erect a number of houses on the Foundling Hospital estate, partly in St.
Giles's and Bloomsbury parishes, and partly in that of St. Pancras.
_Baltimore House_, built, towards the northeast of _Bedford House_, by
Lord Baltimore, in 1763, appears to have been the only erection since
Strype's survey to this period, with the exception of a
chimney-sweeper's cottage still further north, and part of which is
still to be seen in Rhodes's Mews, Little Guildford Street. In 1800,
Bedford House was demolished entirely; which with its offices and
gardens, had been the site where the noble family of the Southamptons,
and the illustrious Russells, had resided during more than 200 years,
almost isolated. Hence commenced the formation of a fine uniform street,
Bedford Place, consisting of forty houses, on the spot; also, the north
side of Bloomsbury Square, Montague Street to the west, and one side of
Southampton Row to the east. Towards the north, the extensive piece of
waste ground, denominated the _Southampton Fields_, was transformed into
a magnificent square, with streets diverging therefrom in various
directions. Thus, as if by "touch of magic wand," those scenes, which
had been "hideous" for centuries, became transformed into receptacles of
civil life and polished society.

The latest account of these _footsteps_, previous to their being built
over, with which I am acquainted, is the following, extracted from one
of Joseph Moser's _Common-place Books_ in my possession:--

"June 16. 1800.--Went into the fields at the back of Montague
House, and there saw, for the last time, the _forty footsteps_;
the building materials are there ready to cover them from the
sight of man. I counted more than _forty_, but they might be the
foot-prints of the workmen."