The design was attributed to the noted author of the Rights of Man; but the arch designed by him was cast in the year 1790, by Messrs. Walkers, at Rotherham, whence it was brought to London, and erected at the bowling-green of the Yorkshire Stingo public-house, where it was exhibited to the public; Paine not being able to defray the expense, the arch was taken down and carried back to Rotherham; part of it was afterwards used in the Sunderland bridge, and part, it is supposed, in the Staines bridge.  This last, like its immediate predecessor, was not destined to last long, for it had scarcely been opened one month, when it was found necessary to close it to the public, the arch having sunk in a very alarming degree.  His late Majesty King George the Third was said to have been among the last to pass over it.  In this emergency the late Mr. Rennie was consulted, who pronounced the bridge altogether dangerous, in consequence of the weakness of the abutments.  No alternative remained but to remove the iron bridge entirely, and patch up the old wooden bridge until a new one of wood was built.  That bridge, which is the present old bridge, continued to stand, with various repairs and alterations, until the year 1828, when, in consequence of the decay of the piles, and the continual heavy expenses required to uphold it, the Commissioners determined to build a new one of more durable materials.  Messrs. Rennie were therefore applied to for designs, and a bill was brought into Parliament to authorize the Commissioners to raise funds.  The works were commenced in the spring of 1829, and on the 14th of September following the first stone was laid by their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Clarence (their present Majesties).  Since then, the works have been carried on to their present completion under the direction of Mr. G. Rennie and Mr. Brown, the superintendents, and Messrs. Jolliffe and Banks, the contractors.”

The Engraving is from a Sketch by our obliging Windsor Correspondent:  it was taken from the old bridge, whence the spectator enjoys a delightful view of Windsor Castle, through the centre arch of the new fabric.

By the way, we noticed the project of this new stone bridge, in connexion with our Engraving of the new church at Staines, in vol. xii. of The Mirror, August 30, 1828.

* * * * *

THE WRECK.

(FOR THE MIRROR.)

  No mare, no more, o’er the dark blue sea,
    Will the gallant vessel bound,
  Fearless and proud as the warrior’s plume
    At the trumpet’s startling sound;
  No more will her banner assert its claim
    To empire on the foam,
  And the sailors cheer as the thunder rolls
    From the guns of their wave-girt home!

  Her white sails gleam’d like the sunny dawn
    On the brow of the sapphire sky,
  And her thunder echoed along the cliffs,
    Awaking the seamew’s cry;
  Oh! it was glorious to see her glide
    Triumphantly over the sea,
  With her blue flag fluttering in the wind,
    The symbol of victory.