Chapter XVIII: Part 18

There are numerous editions of this singular biography. The Canting Dictionary is nothing more than a filch from earlier books.

~Characterisms~, or the Modern Age Displayed; being an Attempt to Expose the Pretended Virtues of Both Sexes, 12mo (part i., Ladies; part ii., Gentlemen), _E. Owen_. 1750.

An anonymous work, from which some curious matter may be obtained.

~Conybeare’s~ (Dean) Essay on Church Parties, reprinted from the _Edinburgh Review_, No. CC., October, 1853, 12mo. 1858.

Several curious instances of religious or pulpit Slang are given in this exceedingly interesting little volume.

~Corcoron~ (Peter.) The Fancy, a Poem, 12mo. 182-.

Abounding in Slang words and the terms of the prize-ring. Written in imitation of Moore’s _Tom Crib’s Memorial_, by one of the authors of _The Rejected Addresses_.

~Cotton’s~ (Charles) Genuine Poetical Works, 12mo. 1771.

“Scarronides, or Virgil Travestie, being the first and fourth Books of Virgil’s Æneis, in English burlesque,” 8vo, 1672, and other works by this author, contain numerous vulgar words now known as Slang.

~Decker’s~ (Thomas) The Bellman of London; bringing to light the most notorious villanies that are now practised in the Kingdom; 4to, black letter. _London_, 1608.

Watt says this is the first book which professes to give an account of the Canting language of thieves and vagabonds. But this is wrong, as will have been seen from the remarks on Harman, who collected the words of the vagabond crew half a century before.

~Decker’s~ (Thomas) Lanthorne and Candle-light, or the Bellman’s Second Night’s Walke, in which he brings to light a brood of more strange villanies than ever were to this year discovered, 4to. _London_, 1608-9.

This is a continuation of the former work, and contains the _Canter’s Dictionary_, and has a frontispiece of the London Watchman with his staff broken.

~Decker’s~ (Thomas) Gull’s Hornbook, 4to. 1609.

“This work affords a greater insight into the fashionable follies and vulgar habits of Queen Elizabeth’s day than perhaps any other extant.”

~Decker’s~ (Thomas) O per se O, or a new Cryer of Lanthorne and Candle-light, an Addition of the Bellman’s Second Night’s Walke, 4to, black letter. 1612.

A lively description of London. Contains a Canter’s Dictionary, every word in which appears to have been taken from Harman without acknowledgment. This is the first work that gives the Canting song, a verse of which is inserted at page 14 of the Introduction. This Canting song has since been inserted in nearly all dictionaries of Cant.

~Decker’s~ (Thomas) Villanies discovered by Lanthorne and Candle-light, and the Helpe of a new Cryer called O per se O, 4to. 1616.

“With canting songs never before printed.”

~Decker’s~ (Thomas) English Villanies, eight several times prest to Death by the Printers, but still reviving again, are now the eighth time (as at the first) discovered by Lanthorne and Candle-light, &c., 4to. 1648.

The eighth edition of the _Lanthorne and Candle-light_.

~Dictionary~ of all the Cant and Flash Languages, both Ancient and Modern, 18mo. _Bailey_, 1790.

~Dictionary~ of all the Cant and Flash Languages, 12mo. _London_, 1797.

~Dictionary~ of the Canting Crew (Ancient and Modern), of Gypsies, Beggars, Thieves, &c., 12mo. N. D. [1700.]

~Dictionnaire~ des Halle, 12mo. _Bruxelles_, 1696.

This curious Slang dictionary sold in the Stanley sale for £4 16_s._

~Ducange Anglicus.~—The Vulgar Tongue: comprising Two Glossaries of Slang, Cant, and Flash Words and Phrases used in London at the present day, 12mo. 1857.

A silly and childish performance, full of blunders and contradictions.

~Duncombe’s~ Flash Dictionary of the Cant Words, Queer Sayings, and Crack Terms now in use in Flash Cribb Society, 32mo, _coloured print_. 1820.

~Dunton’s~ Ladies’ Dictionary, 8vo. _London_, 1694.

Contains a few Cant and vulgar words.

~Egan.~ Grose’s Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, with the addition of numerous Slang Phrases, edited by Pierce Egan, 8vo. 1823.

The best edition of Grose, with many additions, including a life of this celebrated antiquary.

