The Sun.
London, England, 1828-09-03 00:00:00

BARTHOLOMEW FAIR

This is a great day for the Cocknies, and most reli-
giously have they taken advantage of it, for, long before
the " Tuft of Sol's night-cap appeared in the Esat," the
East-enders had begun their march to Smithfield, and a
most motley spectacle there presented itself. Every dime
had its representative. There was, among others, the " am-
phiberous animal, from Bottom-house Bay in theWestlngee ;"
but what particularly attracted attention was a collection
of nondescripts, which was veritably stated to be " under
the patronage of his Royal Highness Priuce .George of
Cumberland, and the rest of the Faculty !
Under this head were exhibited, as the placard had
it, "a nondescript pig-faced lady, a Burmese giant,
captured at the siege of Bhurtpore, by Lord Corn-
bermere, with his own hand, and presented with
unanimous approbation to his Majesty—a wonderful
Scotch Boy and an American Dwarf." In another booth
were to be seen, "Two Chinese Tartar Conjurors, from
the Court of Pekin, never before in this country."—
Ne would fain indulge in a catalogue of all
the wonderments there announced ; but as we
cannot for a moment admit a doubt that any one of our
readers will fail to visit the scene himself, we will at once'
come down to the arrival of his Civic Majesty, which took
place precisely at half-past 11 o'clock ; and here we must take
leave to account for our omitting any notice of the several inte-
resting and distressing incidents which befel the cavalcade
in its progress from the Mansion-house to Cloth-fair. The
fact is, we do sot wish to trench on the province or the
profits of the Rev. Mr. Dillon, who is, we understand,
about to publish a history of this day's journey, as a com-
panion to his truly original work, entitled " The Lord
Mayor's Voyage to Oxford." At half-past eleven, as
we before stated, my Lord Mayor, attended by the other
civic authorities, made his appearance in Cloth Fair, when
the " proper officer s" proceeded to read the proclamation,
which was to give due license to " the humours of Bartho-
lomew Fair." And, first, he enjoined all persons attending
and taking part in said humours, to keep the peace, on
pain of imprisonment, at the discretion of my Lord Mayor ;
and, next, he cautioned all sellers of bread and other
" creature comforts," to sell none save such as were whole-
some for man's body ; and lastly, he enjoined all persons,
but those duly assigned by the Lord Mayor, from executing
any attachment or other process of law within the precincts
of the said fair. Having received these commands, and a
few more which we do not care to mention, prudence
" flung aside its fetters," and a flourish of trumpets an-
nounced that the sports had begun. Here we cannot avoid
mentioning an accident which fully proves that—
" -- medio de fonte leponun
" Surgit amari aliquid quod in ipsig floribui. angst."

A showman was lmidly explaining the curiosities which
his exhibition presented to wondering beholders—he thus
proceeded—" Look to the right, Ladies and Gentlemen,
and there you'll see the King and Queen of France, and
she sitting most lovingly on his knee--(get out of that you
young rascal, or I'll lay my stick across your
shoulders)—on the left is the Dauphin, with his arms
a-kimbo, and his eyes fixed on—(take your eyes from the
hole, you thief, or dub up your perry). Look, Ladies and
Gentlemen, one penny only." It may be necessary to
state, that this bye-play was addressed to a little. ragged
urchin, who, through a slit in the canvass, was cheating
the showman of kis fair perquisites, much to his annoy-
ance, and to the detriment of that dow of elogumcv in
which he was indulging► in his description of the Royal
Family of France.