t the bar, rather seem to like the
excitement, and go before the bench in their best clothes and with their
best looks, as they go to the gallery of the Victoria or the Sunday
tea-garden.

THE EAGLE TAVERN

Is situated in an appropriate locality in the City-road, not far from a
lunatic asylum, and contiguous to a workhouse. From time immemorial the
Cockneys have hastened thither to enjoy themselves. Children are taught
to say--

"Up and down the City-road,
In and out the Eagle,
That's the way the money goes,
Pop goes the weasel."

And the apprentice or clerk, fresh from the country, and anxious to see
life, generally commences with a visit to the Grecian Saloon--Eagle
Tavern. As a rule, I do not think what are termed fast men go much to
theatres. To sit out a five-act tragedy and then a farce is a bore which
only quiet old fogies and people of a domestic turn can endure; and even
where, as in the Grecian Saloon, you have dancing, and singing, and
drinking added, it is not the fast men, but the family parties, that make
it pay. There you see Smith, Brown, Jones, and Robinson, with their
respective partners and the dear pledges of their well-regulated loves.
They come early, sit out _Jack Shepherd_ with a resolution worthy of a
better cause, listen to the singing from the Music Hall, return again to
witness the closing theatrical performances, and enjoy all the old stage
tricks as if they had not heard them for the last fifty years. These
worthy creatures see a splendour in the Grecian Saloon which I do not.
Then there are the juvenile swells. Anxious mothers in the country,
fearing the contaminations of London and the ruin it has brought on other
sons, lodge them in remote Islington, or Hoxton, still more remote. It
is in vain they do so. The Haymarket may be far off, but the Grecian
Saloon is near; and the young hopefuls come in at half-price, for
sixpence, and smoke their cigars, and do their pale ale, and adopt the
slang and the vices of their betters with too much ease. And then there
are the unfortunates from the City-road, with painted faces, brazen
looks, and gorgeous silks; mercenary in every thought and feeling, and
with hearts hard as adamant. God help the lad that gets entangled with
such as they! It requires no prophet to foretell his career.
Embezzlement--first with a view to replace the sum appropriated to guilty
pleasures,--then, embezzlement hopelessly conti