~Egan’s~ (Pierce) Life in London, 2 vols. thick 8vo, _with coloured plates by Geo. Cruikshank, representing high and low life_. 18—.

Contains numerous Cant, Slang, sporting, and vulgar words, supposed by the author to form the basis of conversation in life, high and low, in London.

~Elwyn’s~ (Alfred L.) Glossary of supposed _Americanisms_—Vulgar and Slang Words used in the United States, small 8vo. 1859.

~Gentleman’s Magazine~, 8vo. N. D.

“In a very early volume of this parent magazine were given a few pages, by way of sample, of a Slang vocabulary, then termed Cant. If, as we suspect, this part of the magazine fell to the share of Dr. Johnson, who was then its editor, we have to lament that he did not proceed with the design.”—_John Bee, in the Introduction to his Slang Dictionary_, 1825.

~Gentleman’s Magazine~, vol. xcii., p. 520.

Mention made of Slang.

~Glossaries~ of County Dialects. V. D.

Many of these will repay examination, as they contain Cant and Slang words, wrongly inserted as provincial or old terms.

~Golden Cabinet~ (The) of Secrets opened for Youth’s delightful Pastime, in 7 parts, the last being the “City and Country Jester;” with a Canting Dictionary, by Dr. Surman, 12mo. _London_, N. D. (1730.)

Contains some curious woodcuts.

~Greene’s~ (Robert) Notable Discovery of Coosnage, now daily practised by sundry lewd persons called Conie-catchers and Crosse-biters. Plainly laying open those pernitious sleights that hath brought many ignorant men to confusion. Written for the general benefit of all Gentlemen, Citizens, Apprentices, Country Farmers, and Yeomen, that may hap to fall into the company of such coosening companions. With a delightful discourse of the coosnage of Colliers, 4to, _with woodcuts_. _Printed by John Wolfe_, 1591.

_The first edition._ A copy of another edition, supposed to be _unique_, is dated 1592. It was sold at the Heber sale.

~Greene’s~ (Robert) Groundworke of Conny-catching, the manner of their pedlers’ French, and the meanes to understand the same, with the cunning sleights of the Counterfeit Cranke. Done by a Justice of the Peace of great Authoritie, 4to, _with woodcuts_. 1592.

Usually enumerated among Greene’s works, but it is only a reprint, with variations, of _Harman’s Caveat_, and of which Rowland complains in his Martin Markall. The _second_ and _third_ parts of this curious work were published in the same year. Two other very rare volumes by Greene were published—_The Defence of Cony-Catching_, 4to, in 1592, and THE BLACK BOOKES MESSENGER, in 1595. They both treat on the same subjects.

~Grose’s~ (Francis, generally styled Captain) Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, 8vo. 178-.

The much-sought-after FIRST EDITION, but containing nothing, as far as I have examined, which is not to be found in the _second_ and _third_ editions. As respects indecency, I find all the editions equally disgraceful. The Museum copy of the _first edition_ is, I suspect, Grose’s own copy, as it contains numerous manuscript additions which afterwards went to form the second edition. Excepting the obscenities, it is really an extraordinary book, and displays great industry, if we cannot speak much of its morality. It is the well from which all the other authors—Duncombe, Caulfield, Clarke, Egan, &c. &c.—drew their vulgar outpourings, without in the least purifying what they had stolen.

~Haggart.~ Life of David Haggart, _alias_ John Wilson, _alias_ Barney M’Coul, written by himself while under sentence of death, curious frontispiece of the prisoner in irons, intermixed with all the Slang and Cant words of the day, to which is added a Glossary of the same, 12mo. 1821.

~Hall’s~ (B.H.) Collection of College Words and Customs, 12mo. _Cambridge (U.S.)_, 1856.

Very complete. The illustrative examples are excellent.

~Halliwell’s~ Archaic Dictionary, 2 vols. 8vo. 1855.

An invaluable work, giving the Cant words used by Decker, Brome, and a few of those mentioned by Grose.

~Harlequin~ Jack Shepherd, with a Night Scene in Grotesque Characters, 8vo. (_About_ 1736.)

Contains Songs in the _Canting_ dialect.

