TO BRIGHTON 



" Red Hot Marriage," using his anvil for the 

 altar. 



" Oh ! Mr. Blacksmith, ease our pains, 

 And tie us fast in wedlock's chains." 



The china decorated with vessels and alluding 

 to naval matters shows how popular was the navy, 

 and how deeply everything concerning Nelson's 

 men had sunk into the minds of the people. 

 Some of the line of battle ships here represented 

 are most cleverly executed every sail and rope 

 and gun brought out with a clearness which the 

 best draughtsman could hardly excel. It is a little 

 hard, however, to preserve the time-honoured im- 

 putation upon Jack's constancy in this way on 

 a jug: 



" A sailor's life 's a pleasant life, 



He freely roams from shore to shore ; 

 In every port he finds a wife 

 What can a sailor wish for more ? " 



Some enamoured potter having produced a mas- 

 terpiece as a present to his lady destroyed the de- 

 sign, so that the service he gave her might be 

 unique. After gazing at these curious old pieces, 

 with dates of 1754, 1728, and so forth, the mind 

 becomes attuned to such times, and the jug with 

 the inscription, "Claret, 1652," seems quite an 

 easy and natural transition. 



From the Brighton of to-day it is centuries back 

 to 1754; but from 1754 to 1652 is but a year or 

 253 



