Dickensian Inns & TavernsMatz, B. W. (Bertram Waldrom)
History
Dickensian Inns & Taverns
Matz, B. W. (Bertram Waldrom)
Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870 -- Settings; Taverns (Inns) -- England
Where was situated the Baldfaced Stag, where four fresh horses were
supplied to the admiring gaze of the topers congregated about the door,
cannot be determined. But the inn where Tom alighted in London, and where,
in one of the public rooms opening from the yard, he fell fast asleep
before the fire, although not named, was probably the "Swan with Two
Necks," which stood in Lad Lane (now Gresham Street) until 1856. It was a
famous coaching inn whence the Exeter and other coaches set out and
returned.
There was another inn at Salisbury where John Westlock entertained Tom
Pinch and Martin to dinner one evening. It is described as "the very first
hotel in the town." Tom and Martin had walked in from Pecksniff's on a
very cold and dry day and arrived at the inn with such flushed and burning
faces and so brimful of vigour that the waiter "almost felt assaulted by
their presence." Dickens describes the hostelry in these words: "A Famous
Inn! the hall a very grove of dead game and dangling joints of mutton; and
in one corner an illustrious larder, with glass doors, developing cold
fowls and noble joints, and tarts wherein the raspberry jam coyly withdrew
itself, as such a precious creature should, behind a lattice-work of
pastry. And behold, on the first floor, at the court end of the house, in
a room with all the window-curtains drawn, a fire piled half-way up the
chimney, plates warming before it, wax candles gleaming everywhere, and a
table spread for three, with silver and glass enough for thirty--John
Westlock."
What a greeting for hungry souls after a long tramp in the brisk cold
country air. "I have ordered everything for dinner that we used to say
we'd have, Tom," said their host, and an excellent idea of a dinner it
was, too--"like a dream," as he added.
"John was wrong there," the narrator goes on, "because nobody ever dreamed
such soup as was put upon the table directly afterwards; or such fish; or
such side-dishes; or such a top and bottom; or such a course of birds and
sweets; or, in short, anything approaching the reality of entertainment
at ten-and-sixpence a head, exclusive of wines. As to _them_, the man who
can dream such iced champagne, such claret, port or sherry, had better go
to bed and stop there."
It was a right royal, jolly dinner, and they were very merry and full of
enjoyment all the time; "but not the least pleasant part of the festival
was when they all three sat about the fire, cracking nuts, drinking wine,
and talking cheerfully." They parted for the night, "John Westlock full of
light-heartedness and good humour, and poor Tom Pinch quite satisfied."
After breakfast next morning the two young men returned to Pecksniff's and
John Westlock to London.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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