~Harman’s~ (Thomas, Esq.) Caveat or Warening for Common Cursetors, vulgarly called vagabones, set forth for the utilitie and profit of his naturall countrey, augmented and inlarged by the first author thereof; whereunto is added the tale of the second taking of the counterfeit crank, with the true report of his behaviour and also his punishment for his so dissembling, most marvellous to the hearer or reader thereof, newly imprinted, 4to. _Imprinted at London, by H. Middleton_, 1573.

Contains the earliest Dictionary of the Cant language. Four editions were printed—

William Griffith, 1566
1567
1567
Henry Middleton, 1573

What _Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue_ was to the authors of the earlier part of the present century, Harman’s was to the Deckers, and Bromes, and Heads of the seventeenth.

~Harrison’s~ (William) Description of the Island of Britain (prefixed to _Holinshed’s Chronicle_), 2 vols. folio. 1577.

Contains an account of English vagabonds.

~Hazlitt’s~ (William) Table Talk, 12mo, (vol. ii. contains a chapter on Familiar Style, with a notice on Slang terms.)

~Head’s~ (Richard) English Rogue, described in the Life of Meriton Latroon, a Witty Extravagant, 4 vols. 12mo. _Frans. Kirkman_, 1671-80.

Contains a list of Cant words, evidently copied from Decker.

~Hell upon earth~, or the most pleasant and delectable History of Whittington’s Colledge, otherwise vulgarly called Newgate, 12mo. 1703.

~Henley’s~ (John, better known as ORATOR HENLEY) Various Sermons and Orations. 1719-53.

Contains numerous vulgarisms and Slang phrases.

[~Hitching’s~ (Charles, formerly City Marshal, now a prisoner in Newgate)] Regulator; or, a Discovery of the Thieves, Thief-Takers, and Locks, _alias_ Receivers of Stolen Goods in and about the City of London; also an account of all the flash words now in vogue amongst the Thieves, &c., 8vo, very rare, _with a curious woodcut_. 1718.

A violent attack upon Jonathan Wild.

~Household Words~, No. 183, September 24.

Gives an interesting article on Slang, with many examples.

~Johnson’s~ (Dr. Samuel) Dictionary (the earlier editions). V. D.

Contains a great number of words italicized as _Cant_, low, or barbarous.

~Jonson’s~ (Ben.) Bartholomew Fair, ii. 6.

Several Cant words are placed in the mouths of the characters.

~Jonson’s~ (Ben.) Masque of the Gipsies Metamorphosed, 4to. 16—.

Contains numerous Cant words.

~Kent’s~ (E.) Modern Flash Dictionary, containing all the Cant words, Slang Terms, and Flash Phrases now in Vogue, 18mo, _coloured frontispiece_. 1825.

~L’Estrange’s~ (Sir Roger) Works (principally translations). V.D.

Abound in vulgar and Slang phrases.

~Lexicon~ Balatronicum; a Dictionary of Buckish Slang, University Wit, and Pickpocket Eloquence, by a Member of the Whip Club, assisted by Hell-fire Dick, 8vo. 1811.

One of the many reprints of Grose’s second edition, put forth under a fresh, and what was then considered a more attractive title. It was given out in advertisements, &c., as a piece of puff, that it was edited by a Dr. H. Clarke, but contains scarcely a line more than Grose.

~Liber Vagatorum:~ Der Betler Orden, 4to. Translated into English, with Notes, by John Camden Hotten, as The Book of Vagabonds and Beggars, with a vocabulary of their Language (_Rotwelsche Sprach_); edited, with preface, by Martin Luther, in the year 1528, 4to, _with woodcuts_. 1859.

The first edition of this book appears to have been printed at Augsburg, by Erhard Oglin, or Ocellus, about 1514,—a small quarto of twelve leaves. It was frequently reprinted at other places in Germany: and in 1528 there appeared an edition at Wirtemberg, with a preface by Martin Luther, who says that the “Rotwelsche Sprach,” the Cant language of the beggars, comes from the Jews, as it contains many Hebrew words, as any one who understands that language may perceive. This book is divided into three parts, or sections; the first gives a special account of the several orders of the “Fraternity of Vagabonds;” the second, sundry “_notabilia_” relating to the different classes of beggars previously described; and the third consists of a “Rotwelsche Vocabulary,” or “Canting Dictionary.” There is a long notice of the “Liber Vagatorum” in the “Weimarisches Jahrbuch,” 10ter Band, 1856. Mayhew, in his _London Labour_, states that many of our Cant words are derived from the Jew fences. It is singular that a similar statement should have been made by Martin Luther more than three centuries before.

