Chapter VIII: Preface (8)

The Lord-mayor, with Garter, and the Gentleman-usher of the
Black-rod, are to attend his Majesty into St. James's, to
the foot of the stairs leading up to the Guard-chamber; where
they alight, and the Lord Mayor humbly takes his leave of his
Majesty.

During the whole proceeding from St. Margaret's-hill, the
Conduits at Stocks-market and other parts of the City are
to run with wine as usual. And the great guns at the Tower
are to be twice discharged: first, at his Majesty's taking
coach at Greenwich; and secondly, after his passing over
London-bridge. And at his Majesty's arrival at his Royal
Palace, the foot-guards in the Park fire three volleys, and
the cannon in the Park are to be discharged."

Such was the eagerness evinced on this occasion, that seats were erected in every situation where it was possible the King could be seen, and the balconies in Cheapside, Cornhill, &c. were let for 20 and 30 guineas each. It must, however, be acknowledged to have been a superb spectacle, to grace which the publick provided prudently and amply. Coaches, carts, &c. were forbid to enter the streets, and those were lined by six regiments of Trained bands; the Conduits ran with wine; the Charity-children, assembled on a vast range of seats, sung Hymns; the Livery Companies exhibited their persons and costume; and a number of aged gentlemen, whose hairs were silvered by time, determined to invite others to join them in white camblet cloaks, and seated on white horses to form part of the procession; but some unforeseen obstacles intervening, they were compelled to substitute a stand at the East-end of St. Paul's, erected over another appointed for a boy from Christ's-hospital to pronounce an oration to the King, where a considerable number appeared to shew their loyalty.--One of the newspapers of the day observes, that the weather was uncommonly fine, and that the cavalcade of the procession and volunteers reached from Greenwich to St. Paul's. Exclusive of the usual evening demonstrations of joy, a fire-work was exhibited in St. Paul's church-yard, representing two flaming dragons on one side, and on the other the Crown accompanied by the motto, "_Floreat Civitas_." Cockades of ribband, and ribbands decorated with mottos and devices in gold and silver, were very generally worn on this occasion, and at the subsequent Coronation; previous to which, the Envoys of Sicily and Venice had a warm dispute on precedency in the box prepared for the Ambassadors in Westminster-hall; this the Marshal of the Ceremonies adroitly parried, by declaring all precedency ceased _in_ the box. Every description of utensils and table-linen were purloined from Westminster-hall, as at the preceding Coronation.

Dreadful accidents occurred during the procession, by the fall of over-loaded scaffolds in Old Palace-yard and the Broad Sanctuary: nineteen persons were killed and wounded, amongst whom was Lady Burton, far advanced in pregnancy; this unhappy lady died in a few minutes. Every recompence was made to the survivors, by the King's orders, that pecuniary assistance could afford.

The King soon after witnessed the Lord Mayor's annual ceremony from Mr. Taylor's balcony in Cheapside. This gentleman was a Quaker and a Linen-draper, to whom the Monarch offered the honour of Knighthood in return for his civility; but the wary Friend declined the tempting bait, which would have procured him the less acceptable ceremony of being read out of Meeting.

The Proprietors of Sion gardens advertised the following singular method of selling deer from their park, in May 1715. They appointed the afternoons of Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, for killing those animals; when the publick were admitted at one shilling each to see the operation, or they might purchase tickets from four to ten shillings, which entitled them, I suppose by way of Lottery, to different parts of the beast, as they say the quantity killed was to be divided into sixteen lots, and the first choice to be governed by the numbers on the tickets; a ten shilling ticket was entitled to a fillet; eight a shoulder; seven a loin, &c. If the full price of the Deer was not received on a given day, the keeper held the money till that sum was obtained. They offered to sell whole deer, and to purchase as many as might be offered.

A singular wedding occurred in November 1715, _secundum usum Tremulorum_, between a rich Quaker Apothecary, and a daughter of Daniel Quare, the celebrated watch-maker in Exchange-alley. The place of entertainment was Skinners-hall, "where 300 persons were present, amongst whom was the Duchess of Marlborough, &c. The Princess of Wales was invited, but did not go."

However unpleasant the yells of Barrow-women are at present, no other mischief arises from them than the obstruction of the ways. It was far otherwise before 1716, when they generally carried Dice with them, and children were enticed to throw for fruit and nuts, or indeed any persons of more advanced age. However, in the year just mentioned, the pernicious consequences of the practice beginning to be felt, the Lord Mayor issued an order to apprehend all retailers so offending, which speedily put an end to street-gaming; though, I am sorry to observe, that some miscreants now carry little wheels marked with numbers, which being turned govern the chance by the figure a hand in the centre points to when stopped.

The first notice of coloured lamps for illuminations that I have met with is in the year 1716, when Dr. Chamberlain displayed 200 on the front of his house in Surrey-street, in honour of the King's birth-day.

The same year produced the annual rowing-match by six young watermen who have just completed their apprenticeship, which was founded by Mr. Doggett, the Comedian, who left a certain sum in trust for the purchase of the prize, an orange-coloured coat with a silver badge, representing the Hanoverian horse, as I take it; but the papers of the day will have it to represent _the wild unbridled horse_ Liberty.

The reader will find in the following advertisement a singular method of invitation to a public-house and gardens; and I think he will agree with me, that this custom of our predecessors is better honoured in the breach than in the observance.

