The Comic Almanack, Volume 2: An Ephemeris in Jest and Earnest, Containing Merry Tales, Humerous Poetry, Quips, and Oddities
David Hume · en
I have hardly maid up my plans yet, but I think I'll by an andsome ouse
somewere near Tyburnia—I like the name; and I'll call it either
"Burglary Lodge," or "Felony Villa," or "The Fence," and I'll furnish
part on it quite slap-up like the nobses; and part on it like Newgate,
and part like Pentonwille, and part like the Pennytenshiary, just to
keep hup a scentimental rememberance of the old Times. I'll get a Kot o'
arms too. The Herralds' Offis will soon find that for me, but there must
be a dark lantern in it, and a skillington kea, and for a mottar,
"Sucksess to Swindlin," in a dead langwidge, which is more genteeler nor
a livin one. In course I'll have an ouse-warming, when I'll ask the
Rekordor of the sitty of London, and the Kommon Surgeon, and Surgeon
Adams of the Middlesects, and the Kommishners of Pollis, and Dannal
Wittles Arvey. I should think they'd come. I don't bear no mallis, and
I'll give 'em good wittles. "Sirkmstances is altared, my Lords," I'll
say after dinner, when I'm a-standing with a glass of champagn in my
'and, "And I forgive you for having sent me out to Bottiney Bay,
konsidering wot's come of it, and if any of you would like to try your
luck akross the water, I'll give you a letter to a hold pal of mine that
worked on the same chane as me for five ears, and he'll put you hup to
the time o' day if anybody will." I shood think, Ikey, as that would be
a 'andsome way of doing the thing, and letting bygons be bygons. I
wudn't be surprised arter that if they made me a Middlesects magistrate,
or a visitin Justass, or summut o' that kind, and when I goes to a
Pollis offis just for old assossiashun's sake, you'll read in the papers
how the Honorable Genlmn was akkomodated with a seat on the bench beside
the worthy maggistrate, Ha! ha! Ikey, the gold will do it al. I wouldn't
be surprised if I get a testymonial, or if there be a subskription to
raise a monyment to me—or a lot of amsouses for dekayed prigs, to be
called "Bullseye Amsouses," with the names of the churchwardens of the
Parritch karved over the entrance door. In course I'll keep a carridge,
which is more convenient than a wan with V. R. painted on the side; and
I'll have the deerest pue in the most fash'nable chapple—Parritch
churches is low—and I'll shubscribe to the societies for the purtection
of property and the shuppression of voice. Its wot is looked for in men
in a sartin position.
Sutch then, Ikey, are my present plans. I wud ask you to my ouse warming
but fear you mite not like to meet some of the Gents allooded to, you
being still in the old line of bisiness, and not unkimmon well of.
Howsoever, we'll have a quiet tawk when we meet, over a glas of grogg
and a pype.
Yours affexndly,
JEMMY BULLSEYE.
P.S. In coorse I'll go into Parlyment, but representing nyther St.
Alban's nor Harwich. No, no, dang it, not so low yet as that kums to
nyther.