ambition --"Yes, I will make myself great; I shall yet be count,
marquis, duke, perhaps lord mayor." The credit acquired by the City
has been reflected upon the whole nation, and there are none so mean
as not to have heard of the wealth, magnificence, and genial hospitality
of the free-born citizens of the metropolis of the British empire.

With regard to thoroughfares, it has already been stated that the
street tolls were mortgaged for some years, in order to raise the
requisite funds for carrying out Farringdon Street to the northern
boundary of the City. More recently an enormous debt has been incurred
in the construction of Cannon Street. Half a million sterling has been
sunk in the attempt to erect a handsome street, which should take off
from Cheapside a portion of the exodus to London Bridge, and at the
same time furnish a noble example of street architecture. In a
pecuniary point of view the experiment has not thus far proved
successful, but the very errors of the Corporation are on a grand and
magnificent scale. Upwards of another half-million has gone to the
construction of the new cattle-market at Islington and the model prison
at Holloway. Newgate, also, is being enlarged and improved, and it is
proposed to build a lunatic asylum on some lands recently purchased
for the purpose in the neighbourhood of Croydon. A very large sum is
annually expended in street improvements, besides a contribution of
nearly 12,000 pounds a year to a metropolitan fund for objects not
comprised within the liberties of the City. The Corporation also pays
11,000 pounds per annum towards the maintenance of the police force,
though in other metropolitan districts this proportion of the expenses
is debited to the Consolidated Fund. Of the charitable donations and
subscriptions of the Corporation it is needless to speak, for their
fame has gone forth throughout the world. The City of London School
was built at a cost of 20,000 pounds, and year by year receives