Cardsellers, Touts, and Augurs. 183 



owners of the " Hydrocephalic Child," the " Fair Cir- 

 cassian with the Golden Locks," or " The Living 

 Princess," who, " When she wur born she weighed a 

 pouttd and a 'alf, now she weighs four pounds" are as 

 nothing in their eyes; and with the small gimcrack 

 vendors and singers, who are ready to do " annything 

 to yarn a crust," they will hold no communion. 

 Among the latter crew may be noted the fat acrobat, 

 who has passed the best years of his life in lifting 

 a needle from the ground with his eyelid, and the 

 old man in shabby fatigue uniform, who goes about 

 with a huge Crimean beard, and assuring every 

 " Bono Francaize" he met, that if " their brave chaps 

 only got a chance, they'd go in at them Russians like a 

 dog at his dinner'' The singers south of the Trent 

 never seem to us to have half the breadth and spirit 

 of the Northern minstrels, and merely work away at 

 ditties to the effect that " of all the girls that I do love, 

 I love myself the best," instead of boldly chanting 

 the deeds of great winners. Three-inch wax babies 

 have also come in on the wreck of the " new guinea" 

 trade, and "Large families of babbies for one shilling, 

 three on 'em for sixpence who'll have a babby for tup- 

 pence ?" is the stereotyped appeal from the vendors to 

 all ages and sexes. The " Wright" of the race-course, 

 after all, is a thin man of about fifty, who spends his 

 summer in woman's attire, with ribbons in his hair, 

 a faded yellow fan in one hand, and a green and pink 

 parasol in the other. If his face was a little stouter, 

 he would strikingly resemble that great low come- 

 dian ; and his opening dialogue about " Well, Lady 

 John, and how are the flowers to-day ? Fve seen the 

 gardener',' &c., followed up by the song of the 

 " Old Arm Cheer',' with each stanza illustrated by a 

 mock fandango, and a peculiar screw in his walk as 

 he retires, is one of the most humorous scenas we, 

 know. 



