LITMIR.BIZ

Скачать книгу

      “Come,” said Sparkle, “won't you have a drop more?”

      “Thank ye, Sir,” was the reply; and Sparkle, intent upon having his gig out, ordered a fresh supply, which soon revived the fallen hero of Bosworth-field, and Richard was himself again.

      “Now,” said he, “I'll sing you a song,” and immediately commenced as follows:—

      “My name's Hookey Walker, I'm known very well,

      In acting and eating I others excel;

      The player-folks all take their patterns from me,

      And a nice pattern too!—Don't you see? don't you see?

      Oh! [glancing at his fingers] It will do—it will do. At Chippenham born, I was left quite forlorn, When my father was dead and my mother was gone; So I came up to London, a nice little he, And a nice pattern too!—Don't you see? don't you see? Oh! it will do—it will do. A courting I went to a girl in our court, She laugh'd at my figure, and made me her sport; I was cut to the soul—so said I on my knee, I'm a victim of love!—Don't you see? don't you see? Oh! it won't do—it won't do. Now all day I march to and fro in the street, And a candle sometimes on my journey I eat; So I'll set you a pattern, if you'll but agree, And a nice pattern too! you shall see—you shall see. Oh! it will do—it will do.”

      This Song, which he declared was all made out of his own head, was sung with grotesque action and ridiculous grimace, intended no doubt in imitation of Mr. Wilkinson in his inimitable performance of this strange piece of whimsicality. The dancing party was knock'd up and were lobbing their lollys,{1} half asleep and half awake, on the table, bowing as it were to the magnanimous influence

      1 Lobbing their lollys—Laying their heads.

      of Old Tom.{1} The Dustman and the Irishman laugh'd heartily; and Das hall, Tallyho, and Sparkle, could not resist the impulse to risibility when they contemplated the group before them. The Bug-destroyer munched{2} a candle and sluiced{3} his greasy chops{4} with Jacky{5} almost as fast as they could supply him with it, when Sparkle perceiving the boy was still at the door with the runaway ass,

      “Come,” said he, “we'll start 'em off home in high style—here, you Mr. Bugman, can you ride?”

      “Ride, aye to be sure I can, any of Mr. Astley's horses as well as the Champion of England,"{6} was the reply.

      1 Old Tom—It is customary in public-houses and gin-shops

      in London and its vicinity to exhibit a cask inscribed with

      large letters—OLD TOM, intended to indicate the best gin in

      the house.

      2 Munched—Eat.

      3 Sluiced—Washed. See Sluicery.

      4 Chops—The mouth.

      5 Jacky—A vulgar term for gin.

      6 Any person would almost suspect that Hookey had been

      reading the newspapers by this allusion; but that certainly

      could not be the case, for, spurning all education in early

      life, this representative of the immortal bard—this

      character of characters from Shakespeare, could neither read

      nor write, but made all he acted, as he said, from his own

      head: however, it may fairly be presumed, that in the course

      of his travels during the day he had heard something of the

      Champion intended to appear at the approaching Coronation,

      of whom the following account has recently been circulated

      through the daily press, and, with his usual consistency,

      conceived his own innate abilities equal to those which

      might be acquired by Mr. Dymocke, though his claims were not

      equally honourable or advantageous.

      Mr. Dymocke, the nephew of the gentleman (who is a

      Clergyman) entitled by hereditary right to do the service of

      the Champion to his Majesty, is still in hopes he may be

      permitted to act under his Uncle's nomination, although he

      wants a few months of being of age. A petition is before the

      King on the subject; and Mr. Dymocke, by constant practice

      at Astley's Hiding-school, is endeavouring to qualify

      himself for the due fulfilment of the office. On Thursday

      lie went through his exercise in a heavy suit of armour with

      great celerity. The horse which will be rode by the Champion

      has been selected from Mr. Astley's troop. It is a fine

      animal, pieballed black and white, and is regularly

      exercised in the part he will have to perform.

      “Walk in—walk in, Ladies and Gentlemen, just going to begin—come, Mr. Merryman, all ready—Ladies and Gentlemen, please to observe, this here horse is not that there horse.”

      “So we laugh at John Bull a little.”

      "Come, then,” continued Sparkle, “another glass—half-a-crown to ride to the bottom of the lane and up Holboru-hill on that donkey at the door, and you shall be our Champion.”

      “A bargain—a bargain,” said the assumed Hookey Walker, rubbing the tallow from his gills.{1}

      “Here goes then,” said Sparkle; then slipping half-a-crown into the boy's hand, desiring him to run as far as the Traveller-office, in Fleet-street, and get him a newspaper, promising to take care of his ass till his return. The lad nibbled the bait, and was off in a pig's whisper{2} Sparkle called to Tom and Bob, and putting them up to his scheme, Hookey was quickly mounted, while Dashall and his Cousin, assisted by the Hibernian and Dust-ho, succeeded in getting Mother Mapps out, who was placed in the front of the Champion, astride, with her face towards him and Limping Billy, who though beat to a stand still,{3} was after some difficulty lifted up behind. Hookey was then supplied with his board, the pole of which he placed on his foot, in the manner of a spear or lance. Then giving the Irishman and the Dustman some silver, to act as Supporters or Esquires, one on each side, they proceeded along Shoe-lane, preceded by Billy Waters flourishing his wooden-leg and feathers, and fiddling as he went—the Irishman roaring out with Stentorian lungs,

      “Sure won't you hear

      What roaring cheer

      Was spread at Paddy's wedding O,

      And how so gay

      They spent the day,

      From the churching to the bedding O.

      First book in hand came Father Quipes,

      With the Bride's dadda, the Bailey O,

      While all the way to church the pipes

      Struck up a jilt so gaily O.

      “Kim ap—be after sitting fast in the front there, old Mapps, or you'll make a mud-lark of yourself.” The Dustman rang his bell; and thus accompanied with an immense assemblage of boys, girls, men, women, and

      1 Gills—The mouth.

      2 Pig's Whisper—A very common term for speed.

      3 Beat to a dead stand still—Means completely unable to

      assist himself.

      children, collected from all the courts and alleys in the neighbourhood, joining in a chorus of shouts that rent the air, poor Balaam continued to bear his load; while our party, after watching them till nearly out of sight, passed down Harp-alley into Fleet-market,” and turning to the right, very soon regained Fleet-Street, laughing heartily at the bull's

Скачать книгу