The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-10 00:00:00

GREENWICH FAIR.

The weather is not very propitious for the pleasure-hunt-
ing population of a pent-up city in its annual tour to that
•
great resort of Cockneydoin—Greenwich fair. The sky
wears a threatening, lowering look, suggestive of April
showers, but an occasional gleam of sunshine offers a ray of
hope to those who, for weeks past, have looked forward
with that joy which labour alone can give to a great holi-
day, and by land and water the impatient crowd ba-iege
London-bridge. Hurrying on through the crowded streets,
or losing itself in intricate passages, on flows the tide
of human life ; or borne more rapidly along, close
packed in the little steamers cleaving their way
on the pellucid bosom of Qld Father Thames, all the
men, women, and children in London seem bent on a
grand pilgrimage from west to east. Some divide their
favours between penny boats and second-class 'railway car-
lieges. Others, again, bravo the perils of the Pool, and
make the entire voyage perfectly reckless of the tales of
shipwreck of which they may have heard or read, and land
near that magnificent home where those whose youth has
been passed in maintaining the supremacy of England find
in their age shelter and repose. The hardy skipper and the
sturdy railway official have busy times of it. There is a
good deal of pushing, and jostling, and scrambling for
places, as there is also in the higher world. Occasionally, a
husband has to deplore a temporary separation from his
wife and the provision basket—without which, by the
way, much to the chagrin of publicans and waiters, no true
Englishwoman ever undertakes ajourney—or a mother may
be heard deploring the waywardness of her progeny, but, as
a general rule, all are totally happy, and are, like sensible
people, prepared to make the best of it. We, too, have our
annual custom—that of describing Greenwich Fair. How
are we tb do it ? All fairs are very much alike. Green-
wich Fair is the same this year as it was last year, but
alas !it is not the same as it was in the olden time. Its
glory is gradually and perceptibly departing. We will
not enter into a disquisition as to its cause ; we will only
express a hope that it is traceable to a higher and
more refined taste on the part of the people. Greenwich
Fair has still its attractions for those who delight in
shows, gingerbread, and confusion. The theatrical world
on a small scale is duly represented there—the tragic muse
being personified by the "decayed gentleman who lives
most upon his own mirth ;" and, by a strange antithesis,
laughter-loving comedy finds its exponent in some poor
player, bustling about with the perplexed and anxious air
of a man who has the oppressive' burden on his mind of pro-
moting other people's merriment; while music is repre-
sented by the historianof the doleful tale of " The pretty
little ratcatcher's daughter." Then there is the pig to
whose education so strict an attention has been paid, at
i not only can he name any card you may in your magin:_
.
tion haveselected, but he has taken out the civil degree t
" learned "in that college wherein he had studied his
youth. There are giants and dwarfs, and also mermaids, but
these are rather at a discount in popular favour—a fact to
showman,be attributed
illustrating perhaps
howt the
such
monstrosities recent revelations
may
yf
beagreat
got
up" for the peculiar edification of the British public, With
considerable advantage to tho fortunate possessor. The ele-
phant, with a stron predilectic!n for !wallowing whole b
of cakes and oranges; the African lion, and the " Royal
Bengal tiger," are stern realities of a totally different class,
and as such receive with manifestindifference the homage'
of the mob. Bidding adieu to caravans, booths, and merry-
go-rounds, avoiding the importunities of the privileged pro-
prietors of various games of unknown origin, all of which
tend materially to reduce the amount of your superfluous
cash—shunning the hospitable invitations of persevering
touters to "excellent accommodation with tea and shrinipi
at 91 per head, you wend your way to the glorious old
park with its fine old trees, and to the heath with its bracing
breezes. Here the English nation seems to be engaged in
avast pic-nic, with the object of devouring everything known
as "articles of general consumption." The demolition of beef
ozd chew ou the part of the " parkata" is trulY