Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II. Egan Pierce

of progressive

      improvement, that he had little doubt before long of making

      it supply the demands of his customers, and thereby save the

      expense of a Shopman; but, it is much to be regretted, his

      apparatus made sausage-meat of him before the accomplishment

      of his project.

      Considering the increasing, and by some Philosophers almost

      overwhelming population of the country at the present

      moment, it is certainly an alarming circumstance, that when

      employment is so much required, mechanical science should so

      completely supersede it to the injury of thousands,

      independent of the many who have lost their lives by the

      blowing up of steam-engines. It is a malady however which

      must be left to our political economists, who will

      doubtless at the same time determine which would prove the

      most effectual remedy—the recommendation of Mr. Malthus to

      condemn the lower orders to celibacy—the Jack Tars to a

      good war—or the Ministers to emigration.

      2 If an estimate of the wealth or poverty of the nation

      were to lie formed from the appearance of the houses in the

      Metropolis, no one could be induced to believe that the

      latter had any existence among us. The splendour and taste

      of our streets is indescribable, and the vast improvements

      in the West are equally indicative of the former.

      The enormous increase of rents for Shops, particularly in

      the leading thoroughfares of London, may in a great measure

      be attributed to the Linen-drapers. The usual method

      practised by some of these gentry, is to take a shop in the

      first-rate situation, pull down the old front, and erect a

      new one, regardless of expense, a good outside being

      considered the first and indispensable requisite. This is

      often effected, either upon credit with a builder, or, if

      they have a capital of a few hundreds, it is all exhausted

      in external decorations. Goods are obtained upon credit, and

      customers procured by puffing advertisements, and exciting

      astonishment at the splendid appearance of the front. Thus

      the concern is generally carried on till the credit obtained

      has expired, and the wonder and novelty of the concern has

      evaporated; when the stock is sold off at 30 per cent,under prime cost for the benefit of the creditors! This is so common an occurrence, that it is scarcely possible to walk through London any day in the year, without being attracted by numerous Linen-drapers' shops, whose windows are decorated with bills, indicating that they are actually selling off under prime cost, as the premises must be cleared in a few days. The most elegant Shop of this description in the Metropolis is supposed to be one not a hundred miles from Ludgate-hill, the front and fitting up of which alone is said to have cost several thousand pounds. The interior is nearly all of looking-glass, with gilt mouldings; even the ceiling is looking-glass, from which is appended splendid cut-glass chandeliers, which when lighted give to the whole the brilliance of enchantment; however it is not very easy to form an idea of what is sold, for, with the exception of a shawl or two carelessly thrown into the window, there is nothing to be seen, (the stock being all concealed in drawers, cupboards, &c. ) except the decorations and the Dandy Shopmen, who parade up and down in a state of ecstasy at the reflection of their own pretty persons from every part of the premises! This concealment of the stock has occasioned some laughable occurrences. It is said that a gentleman from the country accidentally passing, took it for a looking-glass manufactory, and went in to inquire the price of a glass. The Shopmen gathered round him with evident surprise, assured him of his mistake, and directed him to go to Blades,{1} lower down the Hill. The Countryman was not disconcerted, but, after surveying them somewhat minutely, informed them it was glass he wanted, not cutlery; but as for blades, he thought there were enow there for one street, at least. Another is said to have been so pleased with a row of grotesque Indian-China jars, which embellish one side of the entrance, and which he mistook for pots de chambre, that after returning home and consulting his rib, he sent an order per post for one of the most elegant pattern to be forwarded to him! There is a similar Shop to this, though on a smaller scale, to be seen in a great leading thoroughfare at the West end of the Town; the owner of which, from his swarthy complexion and extravagant mode of dress, has been denominated The Black Prince, a name by which he is well known in his own neighbourhood, and among the gentlemen of the cloth. This dandy gentleman, who affects the dress and air of a military officer, has the egregious vanity to boast that the numerous families of rank and fashion who frequent his shop, are principally attracted to view his elegant person, and seems to consider that upon this principally depends the success of his trade. 1 A large Glass-manufacturer.

      128—shop, and without observing the other persons about him, saw himself surrounded with spectators, unconscious of being in their company. He look'd up—he look'd down—he gazed around him, and all was inconceivable light. Tom's allusion to the gas flashed upon him in a moment—“What—what is this?” said he—“where, in the name of wonder, am I?” A flash of lightning could not have operated more suddenly upon him. “Why,” said Sparkle, “don't you see?

      “You are not here, for you are there,”

      pointing to his reflection, in the looking-glass.

      “Egad,” said Bob, under evident surprise, and perhaps not without some apprehension they were playing tricks with him—“I wish you would explain—is this a Drawing-room, or is it the Phantasmagoria we have heard so much of in the country?”

      “No, no, it is not the Phantasmagoria, but it forms a part of metropolitan magic, which you shall be better acquainted with before we part. That is no other than a Linen-draper's shop, 'papered,' as an Irishman one day remarked, 'vvid nothing at all at all but looking-glass, my dear '—one of the most superb things of the kind that perhaps ever was seen—But come, I perceive it is getting late, let us proceed directly to Dolly's, take our chop, then a rattler,{1} and hey for the Spell."{2}

      Bob appeared almost to be spell-bound at the moment, and, as they moved onward, could not help casting

      “One longing, lingering look behind.”

      1 Rattler—A coach.

      2 Spell—The Play-house; so denominated from its variety of

      attractions, both before and behind the curtain.

CHAPTER X

       Table of Contents

      “What various swains our motley walls contain!

      Fashion from Moorfields, honour from Chick-lane;

      Bankers from Paper-buildings here resort,

      Bankrupts from Golden-square and Riches-court;

      From the Haymarket canting rogues in grain,

      Gulls from the Poultry, sots from Water-lane;

      The lottery cormorant, the auction shark,

      The full-price master, and the half-price clerk;

      Boys, who long linger at the gallery-door,

      With pence twice live, they want but twopence more,

      Till