this twenty-eighth day of September, in the year of our Lord, one Thousand seven Hundred and twenty four. HENRY TRIGG. Read, Signed, Sealed, and declared by the said HENRY TRIGG, the Testator, to the his last Will and Testament, in the presence of us, who have subscribed our Numes as Witnesses hereto, in the Presence of the said Testator. JOHN HAWKINS, Senr. JOHN HAWKINS, Junr. The mark Proved in the Archdeaconry of Hunt of WILLIAM SEXTON. ingdon, the 15th of October, 1724, by the Executor THOMAS TRIGG. In October, 1743, a cobbler, at Bristol. died of a bite in the finger inflicted by a cat, which was sent to his house by an old woman in revenge for his calling her "Witch," against which dipping in salt water proved ineffectual. This, they say, was well attested;" and well it might be; for doubtless the cat was mad, and the woman, bewitched by the unhappy cobbler of Bristol, had no more to do with the bite, than "the old woman of Ratcliff-highway." The qualifications for a German showman are a manly person, sonorous voice, fluent delivery, and imposing manner. In dress he is like a sergeant-major, and in address like a person accustomed to command He is accompanied in his speeches by a fiddler of vivacity or trick, to keep the people" in merry pin." This associate is generally an old humourist, with a false nose of strange form and large dimensions, or a huge pair of spectacles. Their united exertions are sure to gratify audiences more disposed to be pleased than to criticise. With them, the show is an affair of like or dislike to the eye, and beyond that the judgment is seldom appealed to on the spot. If the outlines of the showman's stories are bold, and well expressed, they are sure to amuse; his printed narratives are in good demand; both exhibitors and auditors part satisfied with each other; and they frequently meet again. This is the lowest order of the continental stret comedy. In England we have not any thing like it, nor are we likely to have; for, though strange sights almost cease to attract, yet the manager and musician to a rational exhibition of this sort, in the open air, clearly come within the purview of recent acts of parliament, and would be consigned to the tread-mill. What recreation, however, can be more harmless if the subjects are harmless. "Death and the Lady," the "Bloody Gardener's Cruelty," and the bumerous tribe of stories to which these garlands belong, continue to be pinned #n lines against a few walls of the meropolis, but they cease to attract. The common people," as they are called, require a new species of street entertainment and a new literature: both might be casily supplied with infinite advantage to e public morals. October 16 THE SEASON. An appearance at this time of the year, already noticed, appears to have surprised our countrymen in Lancashire. Though there is no doubt that the authorities who communicate the intelligence believe it very remarkable, yet it is doubtful whether the occurrence may not be more frequent in that part of England than they have had the opportunity of remarking. Their account is to the following purport: On Sunday, October 1, 1826, a phenomenon of rare occurrence in the neighbourhood of Liverpool was observed in that vicinage, and for many miles distant especially at Wigan. The fields and roads were covered with a light filmy substance, which by many persons was mistaken for cotton; although they might have been convinced of their error, as staple cotton does not exceed a few inches in length, while the filaments seen in such incredible quantities extended as many yards. In walking in the fields the shoes were completely covered with it, and its floating fibres came in contact with the face in all directions. Every tree, lamppost, or other projecting body had arrested a portion of it. It profusely descended at Wigan like a sleet, and in such quantities as to affect the appearance of the atmosphere. On examination it was found to contain small flies, some of which were so diminutive as to require magnifying glass to render them perc tible. The substance so abundant m quantity was the gossamer of the garden, or field spider, often met with in the country in fine weather, and of which, according to Buffon, it would take 663,552 spiders to produce a single pound.*. NATURALISTS' CALENDAR. October 17. A LYING-IN CUSTOM. A lady who is pleased to grace these columns by her pe., *ransmits a very minute description of a very "comfortable thing" at this time of he year, which may well be extended from a particulat usage at an interesting period, to a general one. * Liverpool Mercury. See The Times, October 9. 66 SUGARED TOAST. To the Editor of the Every-Day Book. Westbury, September 10, 1826. Sir, I suspect that although you solicit the aid of correspondents in furnishing your excellent miscellany with accounts of local customs, you scarcely expect to receive one which appertains to that important time, when mothers increase their care, and fathers receive the additional "tender juveniles" with joy or sorrow, as it may happen!" If you should give publicity to the following strange "feast," (more honoured in the breach than in the observance,) I shall feel gratified, as it may not only lead to an elucidation of its meaning and origin, but will tend to convince your readers, that you will not despise their efforts at contribution, however humble. I am not a native of this part of the country, or, as the good people say here, I am not “ o' Westbury," for I have resided till lately in and near London, where the manners customs, and habits, are a hundred years in advance of those of the western part of the kingdom; hence, many of the usages that obtain around us, which now excite my surprise, would have passed as a thing of course, had I been always among them. one company; On the "confinement" of a lady,-but I must, before I proceed, define a lady "of these parts," by the unerring test of her husband's qualifications: if he can maintain his own, and her station in their little world, he is then "well to do," "a rich fellow enough, go to a fellow that hath had losses, and which is more, a householder; one who hath two gowns to his back, and every thing handsome about him;"— -one who recreates in his own gig; keeps a "main" of patronises the tiny theatre; grows his own pines, and tries to coax his forced plants into the belief that the three dozen mould candles which he orders to be lighted in his hot-house every evening, shedding delicious light," left by the "garish god of day," for their especial benefit, during his nocturnal rambles !