"Sion Chapel, at Hampstead, being a private and pleasant place, many persons of the best fashion have been lately married there. Now, as a Minister is obliged constantly to attend, this is to give notice, that all persons, upon bringing a licence, and who shall have their wedding-dinner at the house in the gardens, may be married in the said Chapel without giving any fee or reward; and such as do not keep their wedding at the gardens, only five shillings will be demanded of them for all fees."

A grand aquatic procession occurred in July 1717. The King, accompanied by the Dutchess of Newcastle, Lady Godolphin, Madam Kilmanseck and the Earl of Orkney, went in the evening in an open barge to Chelsea. As they floated up the tide, surrounded by thousands of boats, fifty performers in a City-barge serenaded his Majesty with the strains of Handel, composed expressly for this occasion, with which he was so enraptured that they were thrice repeated. At eleven o'clock the boats had reached Chelsea; there the Monarch landed, and, proceeding to the mansion of Lady Catharine Jones[257:A] he supped, was entertained by a concert, and returned at two in the morning. The Princess of Wales frequently hired the common watermen, and glided about the same part of the river; and once honoured a West-country barge with a visit, partaking with the men their homely fare of salt-pork and bread, and distributing a tenfold equivalent of guineas. This honour was so acceptable to the Master of the vessel, that he immediately gave her a Royal title, and expended great part of the money in purchasing a splendid cockade as a _distinguishing vane_ for his head, vowing to _renew it when decayed_.

Such were the happier moments of Royalty! Thanks to our Constitution, happiness reigns in gradations from the Throne to the Cottage; and while George I. solaced in his Gondola, fanned by the evening breeze, and lulled by the sweet notes of Handel, his peasants were celebrating their Florists' feast at Bethnal-green, with a Carnation named after him, the King of the Year; the Stewards bearing gilded staves, crowned with laurel, and bedecked with flowers, and 90 cultivators in their rear, each bearing his blooming trophy, traversed the fields to the sound of musick, happy in themselves, and rendering the numerous spectators not less so. Why is this pleasing custom neglected and forgotten?

It would have been well if the Society for the Reformation of Manners had attempted the reform of a class of people whose manners were extremely provoking and very disgusting.

I beg leave to introduce a paragraph from the Medley of May 16, which will explain my meaning, and support my assertion, that in this particular the watermen of our day are greatly improved, though still very rough in their actions and conversation.

"On Monday last, being the day King George set out for Hanover, several of his lower domesticks went before; and while they were upon the Thames, a brisk bold lass, that was perfectly well versed in water-language, gave them several plaguy broadsides; certain it is, she made use of several odd, comical, out-of-the-way expressions, at which, though at the same time they were heartily vexed, they could not forbear laughing. The phrases she made use of should be repeated here, but only they were of such a rude nature, that, though they did not fall under the cognizance of the law by water, yet they would be perfectly punishable by land; and I question whether if they would not even be deemed treasonable. The Thames seems to have a charter for rudeness; and the sons of Triton and Neptune have not only a freedom of, but a licence for, any sort of speech. The privilege, by being so antient, is grown incontestible; and scandal there is as it were a law by prescription. Crowned heads in former times did not go scot-free, and yet no punishment ensued; so that Majesty then seemed, by conniving in silence at the abuse, to give the Royal assent to those rough water-laws. Several bitter jests were cast on our good Queen Catharine; and people told her Majesty merrily of the several children King Charles had by his concubines, and made it a matter of ludicrous wonder and surprize, that the constant bedfellow of so mettlesome a Prince should not give the world one token of their mutual love."

Such were the manners of watermen; and, without doubt, their passengers frequently bore a part in the low _amusement of abuse_. Mr. Mist, well known as one of the heroes of the Dunciad, enables me to shew those of some of the landsmen of the same period. He introduces them in very good advice to parents and masters previous to the holidays of May; and observes, that many coaches were in a state of requisition for the conveyance of journeymen, apprentices, and their masters' daughters, to the churches of St. Pancras and Mary-le-bon, for private marriage.

He conjures all sober honest tradesmen who love their wives to walk abroad with them and their children. "And whereas Mr. Mist has been informed, that in holiday times divers persons of distinction and figure _transform themselves into the shapes of journeymen, apprentices_, and other mechanical habits, to trepan young wenches out of their modesty; he therefore requires of all viceroys and governors of families to give the strictest orders for their female children and servants to repair to their respective habitations before candle-light.

"All journeymen Drapers, Mercers, Lawyers-clerks, _and other ten or twelve-shilling workmen_, are strictly forbid to cause riots and routs in the streets _concerning precedency_, as they return from their carouses in the night-time.

"N. B. Bullies and Gamesters, who have an indisputable right to make disturbances every night in the year, are not meant in this article.

"Journeymen Shoemakers are desired to take notice, that by an antient statute, yet unrepealed, any of their function going sober to bed on the night of Whitsun-Monday forfeits 5_s._; upon non-payment to be levied by distress, one moiety to the informer, and the other to the poor alehouse-keepers of the Parish where the fact was committed."

