Something I've always managed to not notice, until today:

There's a statue of Abraham Lincoln on Parliament Square, facing Big Ben. I don't know what he did to have the English Government honour him in this way, but more interesting than that are a couple of artistic touches.

1) Around the pedestal is a row of 32 stars (6 on the front and back, 10 on each side). The only meaning I can think of is the number of states in the US. Does anyone know how many there were in Lincoln's day?

2) Lincoln is depicted as if he has just stood up from a chair, the back of which bears a very Roman looking eagle.

Does anyone know whether these might represent anything, or am I just chasing shadows?

winter"A US President? In London?"mute