~Life in St. George’s Fields;~ or, The Rambles and Adventures of Disconsolate William, Esq., and his Surrey Friend, Flash Dick, with Songs and a FLASH DICTIONARY, 8vo. 1821.

~Maginn~ (Dr.) wrote Slang songs in _Blackwood’s Magazine_. 1827.

~Mayhew’s~ (Henry) London Labour and the London Poor, 4 vols. 1851-61.

An invaluable work to the inquirer into popular or street language.

~Mayhew’s~ (Henry) Great World of London, 8vo. 1857.

An unfinished work, but containing several examples of the use and application of Cant and Slang words.

~Middleton~ (Thomas) and ~Decker’s~ (Thomas) Roaring Girl; or Moll Cut Purse, 4to. 1611.

The conversation in one scene is entirely in the so-called pedlar’s French. It is given in _Dodsley’s Old Plays_.

~Modern Flash Dictionary~, 48mo. 1825.

The smallest Slang dictionary ever printed; intended for the waistcoat-pockets of the “BLOODS” of the Prince Regent’s time.

~Moncrieff’s~ Tom and Jerry, or Life in London, a Farce in Three Acts, 12mo. 1820.

An excellent exponent of the false and forced “high life” which was so popular during the minority of George IV. The farce had a run of a hundred nights, or more, and was a general favourite for years. It abounds in Cant, and the language of “gig,” as it was then often termed.

Mornings at Bow Street, by T. Wright, 12mo, _with Illustrations by George Cruikshank_. _Tegg_, 1838.

In this work a few etymologies of Slang words are attempted.

New Canting Dictionary, 12mo. N. D.

A copy of this work is described in _Rodd’s Catalogue of Elegant Literature_, 1845, part iv., No. 2128, with manuscript notes and additions in the autograph of Isaac Reed, price £1. 8_s._

~New Dictionary~ of the Terms, Ancient and Modern, of the Canting Crew in its several tribes of Gypsies, Beggars, Thieves, Cheats, &c., with an addition of some _Proverbs, Phrases, Figurative Speeches, &c._, by B. E., GENT., 12mo. N. D. [1710.]

Afterwards issued under the title of _Bacchus and Venus_, 1737, and in 1754 as the _Scoundrel’s Dictionary_.

~New Dictionary~ of all the Cant and Flash Languages used by every class of offenders, from a Lully Prigger to a High Tober Gloak, small 8vo, pp. 62. 179-.

Mentioned by John Bee.

~Notes and Queries.~ The invaluable Index to this most useful periodical may be consulted with advantage by the seeker after etymologies of Slang and Cant words.

~Parker.~ High and Low Life, A View of Society in, being the Adventures in England, Ireland, &c., of Mr. G. Parker, _A Stage Itinerant_, 2 vols. in 1, thick 12mo. _Printed for the Author_, 1781.

A curious work, containing many Cant words, with 100 orders of rogues and swindlers.

~Parker’s~ (Geo.) Life’s Painter of Variegated Characters, with a Dictionary of Cant Language and Flash Songs, to which is added a Dissertation on Freemasonry, _portrait_, 8vo. 1789.

~Pegge’s~ (Samuel) Anecdotes of the English Language, chiefly regarding the Local Dialect of London and Environs, 8vo. 1803-41.

~Perry’s~ (William) London Guide and Stranger’s Safeguard against Cheats, Swindlers, and Pickpockets, by a Gentleman who has made the Police of the Metropolis an object of inquiry twenty-two years (no wonder when the author was in prison a good portion of that time!) 1818.

Contains a dictionary of Slang and Cant words.

~Phillip’s~ New World of Words, folio. 1696.

~Pickering’s~ (F.) Vocabulary, or Collection of Words and Phrases which have been supposed to be peculiar to the United States of America, to which is prefixed an Essay on the present state of the English Language in the United States, 8vo. _Boston_, 1816.

The remark made upon _Bartlett’s Americanisms_ applies equally to this work.

~Picture of the Fancy~, 12mo. 18—.

Contains numerous Slang terms.

~Potter’s~ (H. T., of _Clay, Worcestershire_) New Dictionary of all the Cant and Flash Languages, both ancient and modern, 8vo, pp. 62. 1790.

