=Slum= (_Mr._), a patter poet, who dressed _en militaire_. He called on Mrs. Jarley, exhibitor of wax-works, all by accident. “What, Mr. Slum?” cried the lady of the wax-works; “who’d have thought of seeing you here?” “’Pon my soul and honor,” said Mr. Slum, “that’s a good remark! ’Pon my soul and honor, that’s a wise remark.... Why I came here? ’Pon my soul and honor, I hardly know what I came here for.... What a splendid classical thing is this, Mrs. Jarley! ’Pon my soul and honor, it is quite Minervian!” “It’ll look well, I fancy,” observed Mrs. Jarley. “Well!” said Mr. Slum; “It would be the delight of my life, ’pon my soul and honor, to exercise my Muse on such a delightful theme. By the way--any orders, madam? Is there anything I can do for you?” (ch. xxviii.). “Ask the perfumers,” said the military gentleman, “ask the blacking-makers, ask the hatters, ask the old lottery office keepers, ask any man among ’em what poetry has done for him, and mark my word, he blesses the name of Slum.”--C. Dickens, _The Old Curiosity Shop_ (1840). =Slumkey= (_Samuel_), “blue” candidate for the representation of the borough of Eatanswill in parliament. His opponent is Horatio Fizkin, who represents the “buff” interest.--C. Dickens, _The Pickwick Papers_ (1836). =Sly= (_Christopher_), a keeper of bears, and a tinker. In the induction of Shakespeare’s comedy called _Taming of the Shrew_, Christopher is found dead drunk by a nobleman, who commands his servant to take him to his mansion and attend on him as a lord. The trick is played, and the “commonty” of _Taming of the Shrew_ is performed for the delectation of the ephemeral lord. A similar trick was played by Haroun-al-Raschid on a rich merchant, named Abou Hassan (see _Arabian Nights_, “The Sleeper Awakened”). Also by Philippe _le Bon_ of Burgundy, on his marriage with Eleanora (see Burton, _Anatomy of Melancholy_, ii. 2, 4; 1624). =Slyne= (_Chevy_), one of old Martin Chuzzlewit’s numerous relations. He is a drunken, good-for-nothing vagabond, but his friend, Montague Tigg, considers him “an unappreciated genius.” His chief peculiarity consists in his always being “round the corner.”--C. Dickens, _Martin Chuzzlewit_ (1844). =Small= (_Gilbert_), the pinmaker, a hard-working old man, who loves his son most dearly. _Thomas Small_, the son of Gilbert, a would-be man of fashion and maccaroni. Very conceited of his fine person, he thinks himself the very glass of fashion. Thomas Small resolves to make a fortune by marriage, and allies himself to Kate, who turns out to be the daughter of Strap, the cobbler.--S. Knowles, _The Beggar of Bethnal Green_ (1834). =Small Beer Poet= (_The_). W. Thomas Fitzgerald. He is now known only for one line, quoted in the _Rejected Addresses_: “The tree of freedom is the British oak.”--Cobbett gave him the sobriquet (1759-1829).