The lungs of London. (Parks)

The lungs of London. (Parks)

London is the clearing-house of the world.

London is the clearing-house of the world.

A mighty mass of brick, and smoke, and shipping,
Dirty and dusty, but as wide as eye
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A mighty mass of brick, and smoke, and shipping,
Dirty and dusty, but as wide as eye
Could reach, with here and there a sail just skipping
In sight, then lost amidst the forestry
Of masts; a wilderness of steeples peeping
On tiptoe through their sea-coal canopy;
A huge, dun cupola, like a foolscap crown
On a fool's head--and there is London Town.

London! the needy villain's general home,
The common sewer of Paris and of Rome!
With eager thirst, read more

London! the needy villain's general home,
The common sewer of Paris and of Rome!
With eager thirst, by folly or by fate,
Sucks in the dregs of each corrupted state.

As I came down the Highgate Hill,
The Highgate Hill, the Highgate Hill,
As I came down read more

As I came down the Highgate Hill,
The Highgate Hill, the Highgate Hill,
As I came down the Highgate Hill
I met the sun's bravado,
And saw below me, fold on fold,
Grey to pearl and pearl to gold,
This London like a land of old,
The land of Eldorado.

I came to Gotham, where I saw many who were fools, if not all.
[Lat., Veni Gotham, ubi multos,
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I came to Gotham, where I saw many who were fools, if not all.
[Lat., Veni Gotham, ubi multos,
Si non omnes, vidi stultos.]

Then in town let me live, and in town let me die
For I own I can't relish the read more

Then in town let me live, and in town let me die
For I own I can't relish the country, not I.
If I must have a villa in summer to dwell,
Oh give me the sweet shady side of Pall Mall.

He was born within the sound of Bow-bell.

He was born within the sound of Bow-bell.

London is the epitome of our times, and the Rome of to-day.

London is the epitome of our times, and the Rome of to-day.