612 On Dust. [Due. 



Now all is vanished and to me, who am one of the veriest of cocknies, 

 who have never crossed the Andes or the Alps who have never seen the 

 ' Peak of Liakura unveiled," or traversed the Pindus Chain to me who 

 have never seen a mount other than Mount Pleasant, it is^a loss consider- 

 able in amount. 



The memory of Mr. Smith is so closely connected with the subject, 

 that to notice it is imperative ; indeed, the omission would appear invidious, 

 and I am sorry my information on this head is so very slender. Of what 

 his pretensions were at the Herald's College, I cannot say ; but the inge- 

 nious Master Verstegan, in his derivation of names, hath it thus set 

 down: 



" Whence coraeth Smith, albeit knight or squire, 

 But from the Smith that forgeth at the fire ?" 



His biography, I am sure, would be on the side of virtue; and judging: 

 from the number of persons who are " thankful unto him, and speak good 

 of his name," he must have been a man of great urbanity. One instance : 

 of his interference in favour of the recreations of the poor, is the following. 

 On Easter Monday, it was the custom to throw off the cares and the 

 restraints of business, to indulge in such recreations as were congenial with 

 the various tastes of the parties assembled on the occasion : thus, while 

 some were diversifying the caricature of their physiognomies, by grinning 

 through a horse-collar, others were making themselves equally amusing by 

 jumping in sacks ; of a third group, a pig with a soapy tail was allotted to 

 him who could " tiensferme\" others again were riding with their faces 

 tailwards, in a donkey race, for a Cheshire cheese ; and a foot race by the 

 ladies, was crowned with a presentation to the winner of that which should 

 be the whitest article of female apparel. On the occasion alluded to, the 

 sports were interrupted by the stern authority of the law. What was to 

 be done? Were the poor to be robbed of their amusements, because by 

 the more fastidious they were deemed vulgar? No! Application was 

 made to Mr. Smith, who, with ready acquiescence threw open his field for 

 their diversions ; and thus the day finished with eclat, their hearts filled 

 with gratitude and joy ; and their pots (for pints were not in requisition) 

 with pledges to the health and happiness of their benefactor. Now all is 

 changed ! Mr. Smith is gone to the tomb of all the Smiths, and the dust 

 is converted into bricks ; and on the site has been erected, a very elegant 

 and extensive building, destined for a horse bazaar. The lane, compared 

 with former days, is less agonistical not but it must be a dull Sunday 

 indeed, that does not afford a bit of bruit, a game at hockey, or such like. 

 Last Whit Sunday, a fine young bull was turned out, under the recom- 

 mendation of his being mad ; and after being driven two or three times 

 up and down, with all the provocatives, " appliances, and means to boot," 

 that a Munro or a Warburton could desire, to establish a statute of lunacy, 

 ho was turned in again, to the general mortification of the numerous ama- 

 teurs, and the day went poorly off, with a game at foot-ball. To con- 

 clude the lane has had its. zenith, and, like the Roman Empire, must look 

 for its decline. 7 am going to move. 



