Part 21 (1/2)

d.i.c.k h.e.l.lfinch was the pick of all the slang. [7]

_Progress._

His Nell sat on Newgate steps, and scratch'd her poll, Her eyes suffus'd with tears, and bung'd with gin; The Session's sentence wrung her to the soul, Nor could she lounge the gag to shule a win; The knowing bench had tipp'd her buzer queer, [8]

For d.i.c.k had beat the hoof upon the pad, Of Field, or Chick-lane--was the boldest lad That ever mill'd the cly, or roll'd the leer. [9]

And with Nell he kept a lock, to fence, and tuz, And while his flaming mot was on the lay, With rolling kiddies, d.i.c.k would dive and buz, And cracking kens concluded ev'ry day; [10]

But fortune fickle, ever on the wheel, Turn'd up a rubber, for these smarts to feel.

_Triumph._

Both'ring the flats a.s.sembled round the quod, [11]

The queerum queerly smear'd with dirty black; [12]

The dolman sounding, while the sheriff's nod, Prepare the switcher to dead book the whack, While in a rattle sit two blowens flash, [13]

Salt tears fast streaming from each bungy eye; To nail the ticker, or to mill the cly [14]

Through thick and thin their busy muzzlers splash, The mots lament for Tyburn's merry roam, That bubbl'd prigs must at the New Drop fall, [15]

And from the start the scamps are cropp'd at home; All in the sheriff's picture frame the call [16]

Exalted high, d.i.c.k parted with his flame, And all his comrades swore that he dy'd game.

[1: penny]

[2: man; woman]

[3: half-penny]

[4: spent the money]

[5: made a lot of money]

[6: cute fellow]

[7: i.e. fraternity]

[8: sentenced the pick-pocket]

[9: picked pockets]

[10: burgling]

[11: goal]

[12: gallows]

[13: coach; women]

[14: steal a watch; pick a pocket]

[15: Newgate]

[16: hangman's noose]

THE TRUE BOTTOM'D BOXER [1825]

[By J. JONES in _Universal Songster_, ii. 96]. Air: ”_Oh!

nothing in life can sadden us._”

I

Spring's the boy for a Moulsey-Hurst rig, my lads, Shaking a flipper, and milling a pate; Fibbing a n.o.b is most excellent gig, my lads, Kneading the dough is a turn-out in state.

Tapping the claret to him is delighting, Belly-go-firsters and clicks of the gob; For where are such joys to be found as in fighting, And measuring mugs for a chancery job: With flipping and milling, and fobbing and n.o.bbing, With belly-go-firsters and kneading the dough, With tapping of claret, and clipping and gobbing, Say just what you please, you must own he's the go.

II