~Poulter.~ The Discoveries of John Poulter, _alias_ Baxter, 8vo, 48 pages. (1770?)

At pages 42, 43, there is an explanation of the “Language of Thieves, commonly called Cant.”

~Prison-breaker~, The, or the Adventures of John Sheppard, a Farce, 8vo. _London_, 1725.

Contains a Canting song, &c.

~Punch~, or the London Charivari.

Often points out Slang, vulgar, or abused words. It also occasionally employs them in jokes or sketches of character.

~Quarterly Review~, vol. x. p. 528.

Gives a paper on Americanisms and Slang phrases.

~Randall’s~ (Jack, the Pugilist, formerly of the “Hole in the Wall,” Chancery Lane) Diary of Proceedings at the House of Call for Genius, edited by Mr. Breakwindow, to which are added several of Mr. B.’s minor pieces, 12mo. 1820.

Believed to have been written by Thomas Moore. The verses are mostly parodies of popular authors, and abound in the Slang of pugilism, and the phraseology of the fast life of the period.

~Randall~ (Jack), a Few Selections from his Scrap-book; to which are added Poems on the late Fight for the Championship, 12mo. 1822.

Frequently quoted by Moore in _Tom Crib’s Memorial_.

~Scoundrel’s Dictionary;~ or, an Explanation of the Cant Words used by Thieves, Housebreakers, Street-robbers, and Pickpockets about Town, with some curious Dissertations on the Art of Wheedling, &c., the whole printed from a copy taken on one of their gang, in the late scuffle between the watchman and a party of them on Clerkenwell Green, 8vo. 1754.

A reprint of _Bacchus and Venus_, 1737.

~Sharp~ (Jeremy), The Life of an English Rogue, 12mo. 1740.

Includes a “Vocabulary of the Gypsies’ Cant.”

~Sherwood’s~ Gazetteer of Georgia, U.S., 8vo.

Contains a glossary of words, Slang and vulgar, peculiar to the Southern States.

~Smith~ (Capt. Alexander), The Thieves’ Grammar, 12mo, p. 28. 17—.

A copy of this work is in the collection formed by Prince Lucien Bonaparte.

~Smith’s~ (Capt.) Compleat History of the Lives and Robberies of the most Notorious Highwaymen, Footpads, Shoplifters, and Cheats, of both Sexes, in and about London and Westminster, 12mo, vol. i. 1719.

This volume contains “The Thieves’ New Canting Dictionary of the Words, _Proverbs, &c., used by Thieves_.”

~Smith’s~ (Capt.) Thieves’ Dictionary, 12mo. 1724.

~Snowden’s~ Magistrate’s Assistant, and Constable’s Guide, thick small 8vo. 1852.

Gives a description of the various orders of cadgers, beggars, and swindlers, together with a Glossary of the Flash Language.

~Sportsman’s Dictionary~, 4to. 17—.

By an anonymous author. Contains some low sporting terms.

~Stanley’s~ Remedy, or the Way how to Reform Wandring Beggars, Thieves, &c., wherein is shewed that Sodomes Sin of Idleness is the Poverty and the Misery of this Kingdome, 4to. 1646.

This work has an engraving on wood which is said to be the veritable original of Jim Crow.

~Swift’s~ coarser pieces abound in vulgarities and Slang expressions.

~The Triumph of Wit~, or Ingenuity displayed in its Perfection, being the Newest and most Useful Academy, Songs, Art of Love, and the Mystery and Art of Canting, with Poems, Songs, &c., in the Canting Language, 16mo. _J. Clarke_, 1735.

What is generally termed a shilling _Chap Book_.

~The Triumph of Wit~, or the Canting Dictionary, being the Newest and most Useful Academy, containing the Mystery and art of Canting, with the original and present management thereof, and the ends to which it serves and is employed, illustrated with Poems, Songs, and various Intrigues in the Canting Language, with the Explanations, &c., 12mo. _Dublin_, N. D.

A Chap Book of 32 pages, _circa_ 1760.

~The Whole Art Of Thieving~ and Defrauding Discovered: being a Caution to all Housekeepers, Shopkeepers, Salesmen, and others, to guard against Robbers of both Sexes, and the best Methods to prevent their Villanies; to which is added an Explanation of most of the Cant terms in the Thieving Language, 8vo, pp. 46. 1786.

