A Book for a Rainy Day; or, Recollections of the Events of the Years 1766-1833 — John Shaqi
A Book for a Rainy Day; or, Recollections of the Events of the Years 1766-1833Smith, John Thomas
History
A Book for a Rainy Day; or, Recollections of the Events of the Years 1766-1833
Smith, John Thomas
Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 18th century; Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
Go-carts, the old appendages of our nurseries, continuing in use, I was
occasionally placed in one; and as its advantages have been noticed in
my work entitled _Nollekens and his Times_, I shall now only refer the
reader for its form to Number 186 of “Rembrandt’s Etchings;”[19] that
being similar, as my father informed me, to those used in London in my
infantine days.[20]
The cradle having of late years been in a great degree superseded by what
is called a cot,[21] and its shape not being remarkable, I shall for a
moment beg leave to deal in a foreign market, in order to gratify the
indefatigable organ of inquisitiveness of some of my readers, who may
wish to know in what sort of cradle Stratford’s sweet Willy slumbered.
Possibly it might in some respects have accorded with the representation
of one in a small plate by Israel Von Meckenen,[22] and this conjecture
is not improbable, as that plate was engraved about the sixteenth
century; and it is well known that in most articles of furniture, as
well as dress, we had long borrowed from our continental neighbours,
whether good, bad, or indifferent. It gives me great pleasure to observe
that, owing to the vast improvements made by our draughtsmen for English
upholsterers, in every article of domestic decorative furniture, England
has now little occasion to borrow from other nations.
[Illustration: NANCY DAWSON
“See how she comes to give surprise
With joy and pleasure in her eyes.”
_Old Song, “Nancy Dawson”_]
Nancy Dawson, the famous hornpipe dancer, died this year, May 27th, at
Hampstead; she was buried behind the Foundling Hospital, in the ground
belonging to St. George the Martyr, where there is a tombstone to her
memory, simply stating, “Here lies Nancy Dawson.” Every verse of a song
in praise of her, declares the poet to be dying for Nancy Dawson; and
its tune, which many of my readers must recollect, is, in my opinion,
as lively as that of “Sir Roger de Coverley.” I have been informed that
Nancy, when a girl, set up the skittles at a tavern in High Street,
Marylebone.[23] Sir William Musgrave, in his _Adversaria_ (No. 5719), in
the British Museum, says that “Nancy Dawson was the wife of a publican
near Kelso, on the borders of Scotland.”[24]
1768.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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