CHAPTER XLVII

.

THREADNEEDLE STREET.

The Centre of Roman London--St. Benet Fink--The Monks of St. Anthony--The Merchant Taylors--Stow, Antiquary and Tailor--A Magnificent Roll--The Good Deeds of the Merchant Taylors--The Old and the Modern Merchant Taylors' Hall--"Concordia parvæ res crescunt"--Henry VII. enrolled as a Member of the Taylors' Company--A Cavalcade of Archers--The Hall of Commerce in Threadneedle Street--A Painful Reminiscence--The Baltic Coffee-house--St. Anthony's School--The North and South American Coffee-house--The South Sea House--History of the South Sea Bubble--Bubble Companies of the Period--Singular Infatuation of the Public--Bursting of the Bubble--Parliamentary Inquiry into the Company's Affairs--Punishment of the Chief Delinquents--Restoration of Public Credit--The Poets during the Excitement--Charles Lamb's Reverie 531

##