pannier, is the object of pursuit-an error which, from the pure innocence it evinces, only aggravates our pity for the hapless Grison's condition! The ancient custom-for some deserving man to "beg" a pension of this sort, (that was, the spending of his estate,) from the king-was a most sound and judicious practice, and ought to be returned to.

But, for the fools, here they are in great numbers! Marry, there are places where it might scarcely be believed, if a man should say "The metropolis of England nourishes such hordes of prisoners, that they cannot be kept under lock and key; but have, for years back, merely had, custodia libera, a particular quarter of the city, which they quit as they think proper, but which is assigned them for their residence!" Here they are, in great numbers, all the town fools who have had their day, whose fathers and grandfathers have been damned for the way in which they got money, and who themselves deserve to encounter a similar inconvenience for the way in which they have spent it.

Here is the gentleman who wore dove-coloured coats, and, for five years, always put on a new one every morn ing!

Here is the other gentleman, who never could tie a cravat on short of the sixteenth or eighteenth “failure;" and who now (from some cause or other) fails to tie on any cravat at all!

Here come the whole of the club that used to dine at P's, not where the wine was best, but where the bottles were the smallest; and the gentleman who meets them is he who gave six thousand pounds for his "dressing-case," and discharged his footman for the vulgarity of perfuming himself with lavender water!

The "Bully Backs," the swindlers, the gamblers, and all those who have been used to live col mano, fare better than the "Esquires," in a society where law, either civil or criminal, is pretty nearly out of the question.

They are the basket-makers on the Indian island-a commonwealth sees no distinction of persons-the rogues are heavy-fisted-magistrates are slow to interfere-and they know their opponents too, in most cases-which also helps courage a good deal.

Some of these shine out (the newcomers) in gorgeous apparel, and have no earthly anxiety, as it should seem, but to clean their boots, and curl their whiskers. Others abide in garments, originally of no less pretension, but sullied by repeated rollings in the kennel, or faded by long and arduous wear. A third division (pantaloons, by day, impracticable) mope in the back attics round "The Philanthropic," or in " Garden Row," cutting greasy cards for sport or practice-sake, and "inly ruminating" (credit being stopped at the boiled-beef shop) what may be contrived for dinner.

The first bucks, however, by residence here, are apt to acquire a lazy, sauntering, semi-slipshod kind of air; and may be seen, in broad noon, making an exertion to get along, -uncombed, unwashed, unbraced, ungartered; looking like newspaper reporters walking home at seven in the morning, after a furious Whig "debate" in "both Houses," or citizens, of forty years since, newly risen from bed, and trailing themselves (as the fashion then was) some hundred doors in search of a hair-dresser.

Since the invention of the "Insolvent Act," most of the dwellers here are birds of passage; they return, however, to take a fresh six weeks, as often, generally, as the provisions of the law will allow them. A whole host of speculators come and go in this way, whose lives seem charmed against such casualties as hanging or transportation, and who keep tilburies and grooms through a long term of years, merely by knowing the secret, that he who has nothing, can as easily spend twenty guineas as ten.*

Some still, (the residents at the

Y

-in rags, or in the "imperial purple" -the infant that can but point shall not mistake their profession for a moment!-Taken, at hazard, from among all ranks in society, but usually from the lowest, they are the people, these, whom Madam Fortune selects, by preference, to play her tricks with-their life is but as a harlequin pantomime, in which the public plays Clown, and insanity seems to hold the bat. Reception into the " company" of an inferior theatre is not difficult to any girl of fifteen, who possesses tolerable personal advantages, and a disposition to make the readiest use of them. They commonly begin in "the figure"that is, they get permission, after half a dozen lessons in dancing, to make that display of themselves in the corps de ballet, gratuitously, which costs a trifling stipend to the manager, when made by unfortunates of more experience. Such talent, however, as may command eminence in any but a first-rate theatre, is not very rare, and entirely independent of education. The chief desiderata, as concerns a female, are a loud voice, a pretty shape, and a pleasing deportment. Possessed of these requisites, a young lady catches the fancy of the Circus galleries; and within three weeks, from being a rinser of muslins, comes to be the very goddess of St George's-Fields.*

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Promotion like this happens more often to your sempstress than your mercer, because we admire a woman always kindly and naturally-a man (where we do grant him merit) grudgingly, and against our will; but, happen to whom or when it may, there is no brain that ever could bear up against it.

To gain an income of four pounds a-week-and by doing that which one would give four pounds to be permitted to do!-To be let paint one's face!-wear one's petticoats half way up one's legs!-sometimes, to wear

no petticoats at all!-To wear dresses of gold and silver!-To represent the Countess-the Marchioness-the Queen!-To be pointed at-" That's Mrs or Miss so and so !" in the street -To see one's name in the "bills," in red letters eight inches long!-To have one's partizans-and one's likingsand one's predilections-and to be of importance, even to the manager!-To be" sick," and have an 66 apology" made for one-and then "re-appear!" -To have love-letters sent one at one's own "benefit"-To ride on "horseback"-in a new piece"-by" permission"-for somebody else's!-To be mentioned in the penny-play criticisms-in the London Magazine-and to get, at Christmas or Easter-once a-year-to get one's name into the Times, or Chronicle! We are but mortals, the wisest of us! Spangles and sprigged "linos!"-then vogue la ga lere!-Philosophy!-let men talk of that which they can understandwhat philosopher was ever a favourite actor at the Circus!

