1830.] A Frost in London. 131 



driving up Constitution-hill, where Boreas is proverbially frolicsome, 

 my Lady B/s Jehu becomes suddenly 'unconscious of a nose, but finding 

 that the footman behind is in the same predicament, he resigns himself 

 with a grim smile of satisfaction to his fate. While quitting a linen- 

 draper's in Hanway-yard, whither he has been accompanying two ladies 

 a-shopping, a smart youth, in a gay blue mantle, comes down, just out- 

 side the door, on that particular portion of his person which naturalists 

 have defined as the seat of honour. On jumping up, agreeably savage, 

 he discovers the shopman in convulsions, and his fair friends in hysterics, 

 though he himself cannot see the joke. It is surprising how insensible 

 some people are to humour ! Should the wind be high, and the snow 

 exuberant, umbrellas make a point of turning inside out ; bonnets, like 

 pigs on a trip to Smithfield, take every direction but the right ; hats 

 evince a disposition to see the world, and ladies' dresses to mount up- 

 wards in the scale of things. 



So much for externals : within doors, the student sits " contractus 

 legens" as Horace says by his fire-side, and sensitive young ladies, 

 who have been for some time striving to summon up courage to go a 

 shopping, move to the window, cast a glance at the snow on the pave- 

 ment, shudder gracefully, and creep closer to their " ingle-nook." In a 

 warm cushioned arm-chair, with spectacles on his nose, the " Miseries of 

 Human Life" in his hands, and " Rejected Addresses" lying on the 

 table beside him, sits the old bachelor, condemning the unoffending 

 eyes of the frost and its stern rheumatic concomitants. How different is 

 the state of the married man ! He happy fellow ! as evening draws 

 on, sits surrounded by his children, the two youngest of whom, in con- 

 sideration of the severity of the weather and the social influence of 

 Christmas, are permitted to nestle close beside him, where they amuse 

 themselves by making pincushions of his calf, pouring Port- wine into 

 his pockets, and stuffing his snuff-box with apple-pips. See what it is 

 to be a parent ! But it is at night that the father is most in his 

 element. Then, while the thermometer is below zero, and the water is 

 frozen in his bason, he is roused from dreams of happiness by the cla- 

 mour of his daughter Anna Maria, who sleeps in the crib beside him, 

 and whose hooping-cough, like Rachael mourning for her children, 

 " refuseth to be comforted." Up jumps the worthy gentleman, lights 

 the tinder-box, finds Anna Maria black in the face, runs off for the 

 doctor, leaps the first gutter, tumbles, breaks his nose against the second, 

 and is hauled off to the watch-house as a drunkard. Such are a few 

 among the numerous absurd concomitants of a Frost in London ! 





FUDGE ! ! ! 



IN REPLY TO A FOREIGN FRIEND, WHO INQUIRED THE MEANING OF BUR- 

 CUELL'S FAVOURITE EXCLAMATION IN THE VICAR OF WAKEFIELD. 



So oft might Burchell now apply 



His favourite word again ; 

 'Tis easier to exemplify 



Its meaning than explain. 

 'Tis said and written, " that Burdett 



Sincerely loves reform ; 

 That England's sun's about to set 



In Revolution's storm ; 

 S 2 