The horrid custom of Duelling never was at a greater height than at the above date. The newspapers from 1700 to 1719 appear to have preserved their progression faithfully; every gaming-table, despicable brothel, tavern, coffee-house, masquerade, the theatres, and even festive meetings, produced its duellist; and the universal fashion of wearing swords allowed no time for passion to subside, or reason to reflect; a walk into the street or into an adjoining room, enabled the parties to wound each other in an instant; revenge and pain maddened them; and death frequently ensued to both. Government at length interfered; but duelling has again recovered from _temporary_ interruption!--Doctors Mead and Woodward fought like a pair of butchers, in June 1719, at the very gates of Gresham-college; and every drunken rake who staggered through the streets had it in his power to plunge a sword into an unoffending breast, or to _wound_ where he now _dare_ not _strike_. Dead bodies were frequently found; and the thief and the duellist seemed emulous which should furnish the Diaries of the time with the greater number of victims. Robberies, attended with monstrous cruelty, were dreadfully frequent; and such was the general profligacy of the age, that the paragraph-writers endeavoured to convey horrid facts with a levity of expression suited to the coarseness of their style, which was truly vulgar throughout all the newspapers. Let one instance speak for me: "People sicken and die at an uncommon rate in and about this city and suburbs; and there is a sad outcry raised (especially by antient females) of a plague, pestilence, and what not, which has occasioned abundance of people to leave the town, and fly to the _countries_ for refuge, whilst horse and foot physicians, mountebanks, _dead-mongers_, parish-clerks, and other lesser _ministers of dust and ashes_, are continually in motion in one part or other to perform their several offices; and we hear that in some parishes the sexton or grave-digger can afford to employ two or three journeymen."

_Original Weekly Journal, May 22, 1719._

It must, however, be allowed that frequent attempts were made to resist the progress of vice, and many of the Justices concurred in warning the people of the illegality of their conduct; ten of them, at a special Session held for the division of the Tower, in pursuance of an order made at the General Quarter Sessions for Middlesex, on the 19th of January 1719, for putting in execution the Statute of 33 Henry VIII. Cap. 9, directed authentic copies of the order to be given to all victuallers, &c. whom it concerned, and also to be affixed in all public places within that Division; "That none shall keep or maintain any house or place of unlawful games, on pain of 40_s._ for every day, of forfeiting their recognizance, and of being suppressed; that none shall use or haunt such places on pain of 6_s._ 8_d._ for every offence; and that no artificer, or his journeyman, husbandman, apprentice, labourer, servant at husbandry, mariner, fisherman, waterman, or serving-man, shall play at tables, tennis, dice, cards, bowls, clash, coiting, loggating, or any other unlawful game, out of Christmas, or then out of their master's house or presence, on pain of 20_s._"

But, though it was sometimes possible to prevent the depravity of the lower order of people, there were others, that moved in the sphere of gentlemen, who set the worst of examples to their inferiors. Such were those that had assembled on the evening of a Court drawing-room at the Royal Chocolate-house in St. James's-street; where disputes at hazard produced a quarrel, which became general throughout the room; and, as they fought with their swords, three gentlemen were mortally wounded; and the affray was at length ended by the interposition of the Royal-guards, who were compelled to knock the parties down with the butt-ends of their muskets indiscriminately, as intreaties and commands were of no avail. A footman of Colonel Cunningham's, greatly attached to his master, rushed through the swords, seized, and literally carried him out by force without injury.

This horrid rencontre was the effect of sudden passion, roused by disappointment and avarice; there was nothing of depravity prepense, except the act of gaming. Weak as this palliative may be, the members of two other clubs had them not to plead for their infamous profligacy. The wretches who associated under the titles of the "_Bold Bucks_" and the "_Hell-fires_," are described in a paper of February 20, 1720, as deliberate abandoned villains. "The principles of the first are to come up to the flaming lust of their worthy patrons, from whom they take their denomination, by their examples; they attempt all females of their own species promiscuously--grandmothers and mothers, as well as daughters; even their own sisters fear their violence, and fly their privacies. Blind and bold Love is their motto, and their soul's faculties strictly terminated in a participation of entertainment and judgment with brutes."

"The Hell-fires, you may guess by the appellation, aim at a more transcendant malignity; deriding the forms of Religion as a trifle with them, by a natural progression from the form they turn to the substance; with Lucifer they fly at Divinity. The third person of the Trinity is what they peculiarly attack; by the following specimen you may judge of their good will: _i. e._ their calling for a Holy Ghost-pye at the Tavern, in which, by the bye, you may still observe the propriety and justice of God's judgment on them, that blasts the advantages of their education, so as to make this shocking stupidity to be the poignancy of their wit, and the life they lead, the sublimity of their genius. Such is their disposition; the next things to be remarked are their education and usual place of conference. Their education then, after the care of tender parents, and their initiation into the liberal arts, is proposed to be finished in an academy; (do not mistake me) not a scholastic schismatical one, but a riding one; where obsceneness, curses, blasphemy, exclamations, with revolving regularity, meet each curvet of the more rational animal. Their usual place of conference in full council, is a diminutive Tavern not very far from thence; where the master and cook may perhaps in time hear something from a Magistrate for striking in with the rakes' blasphemous jests, and supplying them with cards and dice on Sundays."

