Anecdotes of the Manners and Customs of London during the Eighteenth Century; Vol. 1 (of 2): Including the Charities, Depravities, Dresses, and Amusements etc.Malcolm, James Peller
History
Anecdotes of the Manners and Customs of London during the Eighteenth Century; Vol. 1 (of 2): Including the Charities, Depravities, Dresses, and Amusements etc.
Malcolm, James Peller
London (England) -- Social life and customs -- 18th century
mantle-piece in the kitchen into the parlour door-way, about fifteen
feet from the place where it stood; a tea-kettle under the dresser was
thrown out about two feet: another tea-kettle, which stood on the side
of the grate, was thrown off against an iron that is fixed to keep the
children from the fire; a mustard-glass, which was a little broke by
some natural accident, was thrown from a table into a pewter-dish on
the floor, at about seven feet distance, but did not break, neither was
it broke afterwards; the cup that had escaped when the other two were
broke (as is before-mentioned) being set on a table in the parlour,
flew off to the distance of nine feet, and broke; a tumbler, with a
little rum and water in it, standing on a waiter upon a table in the
same parlour, jumped about ten feet, and broke; the table then overset,
and threw off a silver tankard of Mrs. Goulding's, a candlestick, and
the waiter the tumbler had jumped from; two hams, which had been hung
up in the chimney to dry, fell down, though the nail and strings on and
by which they had hung were not broke or misplaced; a case-bottle of
liquor, part of which they had just drank, flew into pieces; and, in
short, about four o'clock in the morning of Tuesday, almost every thing
in the parlour and kitchen were animated, and made such a racket, that
Mr. Payne's maid-servant ran up stairs, and took a child out of bed,
and carried it into the stable naked, thinking it was not safe longer
to stay in the house. Mrs. Goulding then seeing the general confusion,
went with her servant across the road to Mr. Fowler's (the same Mr.
Fowler as is before-mentioned in this narrative) and were accompanied
by Mrs. Payne and her son, about nine years of age; and the confusion
at Mr. Payne's immediately ceased, when Mr. Fowler had let them into
his house, he proceeded to light a fire in his back room, which done,
he put the candlestick and candle he had used upon a table in his
fore-room (through which Mrs. Goulding and her servant had passed),
where also stood another candlestick with a tin lamp in it, but they
did not stand long before they were knocked against each other, and
thrown to the ground by some invisible agent; then a lanthorn in the
back-room, that had been used in lighting Mrs. Goulding, &c. across the
road, was thrown to the ground; and lastly a basket of coals, which was
brought from Mr. Payne's, overset, and emptied itself upon the floor.
Mr. Fowler upon this told Mrs. Goulding he feared she had been guilty
of some bad act, as it was plain the cause of such wonderful events
was carried with her; but Mrs. Goulding answered, that her conscience
was clear from any extraordinary evil, and that she could not tell the
cause why she was so troubled, or such like words; however, Mr. Fowler
desired her to quit his house, as he could not afford to have his goods
destroyed; whereupon Mrs. Goulding and her servant left his house,
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