cr own readers

TH E GREAT FIRE OF LONDON. 73
18. THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON.
1. 2T1d September 1666.-This fatal night, about
ten , began that deplorable fire, near Fish Street, in
London . 3 I'tl.-The fire continuing, after dinner I took
coach with my wife and son, and went to th e Bankside
in outhwark, where we beheld that dismal spectacle, .
the whole city in dreadful flames near th e water-side.
2. The fire went on all th e night--if I may call
that night which was as light as day for ten miles
round about--helped by a fierce eastern wind in a
very dry season. I saw th e whole south part of th e
city burning from Cheapside to th e Thames, and all
along Cornhill (for it kindled back against th e wind
as well as forward), Tower Street, Fenchurch Street,
Grucechurch Street, and so along to Bainnrd's Castle,
and the fire th ere was now taking hold of St. Paul's
Ch urch.
3. The conflagration was so uni versal, and th e
people were so astonished, that from th e beginning
th ey hardl y stirred to check it. Th ere was nothing
heard or seen but cry ing out and lamentation, the people
running about lik e distracted creatures, without at all
attornpt ing to save their goods. There was a strange
consternation upon th em, as the fire consumed churches,
public hall s, hospitals, monum ents, and ornaments,
leaping from hous e to house, and street W street, at
great distances one from th e other.
4. Wc saw the Thames covered with goods afloat,
all thc barge and boats being laden with what some
person s had had tim e and courage to save. Carts,
also, were on all sides carrying things out to the fields,
which for man.r miles were strewed with movabl es of
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