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breeches. There "were a cluster of senators talking of State affairs and the
price of corn and cattle, and were disturbed with the noisy milkfolks crying
"A can of milk, ladies; a can of red cow's milk, sir." our
way to the Horse Guards was nothing worth our observation, unless twas
the Birdcage inhabited by wild fowl, the ducks begging charity, and the
Blackguard boys robbing their own bellies to relieve them.
The principal walks in this park, besides the Green Walk,
were the Close Walk at the Rosamond's Pond, and the long
Lime Walk, which terminated at a knot of lofty elms. A few
years earlier Charles II. might have been frequently seen in
St. James's Park, dividing his time, to a large extent, between
feeding the ducks in Rosamond's Pond and conversing with
Nell Gwynne and other courtesans over the walls which
separated the gardens of the houses on the south side of Pall
Mall from the Park. Evelyn refers to this in his diary under
date March 1, 1671, as follows:—
I thence walked with him [the king] through St. James's Park to the
garden, where I both saw and heard a very familiar discourse between Mrs.
Nellie, as they call an impudent comedian, she looking out of her garden on
a terrace at the top of the wall, and [the name is blank in the
original] standing on the green walk under it. I was heartily sorry at this
scene. Thence the King walked to the Duchess of Cleveland, another lady
of pleasure and curse of our nation.
According to de Grammont's Chesterfield, however, which
refers to the period of Charles II. :—
Hyde Park, every one knows, is the promenade of London; nothing was
so much in fashion during the fine weather as this promenade, which was
the rendezvous of fashion and beauty. Everyone, therefore, who had sparkling
eyes or a splendid equipage constantly repaired thither, and the King seemed
pleased with the place.
Pep^s and other contemporary writers also refer to the gay
sight presented in Hyde Park by the number of visitors, particularly
on special occasions, such as May-day.