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Salter's coffee house here is well
known, being much frequented on ac-
count of the great number of natural
curiosities to be seen there.
Chelsea Hospital, a noble edifice erected
for the invalids in the land servive. The
original building on this spot was a col-
lege founded by Dr. Sutkliff, Dean of
Exeter, in the reign of King James I. for
the study of Polemic divinity, and was
endowed in order to support a Provost
and Fellows, for the instruction of youth
in that branch of learning. The King,
who laid the first stone, gave many of the
materials, and promoted the work by a
large sum of money, and the clergy were
very liberal upon the same occasion; but the
sum settled upon the foundation by Dr.
Sutkliff being far unequal to the end pro-
posed, the rest was left to private contri-
butions; and these coming in slowly, the
work was stopped before it was finished,
and therefore soon fell to ruin. At
length the ground on which the old col-
lege was erected, becoming escheated to
the crown, Charles II. began to erect the
present hospital, which was carried on
by James II. and completed by William
and Mary.
The whole edifice, which was built
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by the great Sir Christopher Wren, consists
of a vast range of buildings. The front
toward the north opens into a piece of
ground laid out in walks for the pension-
ners; and that facing the south, into a
garden which extends to the Thames,
and is kept in good order. This side af-
fords not only a view of that fine river,
but of the county of Surry beyond it.
In the center of this edifice is a pediment
supported by four columns, over which
is a handsome turret, and through this
part is an opening which leads through
the building. On one side of this en-
trance is the chapel, the furniture and
plate of which was given by K. James I.
and on the other side is the hall, where
all the pensioners dine in common, the
officers by themselves. In this hall is
the picture of King Charles II. on horse-
back, with several other pieces as big
as the life, designed by Signior Vario,
and finished by Mr. Cook. These were
presented by the Earl of Ranelagh. The
pavement of both the chapel and hall
are black and white marble. The altar
piece in the chapel is the resurrection,
painted by Sebastian Ricci.
The wings, which extend east and
west, join the chapel and hall to the
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