Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II.: Or, The Rambles and Adventures of Bob Tallyho, Esq., and His Cousin, the Hon. Tom Dashall, Through the Metropolis; Exhibiting a Living Picture of Fashionable Characters, Manners, and Amusements in High and Low Life (1821)Badcock, John, active 1816-1830
General
Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II.: Or, The Rambles and Adventures of Bob Tallyho, Esq., and His Cousin, the Hon. Tom Dashall, Through the Metropolis; Exhibiting a Living Picture of Fashionable Characters, Manners, and Amusements in High and Low Life (1821)
Badcock, John, active 1816-1830
London (England) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
was served with a process, enjoining him not to do that,
which, poor man, he never intended to do; and besides if he
had, the people of that country were not such ignoramuses as
to be so deceived; it was merely to restrain him from
selling his own real double Gloucester as their Welsh
cheeses, purporting, as they did, to be double Gloucester,
or of mixing them together (than which nothing could be
further from his thoughts,) and charging him at the same
time with having sold his cheeses under their name. But the
most curious part of the business was, the real cheeseman
brought the investigation before the Court, cheeses in boxes
were produced, and evidence was brought forward, when, as
the charges alleged could not be substantiated, the
restraint was removed, and the three importers of Welsh
cheese hung their heads, and retired in dudgeon.
134~~the Hon. Tom availed himself of the circumstance to leave the Box,
though the truth was, there were other attractions of a more enlivening
cast in his view.
“Come,” said he, “we shall have a better opportunity of seeing the
House, and its decorations, by getting nearer to the curtain; besides,
Ave shall have a bird's-eye view of the company in all quarters, from
the seat of the Gods to the Pit.”
The influx of company, (it being the time of half-price), and the
rush and confusion which took place in all parts at this moment, were
indescribable. Jumping over boxes and obtaining seats by any means,
regardless of politeness or even of decorum--Bucks and Bloods warm
from the pleasures of the bottle--dashing Belles and flaming Beaux,
squabbling and almost fighting--rendered the amusements before the
curtain of a momentary interest, which appeared to obliterate the
recollection of what they had previously witnessed. In the mean time,
the Gods in the Gallery issued forth an abundant variety of discordant
sounds, from their elevated situation. Growling of bears, grunting of
hogs, braying of donkeys, gobbling of turkeys, hissing of geese,
the catcall, and the loud shrill whistle, were heard in one mingling
concatenation of excellent imitation and undistinguished variety: During
which, Tom led the way to the upper Boxes, where upon arriving, he
was evidently disappointed at not meeting the party who had been
seen occupying a seat on the left side of the House, besides having
sacrificed a front seat, to be now compelled to take one at the very
back part of a side Box, an exchange by no means advantageous for a view
of the performance. However, this was compensated in some degree by a
more extensive prospect round the House; and his eyes were seen moving
in all directions, without seeming to know where to fix, while Sparkle
and Bob were attracted by a fight in the Gallery, between a Soldier and
a Gentleman's Servant in livery, for some supposed ~135~~insult offered
to the companion of the latter, and which promised serious results
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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