the ground was occupied by the celebrated theatre built after the
Restoration, at which Betterton performed, and of which Sir William
Davenant was manager. Lastly, here was the house and printing-office of
Richardson. In Bolt-court, not far distant, lived Dr. Johnson, who
resided also for some time in the Temple. A list of his numerous other
residences is to be found in Boswell[2]. Congreve died in Surrey-street,
in the Strand, at his own house. At the corner of Beaufort-buildings,
was Lilly's, the perfumer, at whose house the Tatler was published. In
Maiden-lane, Covent-garden, Voltaire lodged while in London, at the sign
of the White Peruke. Tavistock-street was then, we believe, the
Bond-street of the fashionable world; as Bow-street was before. The
change of Bow-street from fashion to the police, with the theatre still
in attendance, reminds one of the spirit of the Beggar's Opera. Button's
Coffee-house, the resort of the wits of Queen's Anne's time, was in
Russell-street--we believe, near where the Hummums now stand. We think
we recollect reading also, that in the same street, at one of the
corners of Bow-street, was the tavern where Dryden held regal possession
of the arm chair. The whole of Covent-garden is classic ground, from its
association with the dramatic and other wits of the times of Dryden and
Pope. Butler lived, perhaps died, in Rose-street, and was buried in
Covent-garden Churchyard; where Peter Pindar the other day followed him.
In Leicester-square, on the site of Miss Linwood's exhibition and other
houses, was the town mansion of the Sydneys, Earls of Leicester, and the
family of Sir Philip and Algernon Sydney. In the same square lived Sir
Joshua Reynolds. Dryden lived and died in Gerrard-street, in a house
which looked backwards into the garden of Leicester House. Newton lived
in St. Martin's-street, on the south side of the square. Steele lived in
Bury-street, St. James'; he furnishes an illustrious precedent for the
loungers in St. James'-street, where scandal-mongers of those times
delighted to detect Isaac Bickerstaff in the person of captain Steele,