As a further illustration of the manners of the times, the following paragraph is of importance: "On Wednesday night last, about twelve, there was such a great riot in Windmill-street, near the Haymarket, that near 100 gentlemen and others were all engaged at one time, some with swords, and others with sticks and canes, wherein abundance were dangerously wounded; the watchmen that came to put an end to the affray were knocked down and barbarously used; at last the patrole of Horse-guards came, and finding them obdurate, rode through them cutting all the way with their swords; yet we hear of none that were killed upon the spot, though many, it is thought, cannot recover of their wounds. When they saw their own time, they gave over; and, upon summing up the matter, the quarrel began at first by two chairmen only[266:A]."

On the evening of May 28, Captain Fitzgerald and three young men his companions met a lady in the Strand, returning from St. James's, conveyed in a sedan-chair. They immediately endeavoured to force her out, but were opposed by the chairmen, upon which they drew their swords, and proceeded to demolish the vehicle. The noise brought a watchman to the spot, who instantly received a deadly wound through the back, and as instantly expired. This mighty son of Mars was secured; but the others fled from their foul deed, like true cowards.

It may be supposed that this laxity of manners influenced all ranks, when inroads upon the paths of decorum prevailed even in the Church. In order that this fact may not rest upon my mere assertion, I shall quote the concluding lines of a letter to the Author of the London Journal, dated December 21, 1720, and signed "A. A. a lover of decency and order." He speaks of an impropriety, _now_ become quite common, in the Stewards of the Sons of the Clergy permitting persons from the Theatres to perform in their annual celebration at St. Paul's; and then proceeds: "There are other things truly blameable to be observed, when the _Te Deum_ or Anthem hath been performing, yes, when the parson hath been preaching, (viz.) _persons eating, drinking wine_, laughing and talking; a conduct much more becoming those who attend the performances of Drury-lane or the Haymarket, than the Temple of the Lord.

"What is here taken notice of, as it is fact, so it is abominable, and ought to be exposed; the doing of which may tend to reform such irregularities for the future, and keep those disorders from the House of God, which cannot admit of a justification unless by those who may think the same liberties may be taken in places set apart for devotion, as are in the Synagogue of Satan."

The progress of the shocking Clubs already noticed became so alarming, that the King found it necessary to issue his proclamation for their suppression, in April 1721, which establishes their existence beyond all dispute.

"At the Court of St. James's, the 28th day of April 1721.

Present, the King's most excellent Majesty in Council.

"His Majesty having received information which gives great reason to suspect that there have been lately, and still are, in and about the Cities of London and Westminster, certain scandalous Clubs or Societies of young persons, who meet together, and in the most impious and blasphemous manner insult the most sacred principles of our Holy Religion, affront Almighty God himself, and corrupt the minds and morals of one another; and being resolved to make use of all the authority committed to him by Almighty God to punish such enormous offenders, and to crush such shocking impieties, before they increase, and draw down the vengeance of God upon this nation: His Majesty has thought fit to command the Lord Chancellor, and his Lordship is hereby required, to call together his Majesty's Justices of the Peace of Middlesex and Westminster, and strictly to enjoin them in the most effectual manner, that they and every of them do make the most diligent and careful inquiry and search for the discovery of any thing of this and the like sort, tending in any wise to the corruption of the principles and manners of men, and to lay before his Lordship such discoveries as from time to time may be made, to the end that all proper methods may be taken for the utter suppression of all such detestable practices. His Lordship is further directed to urge them to the due execution of their office, in detecting and prosecuting with vigour all profaneness, immorality, and debauchery, as they value the blessing of Almighty God, as they regard the happiness of their country, which cannot subsist if things sacred and virtuous are trampled upon; and, as they tender his Majesty's favour, to which they cannot recommend themselves more effectually than by shewing the utmost zeal upon so important an occasion; to which end his Lordship is to acquaint them, that as his Majesty, for himself, has nothing more at heart than to regard the honour of God so impiously struck at, and is determined to shew all marks of displeasure and discouragement to any who may lie even under the suspicion of such practices; so he shall always account it the greatest and substantial service they can do to his Majesty or his government, to exert themselves in discovering any who are guilty of such impieties, that they may be openly prosecuted and punished with the utmost severity and most public ignominy which the laws of the land can inflict.

EDWARD SOUTHWELL."

"His Majesty has been pleased to give orders to the principal officers of his Household, to make strict and diligent enquiry whether any of his Majesty's servants are guilty of the horrid impieties mentioned in the Order of Council inserted above, and to make their report to his Majesty."

The dreadful consequences of this attempt to set aside all virtue and all religion were conspicuously observable, even at the moment, in the sudden deaths of four members of these dreadful clubs; not that I mean to insinuate the Almighty interfered by miracles to shew his displeasure; on the contrary, the event was produced by natural causes inherent in each diabolical act. The hurry of the spirits, occasioned by ardent liquors and the terrors of conscience, were sufficient; Nature shrunk from the contest; and he that drank a toast too shocking to repeat fainted under the recollection; and she that had assumed the character of the Mother of Christ fell a victim to the keen horrors of remembrance in her lucid moments of repentance. It was said, that one of the clubs met at Somerset-house, where they celebrated their infamous orgies to the sound of musick during the hours of Divine service, which will account for the concluding paragraph of the Proclamation. The number of Justices who attended the Lord Chancellor's summons exceeded 100; they received his most strenuous recommendation to exert themselves in the execution of the order, but I find no recorded effects of its operation.

