File:Old and new London - a narrative of its history, its people, and its places (1873) (14597836868).jpg

Identifier: oldnewlondonnarr03thor (find matches)
Title: Old and new London : a narrative of its history, its people, and its places
Year: 1873 (1870s)
Authors: Thornbury, Walter, 1828-1876
Subjects:
Publisher: London : Cassell, Petter, & Galpin
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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rch, said, amongst other bitterthings, that it was wondrous That he should be styled Defender of Faith,Who believes not a word that the word of (lod saith. And added, in alkision to the current belief thatCharles II. liad jjrofessed himself a RomanCatholic :— Thou>;h changed his religion, 1 hope hes so civilNot to think his own father is gone to the devil. It has been said, but we know not with howmtic li (jf truth, that the scul-ptor, on finding that he the commanding grace of the figure and theexquisite form of the horse, are striking even tothe most unpractised eye. The sword held by Charles, or rather by hisstatue here, is a modern one. The story of tliesubstitution of the new sword for the old one,which we take from Cliambers Book of Days, isa strange one:—-In Notes and Queries for 1850,Mr. Planche asked, ^ When did the real swordwhich, but a few years back, hung at the side ofthe equestrian statue of King Charles at Charing dialing Cross.) THE STATUE AT CHARING CROSS. 127
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Charing Cross from Northumberland House in 1750 - 128 OLD AND NEW LONDON. rCh.iring Cross. Cross, disappear ? That the sword was a real oneof that period, I state upon the authority of mylearned friend, Sir Samuel Meyrick, who had ascer-tained the fact, and who pointed out to me its loss.To this query Mr. Street replied, The sword dis-appeared about the time of the coronation of herpresent ^Majesty, when some scaffolding was erectedaround the statue, which afforded great focilitiesfor removing the rapier—for such it was ; and Ialways understood that it found its way into the so-called museum of the notorious Captain D , Avhere, in company with the wand of the Great^Vizard of the North, and other well-known articles,it was carefully labelled and numbered, and a litdeaccount appended relating the circumstances of itsacquisition and removal. The editor of Notesand Queries pointedly added to this communication, The age of chivalry is certainly past, otherwisethe idea of disarming a statue would never haveentered the head of any man of

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