"On Monday last, being the day King George set out for Hanover, several of his lower domesticks went before; and while they were upon the Thames, a brisk bold lass, that was perfectly well versed in water-language, gave them several plaguy broadsides; certain it is, she made use of several odd, comical, out-of-the-way expressions, at which, though at the same time they were heartily vexed, they could not forbear laughing. The phrases she made use of should be repeated here, but only they were of such a rude nature, that, though they did not fall under the cognizance of the law by water, yet they would be perfectly punishable by land; and I question whether if they would not even be deemed treasonable. The Thames seems to have a charter for rudeness; and the sons of Triton and Neptune have not only a freedom of, but a licence for, any sort of speech. The privilege, by being so antient, is grown incontestible; and scandal there is as it were a law by prescription. Crowned heads in former times did not go scot-free, and yet no punishment ensued; so that Majesty then seemed, by conniving in silence at the abuse, to give the Royal assent to those rough water-laws. Several bitter jests were cast on our good Queen Catharine; and people told her Majesty merrily of the several children King Charles had by his concubines, and made it a matter of ludicrous wonder and surprize, that the constant bedfellow of so mettlesome a Prince should not give the world one token of their mutual love." Such were the manners of watermen; and, without doubt, their passengers frequently bore a part in the low _amusement of abuse_. Mr. Mist, well known as one of the heroes of the Dunciad, enables me to shew those of some of the landsmen of the same period. He introduces them in very good advice to parents and masters previous to the holidays of May; and observes, that many coaches were in a state of requisition for the conveyance of journeymen, apprentices, and their masters' daughters, to the churches of St. Pancras and Mary-le-bon, for private marriage. He conjures all sober honest tradesmen who love their wives to walk abroad with them and their children. "And whereas Mr. Mist has been informed, that in holiday times divers persons of distinction and figure _transform themselves into the shapes of journeymen, apprentices_, and other mechanical habits, to trepan young wenches out of their modesty; he therefore requires of all viceroys and governors of families to give the strictest orders for their female children and servants to repair to their respective habitations before candle-light. "All journeymen Drapers, Mercers, Lawyers-clerks, _and other ten or twelve-shilling workmen_, are strictly forbid to cause riots and routs in the streets _concerning precedency_, as they return from their carouses in the night-time. "N. B. Bullies and Gamesters, who have an indisputable right to make disturbances every night in the year, are not meant in this article.