a wheel-barrow, who not only very
civilly showed me the right road, but also conversed with me the
whole of the distance which we walked together. And finding, upon
enquiry, that I was a subject of the King of Prussia, he desired me,
with much eagerness, to relate to him some anecdotes concerning that
mighty monarch. At length I arrived at Ranelagh; and having paid my
half-crown on entrance, I soon enquired for the garden door, and it
was readily shown to me; when, to my infinite astonishment, I found
myself in a poor, mean-looking, and ill-lighted garden, where I met
but few people. I had not been here long before I was accosted by a
young lady, who also was walking there, and who, without ceremony,
offered me her arm, asking me why I walked thus solitarily? I now
concluded, this could not possibly be the splendid, much-boasted
Ranelagh; and so, seeing not far from me a number of people entering
a door, I followed them, in hopes either to get out again, or to
vary the scene.
But it is impossible to describe, or indeed to conceive, the effect
it had on me, when, coming out of the gloom of the garden, I
suddenly entered a round building, illuminated by many hundred
lamps; the splendour and beauty of which surpassed everything of the
kind I had ever seen before. Everything seemed here to be round;
above, there was a gallery divided into boxes; and in one part of it
an organ with a beautiful choir, from which issued both instrumental
and vocal music. All around, under this gallery, are handsome
painted boxes for those who wish to take refreshments: the floor
was covered with mats, in the middle of which are four high black
pillars; within which there are neat fire-places for preparing tea,
coffee and punch; and all around, also, there are placed tables, set
out with all kinds of refreshments. Within these four pillars, in a
kind of magic rotundo, all the beau-monde of London move perpetually
round and round.
I at first mixed with this immense concourse of people, of all
sexes, ages, countries, and characters; and I must confess, that the
incessant change of faces, the far greater number of which were
strikingly beautiful, together with the illumination, the extent and
majestic splendour of the place, with the continued sound of the
music, makes an inconceivably delightful impression on the
imagination; and I take the liberty to add, that, on seeing it now
for the first time, I felt pretty nearly the same sensations that I
remember to have felt when, in early youth, I first read the Fairy
Tales.
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