River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-04-28
A PERFECT BABEL
The Streets OF London a Hundred Years
Ago.

The streets of London a Hundred Years
Ago.
There were certain dangers and in
conveniences walking along the streets.
The finest dress might be ruined by the
carelessness of dustman or a chimney
sweep; the custom of exposing meat on
bulhheads led to many an -irreparable
stain of grease. Bullies pushed the
peaceful passenger III the gutter-it
was a great time for street swagger;
BARRIERS blew the flour into wigs at open
doorways, causing violent wrath among
those outside; mad bulls eareered up
and down the streets; men quarreled,
made ring, and fought it out before
the traffic could go on; pickpOckets
were both numerous and dexterous; foot
pads abounded in the open squares
of Lincoln's Inn, Bloomsbury, and Port
man; highwaymen swarIned ON all the
roads; men-servants Were insolent and
rascally; the noise in the leading streets
was deafening; in shower the way be-
came impa ssable from the rain -spOuts in
the roofs which discharged their con-
tents upon the streets below.
We who now object to the noise of
barrel-organ in the street, or cry OF
milk, or a distant German band, would
be driven mad by a single day of George
the Seconds London streets. Hogarth
has touched the subject, but only touched
it. No one could do more in pi5ture
than indicate the mere fringe OF
this vast subject. Even on the
printed page we can do little
more than the painter. For in.
stance, the following were some of the
more common and everyday and all
day-long noises. Many of the shop
keepers still kept up the custom of hav-
ing a prentice outside bawling an in
vitation to buy! buy! buyl To this day
butchers in Clare market cry out at
their stalls all day long: Rally up.
ladies, Rally up! Buy! Buy! Buy!'
In the streets of private houses there
passed a never-ending procession OF
those who bawled things for sale. Here
are few of the things they bawled-I
am conscious that it is a very imperfect
list. There We're those who offered &c
do things-mend chairs, grind knives,
solder pots and pans, buy RACES or kitch-
en- stuff, rabbit-slxins, hair or rusty
swords, exchange old clothes and wigs,
mend old china, cut wires-this excru.
ciating, rasping operation was appar
emily done in the opener copper casks
There was, next, the multitude of those
who carried wares to sell-as things &c
eat and drink-saloop, barley broth
and milk furmety, Shrewsbury cakes,
eggs, butter, lily-white vinegar. hot
peascods, rabbits, birds, pullets, ginger
bread, oysters, honey, cherry ripe
CLANCY oranges, hot collins, pippins
fruit of all kinds, fish, taffety tarts
fresh water, tripe, tansy, greens, mus
tard, salt, gray pease, water-cresses
shrimps, rosemary, lavender, milk
elder buds; or things of domes
tic use ~ lace, ribbons, almanacs,
ink, small coal, sealing-wax, wood to
cleave, earthen-ware, spigots, combs
buckles, lanterns, pewter pots, brooms
in exchange for old shoes, things OF
horns Holland socks, woollen socks and
wrappers, birthstone matches. flint an6
steel, shoe-laces, scissors and tools
straps, and the thousand and one things
which are now sold in shops The bear
ward came along with his animal and
his dogs and his drum, the sweep shout
ed from the housetop, the ballad-singei
bawled in the road, the tumbler and the
dancing-girl set up their pitch with fife
and drum. Nobody minded how much the
good wives sat with open doors, running
in and out, gossipirg over their work
they liked the noise; they liked this per
atnbulating market-it made the street
lively, it brought the neighbors out t.
talk, and it pleased the baby. Their
the wagons went ponderously grinding
over the round stones OF the road, the
carts rumbled, the brewers sledges
growled, the chariot ratified, the driver,
quarreled, cursed and fought. The late
Mr. Lowell spoke of the continual muir
muir of London as of Niagara affair off
A hundred years ago he would have
spoken of the continual roar.-WalteI
Besant, in Harper's Magazine.