New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-09-08


Mary Axe. and here, tho outskirts OF the jew
quarter, found several grimy honses. with monde
script shops on the GROUND floor. any one of which
may have been the pattern of the establishment Of
Pubsey & Cor where Old Riah made garden
the roof for Jenny Wren and Lizzie Hexam. A short
and dingy street called Bevis Marks crosses st.
Mary Axe. "Iintended calling on you this MORN
ing" wrote Dickens to Forster during the progress
Of the Old Curiosity Shop. ION my way back from
Bevis Marks, whittier went to look at house for
Sampson Brass" There some old houses Mt one
end of the street. crowded and put ont of counte-
nance by modern places of business, aud
past these interesting habitatons, haunted
by the ghosts of Sampson and Sally. and
Dick swiyeller, and the Marchioness, / made my
way to Aldcate, and so to Whitechapel This broad,
unlovely thoroughfare begins about half mile
north of the Tower, aud stretching away northeast
ward, GUS through one of the most sQuad quar-
ters OF London. AS old avenue of country
travel, 1t abounds with quaint taverns The Bull
has doubtless been somewhat shoTn of its ancient
proportions IL shows to the street only narrow
ffont of dark, smoke-stained brick, hardly more
than plsin house, with carriage way to the rear
monopolizing the ground floor, lamp and en-
board over tho entrance, and portrait of the bull
just inside, where it is too dark 10 distinguish the
features OF the eminent animal. But if new build
within present their old aspect. They form two
complete quairangIes. opening into the other.
In the first are to be found on one side the main
trance to the inn, the bar and the cofice-room; on
the other, the billard-room aud Offices. The bed
chambers run all around the upper stories. The in
ner quadrangle, approached like the first by COW
cred opening is devoted principally 10 the stables.
Ileads." cried MT. Weller as the coach ratified
ont of the ward OF 80 he Bull" with nr. Pick
wick, anJ SAM and Mr.. Peter Magnus
OUTSIDE Passengers. They drove up Whitcchapel.
At the beginning of the Mile End Road an old
tavern stancs between the street and tine sidewalk,
The carriage Way passing on one eide OF IT, the foot
way on the other. This no doubt marks the size
OF the old toll-gate, which suggested the older
WeileI's philosophical remark TO Nr. Picwicl that
turnpike keepers were always men who had been
disappointed in life: "They shuts themselves up
in pixies partly viii, the view OF being solitary. and
partly 20 revenge themselves mankind by taking
toll" Beyond that point, in Mr.. Pckwicks day. il
was AZ suppose, rustic road; but far beyond il
now extends the crowded district wherein poverty
and oysters TO cite saniS obserya.onl prevail
together; and the case is the same" added
Weller the elder with picked salmon y; of which
delicacy there seems to be an enormous street con-
sumption about Whitcchapel and Mile End to this
day.
There is another Bull Inn still more famous than
that of Whicchapel-I mean The Bull" in
Rochester at whose hospitable doors Mr.. jingle and
the four Pickwickians dismOunted from the London
coach at the very beginning of the history The
Bull where Jingle went to the ball in Mr.. Wrinkles
coat, and thereby involved that gentleman in
duel; The Bull from which our friends after
wards set out Tor Dngley Dell, Mr.. Wrinkle on
horseback and Mr. Pickwick driving chaise. 1t
is the best specimen l have yet seen of the old
fashioned country tavern, clean comfortable. cosey
spacious, full Of surprising stairs and unaccount
able corners and entirely unaltered by the progress
of improvement around il. Ii stands Oh the mar
row High-s almost in the shadow Of the ruins
Of the great Norman castle and only few PAGES
from the bridge over the Midway. There is q
wide front of brick without porch or door.
covered cauage-waY is cut through the middle !;
three lamps hang over 1t; the side posts are in
scribed with nuotation, 80 Nice house-g0od beds.
Tide PicAwick,r being the words in which Mr.. jim
gle recommends the tavern to his felow-trayellers
as he descends from the coach. Within the car
riage-way on the right is the entrance to the Com
nercial Room and Smoking Room as well rs 10 the
kitchen, this last named sanctuary brilliant with
glowing Goals ana rows OF shining copper, lying
well open 10 view. II was market-day when ar
rived; walters were huTying in and OUT chops
and rssheTs OF ham were suffering tremendously
on the gridirons; bagmen were displaying their
wares 10 country shop-keepers. On the left, the
ovcrhangug second story of the tavern is supported
by row OF wooden columns, and at the back of the
portico tnus formed is a snug Enclosure OF glass
through which lies the entrance to the conee-room
and bar. At the rear OF the carriage-way Is the
auadran gnar stable-ysrd. with ranges of odd build
ngs around il. Vehicles OF all sorts, from the smart
mail-roach to the little two-whcel cart. drawn
tho olc
busting about the court. Among the columns
on the coffee-room side hung tempting
array of hams grouse and ribs of beef and through
this grove Of good things reached the vestibule
where a smiling landlady gave us pleasant well
come. A glass cupboard displays shelves filled
with polished plate and pewter. show window
exhibits rounds Of roast beef, legs OF lamb cold
fowls aud hanging nets of eggs and lemons. Beside
il is the ontrar co to the public bar fragrant with
spice and spirits and there ghmpSes OF the
landladys cheerful bar parlor in the distance
broad pd-fashioned staircase, whose bare boards
are as white as much scrubbing could make them.
is decorated with gallery of art, IN which the
portrat of Charles Dickens holds a conspicuous
place. The Duke of Wellington, the death OF Nell
son. stuffed terrier feet of six impossible ships
in perfectly inconcevable indigo sea. collection
ofhighly-colorcd Turks and other picturesque ORR
entails the skeleton Of key, and colossal bust
of Samuel Hahnemann, are among the treasures
disposed upon the walls and landings. So intricate
nre tho passages, absurd aud inconsequentIa the
chamber galleries and crooked flights Of stairs.
that repeatedly lost the way between my bed
room and sitting-room, although almost
directly over the other.
The Piokwickans are all so real TO rs that never
thought OF the incidents connected with The Bulp
as being imaginary. / made no doubt whatever,
that the flfmous ball did occur, and that an actual
Jingle, i'll company with actual Tupman. did 20
10 it IN the coat of an actual Wrinkle. Accordingly