Portraits of Children of the MobilityLeigh, Percival
General
Portraits of Children of the Mobility
Leigh, Percival
Caricatures and cartoons -- Great Britain; London (England) -- Social life and customs -- Pictorial works
The use of the Mobility is, to produce food, habitation, and clothing,
for the superior classes, and to perform for them those various offices,
which, though essential to existence, are not of a dignified quality.
Like some of the canine tribes, they are also employed for purposes of
defence; for which, with some little drilling and correction, they may
be rendered eminently serviceable. During war-time, they are caught and
trained for the water; but on the expediency of this proceeding there is
some difference of opinion.
The manners of the Mobility are neither sweet nor refined; there is none
of the lump-sugar of humanity in them. It is true that one laundress
will address another as "Ma'am," and that the driver of a public
cabriolet will speak of a locomotive vegetable vender as "that other
gentleman;" still people of this description, when they salute one
another at all, do so in a very inelegant manner. It is a great pity
that they do not take a lesson in this respect from the French, as they
would then relinquish their strange practices of nodding and winking,
and poking each other in the side. But on points like these we must be
brief; a glimpse only of the horrible is always sufficient. Will our
readers believe it? the Mobility, in conversation, accuse each other
without scruple, in terms not to be mistaken, of wilfully erroneous
assertions! and, not content with this, often accompany the insult by a
backward movement of the left thumb over the shoulder! But what can be
expected of those who smoke pipes of tobacco in the open streets?
The taste of the Mobility is not delicate. As regards aliment, it is
one which Louis Eustache Ude never, we are sure, thought of consulting.
Their diet is said to include such articles as _tripe, cow-heel, (?)
&c._ if any one knows what those things are. Their literary appetite,
that, at least, of those who can read, tends chiefly to certain
publications which come out weekly, are mostly sold for the small charge
of one penny, and are filled with vituperation of the higher orders. The
Mobility are also very fond of "Last Dying Speeches and Confessions;"
indeed they regard all information, connected with the administration of
the criminal law, with a peculiar interest.
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account