The mob carried the same brutality more brutalised to the feet of the gallows; and even while the miserable wretches, who afforded them a spectacle, were supplicating that forgiveness which the laws of morality denied on earth, they were interrupted by shouts and execrations, and injured by stones, dirt, and filth, thrown with violence in every direction. At an execution, June 1721, several persons had their limbs broken, others their eyes almost beaten out; and Barbara Spencer, carried to Tyburn to be strangled and burnt, was beaten down by a stone when beseeching on her knees the mercy of Heaven. These wretches frequently robbed the Surgeons.

The wretched manner in which the lowest description of people lodged in 1721, may be gathered from the ensuing extract from an order of the Court at a General Quarter Session, October 4. "It is now become a common practice in the extreme parts of the town, to receive into their houses persons unknown, without distinction of age or sex, on their paying one penny or more _per night_ for lying in such houses without beds or covering; and that it is frequent in those houses for 15 or 20, or more, to lie in a small room."

These miserable people, thus indiscriminately mixed, corrupted each other, and licentiousness reigned triumphant amongst them; in truth, the population of London always exceeded the means of subsistence; and I believe there are now, upon an average, three families to each house, and thousands of homeless wanderers. Fleet marriages were common in 1723; and the wonderful omissions of government at that period, in permitting so sacred an office to be celebrated, and registers of marriages kept at ale-houses and brandy-shops within the rules, where 32 couples are known to have been joined in three days, was one cause of the overgrown community. An author of the time alluded to says: "It is pleasant to see certain fellows plying by Fleet-bridge to take poor Sailors, &c. into the noose of matrimony every day throughout the week, and the clocks at their offices for that purpose _still standing at the canonical hour_, though perhaps the time of the day be six or seven in the afternoon."

Macky gives a good sketch of the manner of living in 1724. The following is extracted from his Journey through England, vol. I. p. 190.

"I am lodged in the street called Pall-mall, the ordinary residence of all strangers, because of its vicinity to the King's Palace, the Park, the Parliament house, the Theatres, and the Chocolate and Coffee-houses, where the best company frequent. If you would know our manner of living, it is thus: we rise by nine, and those that frequent great men's levees find entertainment at them till eleven, or, as in Holland, go to tea-tables. About twelve the _beau-monde_ assembles in several chocolate and coffee-houses; the best of which are the Cocoa-tree and White's chocolate-houses, St. James's, the Smyrna, and the British coffee-houses; and all these so near one another, that in less than an hour you see the company of them all. We are carried to these places in chairs (or sedans) which are here very cheap, a guinea a-week, or a shilling _per_ hour, and your chairmen serve you for porters to run on errands as your gondoliers (watermen) do at Venice.

"If it be fine weather, we take a turn in the Park till two, when we go to dinner; and if it be dirty, you are entertained at Picket or Basset at White's, or you may talk politics at the Smyrna and St. James's. I must not forget to tell you, that the parties have their different places, where, however, a stranger is always well received; but a Whig will no more go to the Cocoa-tree or Ozinda's, than a Tory will be seen at the coffee-house of St. James's.

"The Scots go generally to the British, and a mixture of all sorts to the Smyrna. There are other little coffee-houses much frequented in this neighbourhood, Young-man's for officers, Old-man's for stock-jobbers, pay-masters, and courtiers, and Little-man's for sharpers. I never was so confounded in my life, as when I entered into this last: I saw two or three tables full at Faro, heard the box and dice rattling in the room above-stairs, and was surrounded by a set of sharp-faces, that I was afraid would have devoured me with their eyes. I was glad to drop two or three half-crowns at Faro, to get off with a clear skin, and was overjoyed I was so got rid of them.

"At two we generally go to dinner: ordinaries are not so common here as abroad; yet the French have set up two or three pretty good ones, for the conveniency of foreigners, in Suffolk-street, where one is tolerably well served; but the general way here is to make a party at the coffee-house to go dine at the tavern, where we sit till six, then we go to the play; except you are invited to the table of some great man, which strangers are always courted to, and nobly entertained.

"I know abundance of French, that by keeping a pocket-list of tables, live so almost all the year round, and yet never appear at the same place above once in a fortnight. By looking into their pocket-book in the morning, they fix their place of dining, as on Monday with my Lord ----, and so for two weeks, fourteen Lords, Foreign Ministers, or men of quality; and so they run their round all the year long, without notice being taken of them.

"There are three very noble Theatres here: that for Opera's at the end of the Pall-mall, or Hay-market, is the finest I ever saw, and where we are entertained in Italian music generally twice a-week: that for History, Tragedy, and Comedy, is in Covent-garden (a Piazza I shall describe to you in the sequel of this letter), and the third for the same, is by Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, at a small distance from the other.

"The Theatres here differ from those abroad; in that those at Venice, Paris, Brussels, Genoa, and other parts, you know, are composed of rows of small shut-boxes, three or four stories in a semi-circle, with a Parterre below; whereas here the Parterre, commonly called the Pit, contains the gentlemen on benches; and on the first story of boxes sit all the ladies of quality; in the second, the Citizens wives and daughters; and in the third, the common people and footmen: so that between the Acts you are as much diverted by viewing the beauties of the audience, as, while they act, with the subject of the Play; and the whole is illuminated to the greatest advantage. Whereas abroad, the stage being only illuminated, and the lodge or boxes close, you lose the pleasure of seeing the company; and indeed the English have reason in this, for no nation in the world can shew such an assembly of shining beauties as here.

