“Behold the liquid Thames now frozen o'er That lately ships of mighty Burthen bore; Here Watermen, for want to row in boats, Make use of Bowze to get them Pence and Groats. Frost Fair. Printed upon the Ice on the River Thames, Jan. 23, 1739-40.” “The bleak North-East, from rough Tartarian Shores, O'er Europe's Realms its freezing Rigour pours, Stagnates the flowing Blood in Human Veins, And binds the silver Thames in ley Chains. Their usual Courses Rivulets refrain, And ev'ry Pond appears a Glassy Plain; Streets now appear where Water was before, And Thousands daily walk from Shore to Shore. Frost Fair. Printed upon the River Thames when Frozen, Jan. the 28.1739-40.” “The View of Frost Fair, Jan? 1739-40. Scythians of old, like us remov'd, In tents thro' various climes they rov'd; We, bolder, on the frozen Wave, To please your fancies toil and slave; Here a strange group of figures rise, Sleek beaus in furs salute your eyes; Stout Soldiers, shiv'ring in their Bed, Attack the Gin and Gingerbread; Cits with their Wives, and Lawyers' Clerks, Gamesters and Thieves, young Girls and Sparks. This View to Future Times shall Show The Medley Scene you Visit now.” according to old _Erra Pater's_ prognostication in 1663, is a question; and in 1739-40 * he honoured him with a third, which was no less joyous than the preceding two. In 1788-9, the Thames was completely frozen over below London Bridge. Booths were erected on the ice; and puppet-shows, wild beasts, bear-baiting, turnabouts, pigs and sheep roasted, exhibited the various amusements of Bartholomew Fair multiplied and improved. From Putney Bridge down to Redriff was one continued scene of jollity during this seven weeks' saturnalia. The last Frost Fair was celebrated in the year 1814. The frost commenced on 27th December 1813, and continued to the 5th February 1814. * * “The River Thames (4th Feby 1814) between London and Blackfriars Bridges was yesterday about noon, a perfect Dutch Fair. Kitchen fires and furnaces were blazing, roasting and boiling in every direction; while animals, from a sheep to a rabbit, and a goose to a lark, turned on numberless spits. The inscriptions on the several booths and lighters were variously whimsical, one of which ran thus:-- This Shop to Let. N.B. It is charged with no Land Tax or even Ground Tient! Several lighters, lined with baize, and decorated with gay streamers, were converted into coffeehouses and taverns. About two o'clock a whole sheep was roasted on the ice, and cut up, under the inviting appellation of Lapland Mutton, at one shilling a slice!”