¢ 
1823.] 
enticing. But such places, such cus- 
toms and reyelry, are vanished in the 
shadow of time, though recorded in 
the book of past history. I am truly 
serry any cause should have appeared 
in life’s progress, to have destroyed 
this inspiring love of fairs in country 
villages, alar off and near London. Yet 
I do not want discord to be revived 
at the expense of mirth and virtue. 
The sound of Bartholomew Fair ap- 
proaches me. This fair, unlike all 
others, is difficult of access, and noisy 
to excess. ‘To the valiant who enter 
a crowd, and struggle for a situation, 
in Smithfield, some portion of humour 
may be gleaned from the haryest 
which is prepared. Fine weather is 
the first object for the visitors, and the 
best for the visited. The next is, suf- 
ficient cash for the occasion, and no 
more: neither pocket-book. nor watch 
should be brought here, for they would 
certainly exchange owners,—a mode 
of currency extremely unsuitable. 
Although the strength of the genius of 
time has swept away the fashions and 
inventions of the day and age in which 
they were exhibited to the then gazing 
multitudes; who are silently slumber- 
ing inthe:dust, and faintly gleaming 
in the human temple of memory; ye 
Lam prepared 'to accept my turn, and 
consequently note the kindred privi- 
lege which; in this paper upon the 
subject, itis my aim to improve. 
suppose myself in the midst of this 
fair; by whom surrounded, and under 
what impressions, I profess not to de- 
fine. The sun shines upon us. My 
ears are startled, and my eyes directed 
to every object with alternate ‘swift- 
ness, till’ 1 fix upon the eager young 
clergymen, who aré sitting side by 
side, under the hard-tried sail-cloth, 
supported by @ few stakes. They are 
too busy to_chat, or observe the won- 
drous doings of the happy day. The 
savoury and spicy sausage is twisted 
about in their mouth, and the. slain 
oyster swallowed, with a_ pleasing 
gulp: the pepper-box is handed round 
in due season, and the vinegar-cruet 
cordially drained to its last: essential 
drop, ‘The appetite is keen, and the 
relish luscions, » O.what joys now flush 
(not-hue) their little black faces: the 
toils of the sooty flue are forgotten, and 
the reproaches of the stern master 
forgiven. The flat porter quenches 
their thirst, and its, entire quantity 
brightens their eye. -Not the plea- 
sures-of SJay-day are comparable to 
Mr. Prior on the Humours of Bartlemy Fair. 
399 
this. carnival of their titular Saint 
Bartholomew ! and sooty recreation. 
By. them alone you'll easily comprehend 
How poets, without shame, may’ conde- 
scend 
To sing of gardens, fields, of flowers aud 
fruit, 
To stir up shepherds, and to tune the flute; 
Of love’s rewards to tell the happy hour, 
Daphne a tree, Narcissus made a flower, 
And by what means the chimney yet has 
power 
To make the booths worthy a conqueror. 
It is now pretty certain the fair has 
commenced: the public-houses are 
filling, the fife and drum are sounding, 
and the violin is scraped to a dozen 
limping dusimen, who are just com- 
fortable. As you enter the antique 
opening Barrs, there is a camera ob- 
seura, ready to cast reflections upon 
the fair sex, and to delineate the busi- 
ness of the day by inverse proportion, 
a fair satire upon society. Next the 
philosopher’s glass for weak eyes, the 
telescope, points its optical way to St. 
Paul’s golden cross and magnificent 
bali. Then Italians with organs, and. 
serenades in wax-work, and miniature. 
soldiery, catch the wanderer’s atten- . 
tion, as it does not cost any thing for. 
a glance to fill the auricular tubes. 
The gilt gingerbread, and, finely; 
dressed dolls, are shown to little chat-. 
tering misses; and whips, tops, and» 
painted fiddles, to gazing masters. . 
Now and then an archly spruce female 
twitches you by the sleeve, to take 
home a few of the best spice-nuts to 
your good lady, at least “‘to taste 
one.” ‘ihis appeal is irresistible ; and, 
while you are paying for them, your 
heel is trodden upon, which reminds 
you that some other person has po- 
litely borrowed your pocket-handker-. 
chief. ‘Tumult increases by a further 
advance into the scene. The frontis- 
picee of each show is an epitome, or, 
more probably an extravaganza, of 
what will be displayed in the book, 
The invitation is noisy and hoarse: 
bands of music, tumblers, monkeys, . 
and horses, aflord their aid. _Mouth- 
pieces are used, and cymbals clatter 
vociferously. “Tom Thumb the se- 
cond,”—the ‘ Waterloo giaut,” —the , 
real ‘* Chinese lady,”—and the ‘‘ Lan- 
cashire boy,”—all positively alive, are’ 
to be seen fora penny each. ‘ Pike, 
the wonderful conjuror and ventrilo- 
quist,”—the ‘wild beast,”—the“ tame 
wax-work,”—the “ prodigy equestrian 
infant,” — the ‘* weight-lifter,” — the 
“walking 
