Merrie England in the Olden Time, Vol. 2Daniel, George
History
Merrie England in the Olden Time, Vol. 2
Daniel, George
England -- Social life and customs
But, sooner than our grotesque friends shall want a chronicler, we will
apostrophise the learned pig, the pig-faced lady, and the most delicate
monster that smokes his link for a cigar, picks his teeth with a
hay-fork, and takes his snuff with a fire-shovel. Not that we love Sir
Andrew less, but that we love St. Bartle-my more.
_Higman Palatine_ * in 1763 delighted the court at Richmond Palace, and
the commonalty at the “Rounds,” with his “surprising deceptions;” and,
gibing his heel, followed the toe of Mr. Breslaw. **
* “Mr. Palatine exhibits with pigeons, wigs, oranges,
cards, handkerchiefs, and pocket-pieces; and swallows
knives, forks, punch-ladles, and candle-snuffers.”
** In 1775, Breslaw performed at Cockspur Street, Hay-
market, and in after years at Hughes's Riding School and
Bartholomew Fair. Being at Canterbury with his troop, he met
with such bad success that they were almost starved. He
repaired to the churchwardens, and promised to give the
profits of a night's conjuration to the poor, if the parish
would pay for hiring a room, &c. The charitable bait took,
the benefit proved a bumper, and next morning the
churchwardens waited upon the wizard to touch the receipts.
“I have already disposed of dem,” said Breslaw,--“de profits
were for de poor.
I have kept my promise, and given de money to my own people,
who are de poorest in dis parish “Sir!” exclaimed the
churchwardens, “this is a trick!”--“I know it,” replied
Hocus Pocus,--“I live by my tricks!”
In after years there fell on Mr. Lane * ['tis a long lane that has never
a turning!) a remnant of Fawkes's mantle. But was not our conjuror
(“you must borrow me the mouth of Gargantua!”) and his “_Enchanted
Sciatoricon_,” little too much in advance of the age? The march of
intellect ** had not set in with a very strong current. The three
R's (reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic!) comprehended the classical
attainments of a “City Solon and a Tooley Street Socrates.”
* “Grand Exhibition by Mr. Lane, first' performer to the
King, opposite the Hospital Gate. His Enchanted Sciatoricon
will discover to the company the exact time of the day by
any watch, though the watch may be in the pocket of a person
five miles off. The Operation Palingenesia: any spectator
sending for a couple of eggs, may take the choice of them,
and the egg, being broke, produces a living bird of the
species desired, which in half a minute receives its full
plumage, and flies away. The other egg will, at the request
of the company, leap from one hat to another, to the number
of twenty.” Then follow “His Unparalleled Sympathetic
Figures,”
“Magical Tea Caddie” and above one hundred other astonishing
tricks for the same money.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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