~Thomas~ (I.), My Thought Book, 8vo. 1825.

Contains a chapter on Slang.

~Tom Crib’s~ Memorial to Congress, with a Preface, Notes, and Appendix by one of the Fancy [Tom Moore, the Poet], 12mo. 1819.

A humorous poem, abounding in Slang and pugilistic term, with a burlesque essay on the classic origin of Slang.

~Vacabondes~, the Fraternatye of, as well as of ruflyng Vacabones, as of beggerly, of Women as of Men, of Gyrles as of Boyes, with their proper Names and Qualities, with a Description of the Crafty Company of Cousoners and Shifters, also the XXV. Orders of Knaves; otherwyse called a Quartern of Knaves, confirmed by Cocke Lorell, 8vo. Imprinted at London by John Awdeley, dwellyng in little Britayne strete, without Aldersgate. 1575.

It is stated in _Ames’ Typog. Antiq._, vol. ii. p. 885, that an edition bearing the date 1565 is in existence, and that the compiler was no other than old John Audley, the printer, himself. This conjecture, however, is very doubtful. As stated by Watt, it is more than probable that it was written by Harman, or was taken from his works, in MS. or print.

~Vaux’s~ (Count de, a swindler and pickpocket) Life, written by himself, 2 vols., 12mo, to which is added a Canting Dictionary. 1819.

These Memoirs were suppressed on account of the scandalous passages contained in them.

~Webster’s~ (Noah) Letter to the Hon. John Pickering, on the Subject of his Vocabulary, or Collection of Words and Phrases supposed to be peculiar to the United States, 8vo, pp. 69. _Boston_, 1817.

~Wild~ (Jonathan), History of the Lives and Actions of Jonathan Wild, Thieftaker, Joseph Blake, _alias_ Blueskin, Footpad, and John Sheppard, Housebreaker; together with a Canting Dictionary by Jonathan Wild, _woodcuts_, 12mo. 1750.

~Wilson~ (Professor), contributed various Slang pieces to _Blackwood’s Magazine_; including a Review of Bee’s Dictionary.

~Witherspoon’s~ (Dr., of America,) Essays on Americanisms, Perversions of Language in the United States, Cant phrases, &c., 8vo, in the 4th vol. of his works. _Philadelphia_, 1801.

The earliest work on American vulgarisms. Originally published as a series of Essays, entitled the _Druid_, which appeared in a periodical in 1761.

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* * * * *

Transcriber’s Note:

An advertisement for dictionaries has been moved from the beginning of the text to the end.

The following are used inconsistently in the text:

banknote and bank-note

battles and battells

big-bird and big bird

blackguard and black-guard

boatrace and boat-race

Boozingken and Boozing-Ken

bow-Catcher and bowcatcher

brother-chip and brother-chip

Bubble-and-Squeak and Bubble and Squeak

chamberpot and chamber-pot

cherry-colour and cherry colour

chuck up and chuck-up

coalheaver and coal-heaver

cockshy and cock-shy

cocoanuts and cocoa-nuts

comb cut and comb-cut

coon and ’coon

corner men and corner-men

crabshells and crab shells

cutpurse and cut-purse

daylights and day-light

dead-heat and dead heat

dolly shop and dolly-shop

dunnyken and dunna-ken

everyday and every-day

fagot and faggot

fawney bouncing and fawney-bouncing

fyebuck and fye-buck

halfpence and half-pence

horse chaunter and horse-chaunter

housebreaking and house-breaking

kin-the-lamb and kin the lamb

knobstick and knob-stick

lovelock and love-lock

M. B. and M.B.

M. T. and M.T.

Merry Dun of Dover and merry dun of Dover

mountain pecker and mountain-pecker

necktie and neck-tie

newcomers and new-comers

now-a-days and nowadays

outdoor and out-door

overbearing and over-bearing

overnight and over-night

overreach and over-reach

P. P. and P.P.

parney and parny

percentages and per-centages

pillbox and pill-box

playhouse and play-house

purseproud and purse-proud

racehorse and race-horse

randem and random

reach me downs and reach-me-downs

ringdropping and ring-dropping

schofel and schoful

schoolboys and school-boys

seaport and sea-port

secondhand and second-hand

signpost and sign-post

Soft-soap and soft soap

speechmaking and speech-making

turncoat and turn-coat

turnout and turn-out

W. P. and W.P.

water-bewitched and water bewitched

watercloset and water-closet

wideawake and wide-awake

The following errors in the printed text have been corrected:

advertisement “W.,” changed to “W.”

