The class of men formerly well known to the citizens of London as News-criers, or Hornmen, must now be spoken of in the past sense, as the further use of the horn was prohibited long ago by the magistracy, subject to a penalty of ten shillings for the first offence, and twenty shillings on the conviction of repeating so heinous a crime. [Illustration] "GREAT NEWS, BLOODY BATTLE, GREAT VICTORY! EXTRAORDINARY GAZETTE! SECOND EDITION!" were the usual loud bellowing of fellows with stentorian lungs, accompanied by a loud blast of a long tin-horn, which announced to the delighted populace of London the martial achievements of a Marlborough, Howe, Hood, Nelson, or Wellington. A copy of the "Gazette" or newspaper they "cried" was usually affixed under the hatband, in front, and their demand was generally one shilling. At least one of these news criers has been immortalized. In a volume of "Miscellaneous Poems," edited by Elijah Fenton, and printed by Bernard Lintot, without date, but anterior to 1720, there are the lines that follow, to one old Bennet, who seems to have made a great noise in the world of London during the early part of last century:-- "ON THE DEATH OF OLD BENNET, THE NEWS CRYER "One evening, when the sun was just gone down, And I was walking thro' the noisy town, A sudden silence through each street was spread, As if the soul of London had been fled. Much I enquired the cause, but could not hear, Till fame, so frightened, that she did not dare To raise her voice, thus whisper'd in my ear:-- Bennet, the prince of hawkers, is no more, Bennet, my _Herald_ on the British shore, Bennet, by whom, I own myself outdone, Tho' I a hundred mouths, he had but one, He, when the list'ning town he would amuse, Made _Echo_ tremble with his '_Bloody news!_' No more shall _Echo_, now his voice return, _Echo_ for ever must in silence mourn,-- Lament, ye heroes, who frequent the wars, The great proclaimer of your dreadful scars. Thus wept the conqueror who the world o'ercame, Homer was waiting to enlarge his fame, Homer, the first of hawkers that is known, _Great News_ from Troy, cried up and down the town, None like him has there been for ages past, Till our stentorian Bennet came at last, Homer and Bennet were in this agreed, Homer was blind, and Bennet could not read!"