They made themselves merry enough in the Fleet, as we read in Egan's "Life in London," where Jerry Hawthorn, and Corinthian Tom, visit Bob Logic, who was detained in the Fleet. Among other places there, they went to a Whistling Shop--of which the brothers Robert and George Cruikshank have given a faithful representation. Here at a table, screened off from the draught of the door we see, Tom, Jerry, and the unfortunate Logic, whilst the other frequenters of the place are excellently depicted. Spirits were not allowed in the prison, under any circumstances, other than by the doctor's order; but it is needless to say, the regulation was a dead letter. Of course it was not sold openly, but there were rooms, known to the initiated where it could be procured. It was never asked for, and if it were the applicant would not have received it, but if you whistled, it would be at once forthcoming. [Illustration] Says Logic to his Corinthian friends, "'In the evening I will introduce you both to my friend the _Haberdasher_. He is a good _whistler_; and his shop always abounds with some prime articles which you will like to look at.' The TRIO was again complete; and a fine dinner, which the CORINTHIAN had previously ordered from a Coffee house, improved their feelings: a glass or two of wine made them as gay as larks; and a _hint_ from JERRY to LOGIC about the _Whistler_, brought them into the shop of the latter in a _twinkling_. HAWTHORN, with great surprise, said, 'Where are we? this is no _haberdasher's_. It is a----' 'No _nosing_, JERRY,' replied LOGIC, with a grin. 'You are wrong. The man is a dealer in _tape_.'"[151] [Illustration] There was a class in the Fleet, who acted, as far as in their power lay, up to the Epicurean "_dum vivimus vivamus_," and among them the prison, however inconvenient it might have been, was made the best of, and the door of the Cupboard which contained the skeleton was shut as far as it would go. We have an exemplification of this in Robert Cruikshank's water colour drawing of "The Evening after a Mock Election in the Fleet Prison," June, 1835. In this drawing, which I have simply outlined (see previous page), we get a graphic glimpse at the uproarious fun that obtained among a certain set. The gradations in Society of this singular mixture is well shown in the following key to the picture: 1. Bennett the Candidate. 2. Mr. Fellowes of the Crown P. H. Fleet Street. 3. Mr. Houston, _alias_ Jack in the Green. 4. Mr. Perkins, _alias_ Harlequin Billy (Architect), who tried to sink a shaft at Spithead to supply the Navy with Water. 5. Mr. Shackleford (Linen Draper). 6. Mr. Bennett, the Watchman. 7. Geo. Weston, Esqr. (Banker, of the Boro'). 8. Mr. Hutchinson (Dr. at Liverpool). 9. L. Goldsmith, Esqre. 10. Mr. Thompson (Irishman). 11. Robert Barnjum _alias_ Rough Robin (Hammersmith Ghost). 12. Robert Ball, _alias_ Manchester Bob (wore a Murderer's Cap). 13. Captain Wilde, R.N.