The next thing worthy of observation is
the fine altar enclos'd with a curious balus-
trade, within which is a pavement of mo-
saic work, laid at the expence of Abbot
Ware, in the year 1272, and is said to be
one of the most beautiful of its kind in the
world: the stones of which it is composed
are porphyry, jasper, lydian and serpentine.
The altar is a beautiful piece of marble,
removed from Whitehall, and presented to
this church by order of her majesty Queen
Anne.  On each side of the altar are doors,
opening into St. Edward's chapel.

Of the several Chapels in Westminster
Abbey.  Besides that of Henry VII. which,
as we have already observed, is a separate
building, and will therefore be mentioned
by itself when we have finished our survey
of the Abbey, there are ten chapels, round
that of St. Edward the Confessor, which
stands as it were in the center, and, as has
been said, is inclosed in the body of the
church, at the east end of the choir, behind
the altar; these, beginning from the north
cross, and passing round to the south cross,
are in the following order: St. Andrew's,
St. Michael's, St. John the Evangelist's,

The Chapel of St. Edward.  The first
curiosity that here fixes our attention, is
the ancient shrine erected by Henry III.
upon the canonization of Edward King of
England, the third of that name before the
conquest, and the last of the Saxon race;
a Prince who owed the title of Confessor
and Saint, to the vast sums he bestowed on
the church, and the sollicitations of the
monks, than to his own personal merit:
for he was a bad son, a bad husband, and so
bad a king, that he shewed greater favour
to the Normans than to his own people, and
by his folly prepared the way for the con-
quest.  He died in the year 1066, and was
canonized by Pope Alexander III. in 1269.
This shrine, which was once esteemed the
glory of England, is now much defaced
and neglected.  It was composed of stones of
various colours, beautifully enriched with
all the cost that art could devise.  No
sooner was it erected, than the wealth of
the kingdom flowed to it from all quarters.
Henry III. set the first example, though he
afterwards made use of the jewels and trea-
sure he offered there, to defray the charges