A History of the Cries of London, Ancient and ModernHindley, Charles
History
A History of the Cries of London, Ancient and Modern
Hindley, Charles
Cries -- England -- London; London (England) -- Social life and customs
The best known collection of cries is "The Cryes of the City of London.
Drawne after the Life. P. Tempest, _Excudit_," a small folio volume, which
when published, in 1688, consisted of only fifty plates, as the following
advertisement, extracted from the _London Gazette_ of May 28-31, 1688,
sufficiently proves:--
"There is now published the Cryes and Habits of London, lately drawn
after the Life in great variety of Actions. Curiously Engraven upon 50
Copper plates, fit for the Ingenious and Lovers of Art. Printed and
Sold by P. Tempest, over-against Somerset House, in the Strand."
Samuel Pepys, the eccentric diarist, who died 1703, left to Magdalene
College, Cambridge, an invaluable collection of ballads, manuscript naval
memoirs, ancient English poetry, three volumes of "Penny Merriments," and
a numerous assemblage of etchings and engravings. Among the latter are a
number of Tempest's Cries in the first state. These are still preserved in
the Pepysian Library in the same College.
In 1711 another edition of Tempest's Cries was published, containing
seventy-four plates, several of which can scarcely be called cries. They
are popular "London Characters" rather than "criers." As the book,
however, is extremely rare, and consequently costly, and as a history of
the old London Cries would be very imperfect without a particular account
of Tempest's volume being made, with a few words about Mauron, who
designed, and Pearce Tempest, who engraved these cries, that which follows
will not, we trust, be altogether out of place. Of Mauron, we can find no
better account than the notice in Walpole.
"Marcellus Mauron--sometimes spelt Lauron, was born at the Hague in 1643,
and learnt to paint of his father, with whom he came when young into
England. Here he was placed with one La Zoon, a portrait-painter, and then
with Flesshier, but owed his chief improvement to his own application. He
lived several years in Yorkshire, and when he returned again to London he
had very much improved himself in his art. He drew correctly, studied
nature diligently, copied closely, and so surpassed all his contemporaries
in drapery, that Sir Godfrey Kneller employed him to clothe his portraits.
He likewise excelled in imitating the different styles of eminent masters,
executed conversation pieces of considerable merit. Several prints were
made from his works, and several plates he etched and scraped himself. A
book on fencing, and the procession at the coronation of William and Mary,
were designed by him. He lived in Bow-street, Covent-garden, on the west
side, about three doors up, and at the back of Sir Godfrey Kneller's house
in the Piazza; there he died of consumption March 11th, 1702."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account