advertisement “A to G)” changed to “(A to G)”

p. 15 “Bcck” changed to “Beck”

p. 17 “coined money” changed to “coined money.”

p. 29 “‘cribs’’” changed to “‘cribs’””

p. 41 “_Tam O’ Shanter_.”” changed to “_Tam O’ Shanter_.”

p. 68 “on’t—” changed to “on’t”—”

p. 74 “appearance” changed to “appearance.”

p. 74 “I Cor.” changed to “1 Cor.”

p. 82 “Dr” changed to “Dr.”

p. 83 “under-raduates” changed to “under-graduates”

p. 88 “BLUHEN” changed to “BLÜHEN”

p. 89 “ἄσπρόν” changed to “ἄσπρον”

p. 90 “the new police” changed to “the new police.”

p. 91 “belong to you” changed to “belong to you.”

p. 94 “Spit-curl,”” changed to “Spit-curl,”

p. 97 “Rothwalsch” changed to “Rothwälsch”

p. 97 “good fellow;” changed to “good fellow;””

p. 98 “at races” changed to “at races.”

p. 101 “large thick,” changed to “large, thick,”

p. 106 “tumble up,” changed to “tumble up”

p. 107 “contruction” changed to “contraction”

p. 111 “ny temporary” changed to “any temporary”

p. 114 “pay.—ED” changed to “pay.—ED.”

p. 115 “CHEESE your barrikin,”” changed to ““CHEESE your barrikin,””

p. 116 “Derivation obvious” changed to “Derivation obvious.”

p. 118 “and waistcoat” changed to “and waistcoat.”

p. 120 “first-rate” changed to “first-rate.”

p. 128 “Κορινθίαζ εσθαι” changed to “Κορινθιάζεσθαι”

p. 135 “Very often” changed to ““Very often”

p. 136 “Culloden;*” changed to “Culloden;”

p. 137 “CUT ONE’S” CHANGED TO ““CUT ONE’S”

p. 139 “interrupted Julian” changed to “interrupted Julian,”

P. 141 “SO LOOK OUT”” CHANGED TO “SO LOOK OUT.””

P. 152 “MEDIOCITY” CHANGED TO “MEDIOCRITY”

P. 161 “O FOURTEEN” CHANGED TO “OF FOURTEEN”

P. 168 ““OR IN BAD” CHANGED TO “OR “IN BAD”

P. 171 “FULLY committed for trial.” changed to “FULLY committed for trial.””

p. 176 “crush hat” changed to “crush hat.”

p. 178 “by schoolboys” changed to “by schoolboys.”

p. 188 “unthinking” changed to “unthinking.”

p. 189 “~Harry-soph~” changed to “~Harry-soph~,”

p. 197 “Umh!” changed to ““Umh!”

p. 209 “_Gloucestershire_.” changed to “_Gloucestershire_,”

p. 217 “of the door,’” changed to “of the door,””

p. 219 “nothing five” changed to “nothing: five”

p. 224 “what a MEASLEY” changed to ““what a MEASLEY”

p. 229 “bad MOUNT.” changed to “bad MOUNT.””

p. 232 “_Neptune’s Triumph_, whch” changed to “_Neptune’s Triumph_, which”

p. 233 “Shakspear ehas” changed to “Shakspeare has”

p. 234 “VAMOS.”” changed to “VAMOS.”

p. 236 ““Your NIBS,” yourself.”” changed to ““Your NIBS,” yourself.”

p. 237 “~Nix my dolly~once” changed to “~Nix my dolly~, once”

p. 243 “_i.e._, you” changed to “_i.e._, “you”

p. 247 “to the PARTY?”” changed to “to the PARTY?”

p. 247 “_Stephano._” changed to ““_Stephano._”

p. 250 “drive awa ;” changed to “drive away;”

p. 251 “Nor yet a single” changed to ““Nor yet a single”

p. 253 “dérobé”).” changed to “dérobé)”.”

p. 253 “English word” changed to “English word.”