The first passion of "success" is, in both sexes, for the outward (and attainable) semblance of gentility. The ladies shine out gorgeous with satin frocks, and real gold watches; the gentlemen all agree in a "horse and gig;" but whether the "coat" should be "frogged" or "white with pearl buttons," is matter of opinion. There must, in all cases, be a new name-like" Barber Beaumont," for instance composed of two sirnames; a separate etat, in favour of which the family garret is deserted; but we hang round home a little still, in our "ostrich feathers," just to mortify "Miss Backstitch," who used to think herself our equal; and so both gold watches and gigs make their appearance sometimes in localities, where no such movables (connected with any symptom of ownership) ever dreamed

to enter.

Life, too protracted, is all that these favoured of Heaven, have to apprehend. They should live only-being rightly taken-while the whim that raised them continues to exist. Praised ever be the principle on which decline proceeds at Constantinople, where the first symptom that leads a great man to suspect that he is falling, is so contrived as to be the falling of his head! Those who are on horseback (even although they should verify the adage) until the end of their course have nothing to fear; but it is far otherwise with that knot of the unchosen, who may be observed always towards the close of "rehearsal" time, hanging still (as though they forgot that meat might be over-roasted) about the doors of a minor theatre.

The gentleman who enacts the "Murderer" is of this party, as also he who plays the "Constable"-the "King"-the "Waiter”—the “Lover" and all those representers, en role second, whose business it is always in the play for" captains," and "smart servants," to break jokes and canes upon them.

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There is the gentleman who " on" in mud and moonlight, and gets his death of cold (and fifteen shillings a-week) for jumping into the "real water," dressed like Mr Anybody (the hero) every night, in the "last scene.' The" second Harlequin" is seen, and all the second singers," variety of occasional artists, eminent as dragons, cows, and camels; the man who (peculiarly) performs the bear; the billsticker, who "lies dead” in all the burial processions; the lady who plays the old women; and many other ferocious and extraordinary animals.

Note the taste of these people in attire! They are a caste of themselves in everything, but most of all in dress. That "walking gentleman's" neckcloth-though not so white as it was three weeks ago-is tied in a "knot,” which by no dulness can escape attention! The coat is always green or claret, exemplary of new "cuffing" and "collaring,' 66 letting out" or "taking in." "Shooting jackets" are very much" the go," with falsetopped boots, pulled well up to meet small-clothes shrunk by repeated scouring. Four under-waistcoats look as if they had been purloined from one rag-shop. A pair of seamy skyblue trowsers seem to have emanated from another. But the hat still rolls,

rakishly, on one side; the remnant of glove is whirled briskly round the end of the fore finger, and there is an air of desolate gaiety-a nod and a jest for the pawnbroker-way of meeting difficulties-about the whole man, which nothing-no, not even the being a cornet of cavalry, and on halfpay-nothing but a familiarity with the " lamp" and the coulisse-can impart.

Evening approaches-the duties of the night must be prepared for. Our assemblage disperses, and the urchins who were gazing on it transfer their admiration to some fresh object. We lose little. One moment, and new groups succeed. Turn as we will, in what quarter shall we want food for observation? But Rome was not built, nor can London be examined, in a day. We look on it, but what eye can retain even its outline? We live in its vast crowd, yet keep no trace of feature. It is the object only which the mind can grasp, that will remain impressed upon the memory. Night closes

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and the lamplighter, in his hasty march, strides on to put out day-light. The muffin-bell rings out its tiny peal. Boys and old women, already in the field, challenge us (before six o'clock!) with " oranges," and "a bill of the play." A drizzling rain comes on in concert with the darkness; the sky bears one look of uniform, unvaried gloom. The hackney-coachmen bend their "top" coats, button to the chin, quit the watering-house, mount the box, and "fares" rise cent per cent by acclamation! The " gas (for that comes by contract) flames already in the shop upon my right. On my left, Mr Dobbs, who buys his own candles, will try to make twilight serve a quarter of an hour longer. In half an hour more the theatre doors will be open, the linkmen will be all on the alert, and the people who go with "orders" will be an hour too soon, for fear they should be too late. Pattens in the streets will then be clanking, umbrellas streaming, and the million of lights that burn below will serve but to shew the black above more thick and visible. But this becomes the business, properly, of evening in London-matter which it would require a bolder pen than mine to discuss, or which, at least, from whoever may undertake it, deserves the attention of being treated in a separate chapter.

TITUS.