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
“He is a well known leg, and is no doubt present on this occasion to
bet upon the ensuing Epsom races; by the bye his losses have been very
considerable in that way. He has also at all times been a dupe to the
sex. It is said that Susan B----, a dashing Cyprian, eased his purse
of a £500 bill, and whilst he was dancing in pursuit of her, she was
dancing to the tune of a Fife; a clear proof she ~173~~had an ear for
music as well as an eye to business. But I believe it was played in a
different Key to what he expected; whether it was a minor Key or not I
cannot exactly say.
“At a ball or assembly he conceives himself quite at home, satisfied
that he is the admiration of the whole of the company present; and were
he to give an account of himself, it would most likely be in substance
nearly as follows:
“When I enter the room, what a whisp'ring is heard; My rivals,
astonish'd, scarce utter a word; “How charming! (cry all; ) how
enchanting a fellow! How neat are those small-clothes, how killingly
yellow. Not for worlds would I honour these plebs with a smile, Tho'
bursting with pride and delight all the while; So I turn to my cronies
(a much honour'd few,); Crying, “S--z--m, how goes it?--Ah, Duchess,
how do? Ton my life, yonder's B--uf, and Br--ke, and A--g--le, S-ff--d,
W--tm--1--d, L--n, and old codger C--ri--le.” Now tho', from this style
of address, it appears That these folks I have known for at least fifty
years, The fact is, my friends, that I scarcely know one, A mere “façon
de parler,” the way of the ton. What tho' they dislike it, I answer my
ends, Country gentlemen stare, and suppose them my friends.
But my beautiful taste (as indeed you will guess) Is manifest most in my
toilet and dress; My neckcloth of course forms my principal care, For
by that we criterions of elegance swear, And costs me each morning some
hours of flurry, To make it appear to be tied in a hurry. My boot-tops,
those unerring marks of a blade, With Champagne are polish'd, and peach
marmalade; And a violet coat, closely copied from B--ng, With a
cluster of seals, and a large diamond ring; And troisièmes of buckskin,
bewitchingly large, Give the finishing stroke to the “_parfait
ouvrage_.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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