p. 254 “its purity?” changed to “its purity?””

p. 254 “trrdesman” changed to “tradesman”

p. 256 “£100,0000,” changed to “£100,000,”

p. 258 “~Pops ~,pocket-pistols.” changed to “~Pops~, pocket-pistols.”

p. 264 “THICK UN a” changed to “THICK UN, a”

p. 265 “for the account”” changed to “for the account.””

p. 275 “in unproductive” changed to “an unproductive”

p. 285 “improvemennts” changed to “improvements”

p. 295 “voilently” changed to “violently”

p. 296 “a good beating,” changed to “a good beating.”

p. 297 “Sluieing” changed to “Sluicing”

p. 297 “tip-top nation.” changed to “tip-top nation.””

p. 299 “SNIDE ’UN.”” changed to “SNIDE ’UN.”

p. 304 “a person, to cease” changed to “a person,” to cease”

p. 305 “TEA-SPOON,” changed to “TEA-SPOON;”

p. 306 “prisoners, when,” changed to “prisoners, when”

p. 307 “~Stab-rag~” changed to “~Stab-rag~,”

p. 316 “first six months” changed to “first six months;”

p. 321 “that term” changed to “that term.”

p. 322 “upon TICKET.” changed to “upon TICKET.””

p. 331 “TWIG,’” changed to “TWIG,””

p. 334 “can you” changed to ““can you”

p. 338 “WORRIT, ro” changed to “or WORRIT,”

p. 334 “igin hougour” changed to “igin agan hougour”

p. 334 “Romany!” changed to “Romany?”

p. 340 “WHITE WINE.”” changed to “WHITE WINE.’””

p. 349 “end with two vowels” changed to “end with two consonants”

p. 354 “~Exis yanneps~xpence.” changed to “~Exis yanneps~, sixpence.”

p. 354 “an apple” changed to “an apple.”

p. 368 “of beer” changed to “of beer.”

p. 369 “centre slang, then,” changed to “Centre slang, then,”

p. 372 “_London_, 1809” changed to “_London_, 1809.”

p. 374 “part of the work” changed to “part of the work.”

p. 374 “attemp” changed to “attempts.”

p. 375 “1858” changed to “1858.”

p. 376 “1797” changed to “1797.”

p. 378 “1859” changed to “1859.”

p. 379 “Wiemarisches” changed to “Weimarisches”

p. 379 “10te” changed to “10ter”

Inconsistent use of small capitals and italics has been left as printed.

On p. 76, “will about win” has been left as printed.

On p. 121, “_See_ COAL” in the entry for “Coal” has been left as printed.

On p. 195, “the blue jackets wont” has been left as printed.

On p. 379, “Wirtemberg” has been left as printed.

The following were not clearly printed and are conjectural:

Footnote to p. 53 “most objectionable”

p. 90 full stop in “Bethnal Green Museum.”

p. 94 the letter p in “person who steals”

p. 94 bracketed text in “swindler[, or a] lie”

p. 114 bracketed text in “Ch[aw] over”

p. 158 comma in “unfeminine accomplishment,”

p. 164 letter n and comma in “~Flim-flamn~,”

p. 181 bracketed text in “[tie]d.—_Sea._”

p. 197 last two digits in “1632.”

p. 207 last two digits in “1820.”

p. 211 bracketed text in “so[lic]ited”

p. 243 bracketed text in “descripti[on,]”

p. 248 semi-colon in “POIX);”

p. 262 “to” in “stratagem to excite”

p. 295 comma in “into a man,”

p. 337 comma in “WELSHER,”

There are a number of references to non-existent entries:

the entry for “Briefs” refers to “Reflectors”;

the entry for “Bub” refers to “Bibe”

the entry for “Harum-scarum” refers to “Tandem”;

the entry for “Lucky” refers to “Strike”;

the entry for “Man in the moon” refers to “Election Inquiries”;

the entry for “Random” refers to “Tandem”;

the entry for “Whiddle” refers to “Wheedle”.

In some cases entries of that name exist, but appear to be unrelated:

the entry for “Buz” refers to “Snooks” and “Walker”;

the entry for “Random” refers to “Sudden Death”.

The following possible error has been left as printed:

p. 254 “an ingenious candle-snuffers”

End of Project Gutenberg's The Slang Dictionary, by John Camden Hotten