LORD CRIPPLEGATE 7 



following stratagem : — He distributed his halfpence on 

 the floor of his little parlour in straight lines, and 

 ascertained how many it would require to cover it. 

 Having thus prepared himself, he invited some wealthy 

 spendthrifts (with whom he still had the power of 

 associating^ to sup with him, and he welcomed them 

 to his habitation with much cordiality. The glass 

 circulated freely, and each recounted his gaming or 

 amorous adventures till a late hour, when, the effects 

 of the bottle becoming visible, he proposed, as a 

 momentary suggestion, to name how many halfpence, 

 laid side by side, would carpet the floor, and 

 offered to lay a large wager that he would guess 

 the nearest. 



" ' Done ! done ! ' was echoed round the room. 

 Every one made a deposit of £100, and every one made 

 a guess, equally certain of success ; and his lordship 

 declaring he had a large stock of halfpence by him, 

 though perhaps not enough, the experiment was to be 

 tried immediately. 'Twas an excellent hit ! 



; The room was cleared ; to it they went ; the 

 halfpence were arranged rank and file in military 

 order, when it appeared that his lordship had certainly 

 guessed (as well he might) nearest to the number. 

 The consequence was an immediate alteration of his 

 lordship's residence and appearance : he got one step 

 in the world by it. He gave up his second-hand gig 

 for one warranted new ; and a change in his vehicle 

 may pretty generally be considered as the barometer 

 of his pocket." 



And so, with these piquant biographical remarks, 

 they betook themselves along the road in the early 

 morning, passing on their way many curious itinerants, 

 whose trades have changed and decayed, and are now 

 become nothing but a dim and misty memory ; as, for 

 instance, the sellers of warm " salop," the forerunners 

 of the early coffee-stalls of our own day. 



