VI 



TIT'ITH the advent of railways disappeared the 

 Corinthian or buck, whose day and night 

 sprees have been celebrated in many a volume — the 

 most famous, of course, being Pierce Egan's "Tom 

 and Jerry." 



The exploits of the not particularly estimable type 

 in question would appear to have vastly interested a 

 past generation, who regarded the smashing of lamps, 

 wrenching off of knockers, and the like with com- 

 paratively good-humoured toleration. 



As a rule the buck was essentially a townsman, 

 though hot-headed young squires were generally quite 

 ready to emulate his ways. These latter, however, 

 were for the most part men of a better and more 

 sterling type than the ordinary London buck, who in 

 many instances was nothing but a spoilt child of 

 fortune, with a limited intelligence which had never 

 been developed. 



Whilst possessing all the faults and vices of the 

 squire, the buck too frequently lacked his merits ; 

 at the same time it must in justice be said that many 

 a box-lobby lounger became a first-class officer when 

 at the wars. The natural companion of the eighteenth- 

 century buck, of course, was the dashing Cyprian 

 who was such a familiar figure in the pleasure resorts 

 of that day. 



158 