"The English affect more the Italian than the French music; and their own compositions are between the gravity of the first, and the levity of the other. They have had several great masters of their own: Henry Purcel's works in that kind are esteemed beyond Lully's every where; and they have now a good many very eminent masters: but the taste of the town being at this day all Italian, it is a great discouragement to them.

"No nation represents History so naturally, so much to the life, and so close to truth, as the English; they have most of the occurrences of their own History, and all those of the Roman Empire, nobly acted. One Shakespear, who lived in the last century, laid down a masterly foundation for this in his excellent plays; and the late Mr. Addison hath improved that taste by his admirable Cato, which hath been translated into several languages, particularly into Italian blank verse, and is frequently acted in Italy.

"Their comedies are designed to lash the growing follies in every age; and scarce a fool or a coxcomb appears in town, but his folly is represented. And most of their comedians, in imitation of Moliere, have taken that province; in which Mr. Cibber, an extreme good player, hath succeeded very well.

"They seldom degenerate into farce, as the Italians; nor do they confine their tragedies to rhyme and whining, as the French. In short, if you would see the greatest actions of past ages performed over again, and the present follies of mankind exposed, you must come here.

"After the Play, the best company generally go to Tom's and Will's coffee-houses, near adjoining, where there is playing at Picket, and the best of conversation till midnight. Here you will see blue and green ribbons and stars sitting familiarly with private gentlemen, and talking with the same freedom, as if they had left their quality and degrees of distance at home; and a stranger tastes with pleasure the universal liberty of speech of the English nation. Or, if you like rather the company of ladies, there are assemblies at most people of quality's houses. And in all the Coffee-houses you have not only the foreign prints, but several English ones with the Foreign Occurrences, besides papers of morality and party-disputes.

"My Bills of Exchange oblige me now and then to take a turn to the Royal-Exchange, in a hackney-coach, to meet my merchant. These coaches are very necessary conveniencies not to be met with any where abroad; for you know that at Paris, Brussels, Rome or Vienna, you must either hire a coach by the day, or take it at least by the hour: but here you have coaches at the corner of every street, which for a shilling will carry you any where within a reasonable distance; and for two, from one end of the City to the other. There are eight hundred of them licensed by Act of Parliament, and carry their number on their coaches; so that if you should chance to leave any thing in a coach, and know but the number of it, you know presently where to lay your claim to it; and be you ever so late at a friend's house in any place of this great City, your friend, by taking the number of the coach, secures your safety home.

"The Royal-Exchange is the resort of all the trading part of this City, foreign and domestic, from half an hour after one, till near three in the afternoon; but the better sort generally meet in Exchange-alley a little before, at three celebrated Coffee-houses, called Garraway's, Robin's, and Jonathan's. In the first, the people of quality who have business in the City, and the most considerable and wealthy Citizens, frequent. In the second, the Foreign Banquiers, and often even Foreign Ministers. And in the third, the buyers and sellers of Stock.

"When I entered into this last, I was afraid I had got into Little-man's Coffee-house again; for busy faces run about here as there, with the same sharp intent looks, with the difference only, that here it is selling of Bank-stock, East-India, South-Sea, and Lottery Tickets, and there it is all cards and dice.

"You will see a fellow in shabby clothes selling ten or twelve thousand pounds in stock, though perhaps he may not be worth at the same time ten shillings, and with as much zeal as if he were a Director, which they call selling a Bear-skin; and these men find bubbles enough to get bread by it, as the others do by gaming; and some few of them manage it so, as to get pretty large estates.

"Near this Exchange are two very good French eating-houses, the one at the sign of Pontack, a President of the Parliament of Bourdeaux, from whose name the best French clarets are called so, and where you may bespeak a dinner from four or five shillings a-head to a guinea, or what sum you please; the other is Caveack's, where there is a constant ordinary, as abroad, for all comers without distinction, and at a very reasonable price.

"I am told, that while wagers were allowed to be made on taking of towns, and gaining of battles, during the last war, this Exchange-alley was the sharpest place in the World; but the abuse of intelligence, sham letters spread upon the Exchange, and private letters coming before the Mails, made that practice so notorious, that the Queen and Parliament wisely thought fit to put a stop to it by a seasonable provisional Act against it, as they have endeavoured to do by another Act against excessive gaming, being both equally looked on as a cheat and imposition upon the well-meaning subject. However, some great men have not disdained to be deeply concerned in both, and have got good estates: for tricking is not here reckoned so despicable a quality as abroad, when it is cleanly done; therefore, my friend, when you come here, play not in England, nor venture to lay wagers, except you know your company very well, or are sure of your fact. The fatal South-Sea scheme, and the wicked execution of it, proves what I foretold you to be too true."

The pernicious and general custom of wearing masks enabled half-repentant sinners to mix with the most profligate of the female sex undiscovered, and to indulge in excesses which they would not have dared to commit had their features been exposed as at present. This practice afforded opportunities of gratifying very improper curiosity, and of visiting places at unseasonable hours; an instance of this description occurred in May 1724. The White-lion[280:A], in Wych-street, had long been famed for riotous assemblies under the pretence of Concerts; and the neighbouring moralists waited with impatience for the hour when they should effectually transgress the Law: that hour at length arrived, and a posse of Constables, executing a warrant obtained for the purpose, discovered females even of some distinction, tradesmen's wives, their daughters, and many common prostitutes, a collection that really surprised each other; the vicious hardly crediting that they were in so much good company, and the noviciates frightened at the features of unmasked depravity. The latter received wholesome admonition, and were sent home; the former visited Bridewell.

