Part 34 (2/2)

The Butcher, whose tray meets the dough of the Baker,

And bundles his bread-basket out of his hand; The Exquisite Lad, and the dingy Flue Faker,{1}

And coaches to go that are all on the stand: Here you may see the lean sons of Parna.s.sus,

The puffing Perfumer, so spruce and so neat; While Ladies, who flock to the fam'd Bona.s.sus,

Are boning our hearts as we walk thro' the street.

(Spoken)--”In gude truth,” says a brawney Scotchman, ”I'se ne'er see'd sic bonny work in a' my liefe--there's nae walking up the streets without being knock'd doon, and nae walking doon the streets without being tripp'd up.”--”Blood-an-oons, (says an Irishman) don't be after blowing away your breath in blarney, my dear, when you'll want it presently to cool your barley broth.”--”By a leaf,” cries a Porter with a chest of drawers on his knot, and, pa.s.sing between them, capsizes both at once, then makes the best of his way on a jog-trot, humming to himself, Ally Croaker, or Hey diddle Ho diddle de; and leaving the fallen heroes to console themselves with broken heads, while some officious friends are carefully placing them on their legs, and genteelly easing their pockets of the possibles; after which they toddle off at leisure, to sing

Oh, London! dear London! &c.

Then for buildings so various, ah, who would conceive it,

Unless up to London they'd certainly been?

'Tis a truth, I aver, tho' you'd scarcely believe it,

That at the Court end not a Court's to be seen; Then for grandeur or style, pray where is the nation

For fas.h.i.+on or folly can equal our own?

Or fit out a fete like the grand Coronation?

I defy the whole world, there is certainly none.

(Spoken)--Talk of sights and sounds--is not there the Parliament House, the King's Palace, and the Regent's Bomb--The Horse-guards, the Body-guards, and the Black-guards--The Black-legs, and the Bluestockings--The Horn-blower, and the Flying Pie-man--The Indian Juggler--Punch and Judy--(imitating the well-known Show-man)--The young and the old, the grave and the gay--The modest Maid and the willing Cyprian--The Theatres--The Fives Court and the Court of Chancery--~268~~

1 Flue Faker--A cant term for Chimney-sweep.

The Giants in Guildhall, to be seen by great and small, and, what's more than all, the Coronation Ball--

Mirth, fun, frolic, and frivolity, To please the folks of quality:

For all that can please the eye, the ear, the taste, the touch, the smell,

Whether bang-up in life, unfriended or undone,

No place has such charms as the gay town of London.

Oh, Loudon! dear London! &c.

The quaint peculiarities of the Singer gave indescribable interest to this song, as he altered his voice to give effect to the various cries of the inhabitants, and it was knock'd down with three times three rounds of applause; when Merrywell, being named for the next, sung, accompanied with Dashall and Frank Harry, the following

GLEE.

”Wine, bring me wine--come fill the sparkling gla.s.s, Brisk let the bottle circulate; Name, quickly name each one his fav'rite la.s.s, Drive from your brows the clouds of fate: Fill the sparkling b.u.mper high, Let us drain the bottom dry.

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