Mr. Bosky's reply all but tripped off his tongue.
'Twas caviare to the Scotchman, so he suppressed it, and proceeded with the _Merrie Mysteries._
St. Bartholomew was not to be driven from his "Rounds" by the meddling citizens. He kept, on a succession of brilliant anniversaries from 1700 to 1760, his state at his fair. The Smithfield drama had revived under the judicious management of popular actors; * the art of legerdemain had reached perfection in the "surprising performances" of Mr. Fawkes; ** wrestling *** fencing,--
* "There is one great playhouse erected in the middle of Smithfield for the King's Players. The booth is the largest that was ever built."--Dawkes's News-letter, 1715.
** "Feb. 15. 1731. The Algerine Ambassadors went to see Fawkes, who showed them a prospect of Algiers, and raised up an apple-tree which bore ripe apples in less than a minute's time, of which the company tasted."--Gentlemans Mag. Fawkes died May 25, 1731, worth ten thousand pounds. John White, author of "Arts Treasury, and Hocus Pocus; or a Rich Cabinet of Legerdemain Curiosities," was a noted conjuror contemporary with Fawkes.
*** Stow, lamenting the decline of wrestling, that used to be the pride and glory of Skinners-Well and Finsbury Fields, says, "But now of late yeeres, the wrestling is only practised on Bartholomew-day in the afternoone."
--and single-stick, fought their way thither from Stokes's * amphitheatre in Islington Road, and Figg's ** academy for full-grown gentlemen in Oxford Street, then "Marybone Fields!" Powel's puppet-show still gloried in its automaton wonders; Pinchbecks musical clock struck all beholders with admiration; and Tiddy Doll *** with his gingerbread cocked hat garnished with Dutch gold, the prime oddity of the fair, made the "Rounds" ring with his buffooneries.
* "At Mr. Stokes's amphitheatre, Islington Road, on Monday, 24th June, 1733, I John Seale, Citizen of London, give this invitation to the celebrated Hibernian Hero, Mr. Robert Barker, to exert his utmost abilities with me: And I Robert Barker accept this invitation; and if my antagonist's courage equal his menaces, glorious will be my conquest! Attendance at two; the Masters mount at five. Vivat Rex et Regina."