The custom of walking and talking in the Nave of St. Paul's cathedral had become so very prevalent in 1725, that the Bishop of London found it necessary, at his visitation in that year, to declare his positive intention of enforcing the 18th Canon, and the Act of the First of William and Mary, by which transgressors forfeited 20_l._ for every offence.

A subscription was opened in 1727 for the relief of Mrs. Clark, the aged and only surviving daughter of Milton. An author, under the signature of Bruyere, in the London Journal, ardently recommended liberal contributions; and drew the following picture of the manners then prevailing. "At White's we see nothing but what wears the mask at least of gaiety and pleasure; powder and embroidery are the ornaments of the place, not to forget that _intolerable stink_ of perfumes, which almost poisons the miserable chairmen that besiege the door. Conversation is not known here; the enquiries after news turn chiefly upon what happened last night at the Groom Porters. The business of the place is to promote some musical subscription; to make all possible court to some young man of quality that is next expected to take possession of a great estate; to take care to be very well with a knot of well-dressed people that meet here, and modestly call themselves _the world_; but, above all, to solicit a share in the direction of the moneyed interest, which is established here under the name of a Faro Bank.

"At Tom's Coffee-house, in Cornhill, there is a very different face of things. Plenty, the parent of Cheerfulness, seems to have fixed her residence on this spot; while Joy, which is the offspring of Folly, seems to be utterly unknown. Industry, the first principle of a Citizen, is an infallible specifick to keep the spirits awake, and prevent that stagnation and corruption of humours which make our fine gentlemen such horrible torments to one another and to themselves. Decency in dress is finery enough in a place where they are taught from their childhood to expect no honours from what they seem to be, but from what they really are. The conversation turns principally on the interests of Europe, in which they themselves are chiefly concerned; and the business here is to enlarge the commerce of their country, by which the publick is to gain much more than the merchant himself. For the rest I need not add, that there is a vein of strong sense and useful knowledge runs through their whole discourse, which makes them to wise men very desirable companions. If I should say that in this house I have met with Merchants of as liberal education and generous principles, of as exquisite taste in classical knowledge and polite learning, as are to be found at Court or in the College, I should be confident of every reader's credit when he knows that in this place was first projected the subscription for the relief of the sightless old age of Milton's daughter."

The Monarchs of this happy Island have frequently honoured the Citizens of London with their presence at Guildhall, when the Lord Mayor enters upon his office. On the 29th of October 1727, and in the Mayoralty of Sir Edward Becher, Knight, and afterwards Baronet, George II. his Queen, the Princess Royal, and the Princess Carolina, proceeded to Cheapside at three o'clock in the afternoon, attended by a great number of the Nobility and others, through a double line of the London Militia. A balcony near Bow-church had been prepared for their reception, whence they viewed the procession, and the houses decorated with carpet, and tapestry to do them honour. After the City-officers were disposed in due order for the reception of the King in Guildhall, the Sheriffs waited on him, and conducted him there; the Lord Mayor, kneeling at the entrance, presented the Sword of State to his Majesty, who returned it, and followed the Mayor to the Council Chamber, where Sir William Thompson (as Recorder) thus addressed the King:

"May it please your Majesty,

"The Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of this City, beg leave to offer their most humble acknowledgments for this great honour to the City, by the presence of your Majesty, your Royal Consort, the Princess Royal, and her Royal Highness. Their joy is inexpressible, to behold their Sovereign condescending to accept their good-will and affections, and in the most engaging manner vouchsafing here to receive their homage and duty.

"This day will be ever remembered by them with the highest satisfaction: this happy day, which gave birth to their most gracious King, who is pleased thus to honour them, and who protects them in the enjoyment of all their rights and privileges: a Prince who takes pleasure in promoting their happiness, and who thinks it gives the truest lustre to his Crown, to preserve the religion, the laws, and liberties of his people. Fortunate is their present condition, and delightful is their prospect while they have in view your Majesty, their most gracious and justly admired Queen, and the illustrious branches of your Royal Family. Permit, Sire, these your Majesty's most faithful subjects to take this opportunity of assuring your Majesty of their unalterable attachment to your Royal Person, and of their warmest zeal for the support of your government.

"The best, the only security of our excellent Constitution in Church and State, and of every thing which is dear and valuable to Englishmen, Gratitude and Interest, make these the unanimous sentiments of this your Majesty's most loyal and most dutiful City of London."

Their Majesties (preceded by the Lord Mayor bearing the Sword) went to the Hustings, where they dined in company with the Princesses and the Ladies of the Bed-chamber. The entertainment was of the most sumptuous description, and served at different tables, prepared for the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council, the foreign Ministers, the Nobility, Privy Counsellors, the Judges, ladies, &c. &c. After silence had been commanded, the Common Cryer announced that the King drank to the health of the Lord Mayor, and prosperity to the City of London and the trade thereof, and, that her Majesty drank, confirming the same. He then proclaimed that the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council drank health, long life, and a prosperous happy reign to our Sovereign Lord King George; and that they drank to the health, long life, and happiness of our most gracious Queen Caroline, and all the Royal family.