* The wife of such a man, sir, I designate a lady and when such a lady's accouchement takes place, her "dear five hundred friends" are admitted to see her the next day. In London, the scale of friendship is graduated woefully lower; for visiters are 66 ⚫ A fact ! there, bear the pangs of absence from the interesting recluse a whole fortnight. 66 You are, doubtless, anxious to come to the "pith and marrow" of this communication, and I will tantalize you no longer. In "these" parts of the country, it is the custom, when a lady shall have been" as well as can be expected," for thirteen or fourteen days, for the husband to enjoy what is called "the gentleman's party," viz: all his friends, bachelor and Benedict, are invited to eat sugared toast," which, (as the cookerybooks always say,)" is thus prepared”Rounds of bread are "baked," (videlicit toasted,) each stratum spread thick with moist sugar, and piled up in a portly punch bowl, ready for action: strong beer," (anglice, home-brewed ale,) is in the mean time heated, and poured boiling hot over the mound of bread; which is taken immediately to the expectant guests, who quickly come to the conclusion of the gothic "mess." How they contrive to emancipate the toast from the scalding liquid, I never could, by any effort of ingenuity and research, decide to my own satisfaction. A goodly slice you know, sir, it would be entirely impracticable to achieve; for in half a minute Whether from the time of the admission of the "hot beer," the toast must be "all of a swam," (as we elegantly say here,) and, resembling the contents of the witch's cauldron," thick and slab." a Soup ladle and soup plates are in requisition on the occasion, I am equally unable to ascertain; but on the fiul dismissal of this gentlemanly food, (for I by no means would insinuate that the congregation is limited to one act of devotion,) they magnanimously remunerate the "nurse," by cach putting money into the empty bowl, which is then conveyed to the priestess of their ignoble orgies! Of all the "mean and impotent conclusions" of a feast, defend me from that, which pays its "pic nic" pittance to an old crone, who is hired to attend the behests of the "dy," but who by some strange mutation becomes the directress of the "gentleman's" revels, and the recipient of the payment from his guests, for "sugar'd toast!" Should this " custom," be thought worthy of being admitted into the EveryDay Book, you will "tell" of something more than Herrick "dreamt of in his philosophy;" and the following couplet might blush to find its fame" among FORGED NOTES IN SHOP WINDOWS. A newspaper of this day in the year 1818, contains a paragraph which marks the discontent that prevailed in London, in consequence of a regulation adopted by the Bank of England at that time. "The new mode adopted by the Bank, of stamping the forged notes presented to them for payment, and returning them to the parties who may have received them, has at least the good effect of operating as a caution to others, not to receive notes without the greatest caution. It has, however, another effect often productive of public inconvenience; for such are the doubts now entertained as to the goodness of every note tendered in payment, that many will not give change at all; and the disposition to adhere to this practice seems every day to be getting more general. In almost every street in town, forged notes are seen posted on tradesmen's windows, and not unfrequently this exhibition is accompanied with the words 'Tradesmen! beware of changing notes.' The operation of stamping the forged notes, was at first performed by the hand, but now so arduous has this labour be come, that a machine is erected for the purpose, and it would seem from the never-ceasing quantity of such paper in circulation, that it will be necessary to erect a steam-engine, so that hundreds may undergo the operation at once.” NATURALISTS' CALENDAR. Mean Temperature... 51 32. October 19. GARRICK. "Garrick was, and Kemble is no more." On this day in the year 1741, the "British Roscius," as he is emphatically termed, made his first appearance as “ gentleman who never appeared on any A remarkable event, precursstage." ing the revival of the drama, by Garrick, and its perfection by Kemble, deserves notice as a memorial of what "has been :" particularly as we have arrived at a period when, in consequence of managers having been outmanaged, and the public tricked out of its senses, the drama seems to have fallen to rise no more Leadenhall-street, October, 1826. Sir-The following is a copy of the play-bill that announced the first appear ance of Mr. Garrick. I am, Sir, yours truly, H. B. October 19, 1741. GOCDMAN'S FIELDS. At the late Theatre in Goodman's Fields, this day will be performed a Concert of Vocal and Instrumental Music, divided into two parts. Tickets at Three, Two, and One Shilling. Places for the boxes to be taken at the Fleece Tavern, near the Theatre. N. B. Between the two parts of the Concert will be presented an Historical Play, called the Life and Death of KING RICHARD THE THIRD, containing the distresses of King Henry VI. The artful acquisition of the Crown by KING RICHARD, * Observer. |