When the dinner was concluded, their Majesties returned to the Council Chamber, where they were seated till 11 o'clock during a ball in the area below. The City was illuminated on this occasion.

An author of this period, treating on the number of poor, and their manner of living, very justly observes: "If any person is born with any defect or deformity, or maimed by fire or any other casualty, or any inveterate distemper which renders them miserable objects, their way is open to London; where they have free liberty of shewing their nauseous sights, to terrify people, and force them to give money to get rid of them; and those vagrants have for many years past been moved out of several parts of the three Kingdoms, and taken their stations in this Metropolis, to the interruption of conversation and business.

"The Quaker workhouse is an example for each parish: the poor orphans among them, as well as the children of such poor as are unable to subsist them, are put to their workhouse, where they are taught to read and write certain hours of the day, and at other times are put to spin, or other employments. And as the Nation has found great advantage by those workhouses, which have been established by Act of Parliament, it is a great pity that so profitable an Institution was not made general through the Nation, that so there might be no pretence for any beggar to appear abroad. Their example is very pernicious, for what they get by begging is consumed commonly in Ale-houses, Gin-shops, &c.; and one drunken beggar is an inducement to a great many to follow the same trade.

"But, as to those creatures that go about the streets to shew their maimed limbs, nauseous sores, stump hands or feet, or any other deformity; they are by no means objects fit to go abroad; and considering the frights and pernicious impressions which such horrid sights have given to pregnant women, should move all tender husbands to desire the redress of this enormity."

I have frequently observed, in the course of my researches, the strange methods and customs peculiar to gaming, horse-racing, dice, and wagers; the latter are generally governed by whim and extreme folly. We have already noticed Noblemen running their coaches and footmen. In 1729, a Poulterer of Leadenhall-market betted 50_l._ he would walk 202 times round the area of Upper Moorfields in 27 hours, and accordingly proceeded at the rate of five miles an hour on the _amusing pursuit_, to the infinite improvement of his business, and great edification of hundreds of spectators.--Wagers are now a favourite custom with too many of the Londoners; they very frequently, however, originate over the bottle or the porter-pot.

A curious exhibition distinguished the anniversary of the Queen's birth-day, March 3, 1730; 100 wool-combers assembled in their shirts, with various coloured woollen caps on their heads, in Bishopsgate-street, from whence they went in procession to St. James's Palace, preceded by the Steward of their company and a person on horseback, representing Bishop Blaze, in wigs of wool neatly curled; the Bishop carried a wool-comb in one hand, and a Prayer-book in the other. They arranged themselves in the Park facing the Palace; and their leader addressed the King and Queen, who appeared at a window, thanking his Majesty for the encouragement they had received, and intreating his future protection.

A writer in Read's Weekly Journal of January 9, 1731, has obliged us with a concise and pleasing description of Christmas customs prevalent at that period, which I shall transcribe for the reader's information.

"My house, Sir, is directly opposite to a great Church; and it was with great pleasure I observed from my window, last Christmas-day, the numerous poor that waited at the doors very liberally relieved; but my joy was soon over, for no sooner were the charitable congregation dispersed, but these wretches, who before appeared the very pictures of misery, forgot their cant, and fell to quarrelling about the dividend; oaths and curses flew about amongst them, very plentifully, and passion grew so high that they fell hard upon one another's faults. In short, Sir, I learned from their own mouths that they were all impostors, both men and women; and that amongst their whole number, which was very large, there was not one object of charity. When they had tired themselves with scolding, they very lovingly adjourned to a neighbouring brandy-shop, from whence they returned in a condition neither fit for me to describe nor you to hear.

"The next day I met with another wonder; for, by that time I was up, my servants could do nothing but run to the door. Enquiring the meaning, I was answered, the people were come for their Christmas-box; this was logick to me; but I found at last, that, because I had laid out a great deal of ready-money with my brewer, baker, and other tradesmen, they kindly thought it my duty to present their servants with some money for the favour of having their goods. This provoked me a little; but, being told it was the custom, I complied. These were followed by the watch, beadles, dust-men, and an innumerable tribe; but what vexed me the most was the Clerk, who has an extraordinary place, and makes as good an appearance as most tradesmen in the parish; to see him come a-boxing, _alias begging_, I thought was intolerable; however, I found it was the custom too, so I gave him half-a-crown; as I was likewise obliged to do to the bell-man, for breaking my rest for many nights together.

"Having talked this matter over with a friend, he promised to carry me where I might see the good effects of this giving box-money. In the evening away we went to a neighbouring ale-house, where abundance of these gentry were assembled round a stately piece of roast-beef and as large a plumb-pudding. When the drink and brandy began to work, they fell to reckoning of their several gains that day; one was cursed for a stingy dog for giving but sixpence; another called an extravagant fool for giving half-a-crown, which perhaps he might want before the year was out; so I found these good people were never to be pleased. Some of them were got to cards by themselves, which soon produced a quarrel and broken heads. In the interim came in some of their wives, who roundly cursed the people for having given them money, adding, that instead of doing good it ruined their families, and set them in a road of drinking and gaming, which never ceased till not only their gifts, but their wages, were gone. One good woman said, if people had a mind to give charity, they should send it home to their families; I was very much of her opinion; but, being tired with the noise, we left them to agree as they could.