283

4. The Floating Harbour and Welsh Back, Bristol. 292

5. Bath Market-place, with Portraits of the celebrated
Orange Women 295

6. The Sporting Club at the Castle Tavern. Portraits of
Choice Spirits 300

7. The Battle of the Chairs 306

8. Vignette. Portraits of Blackmantle the English Spy,
and Transit 343

THE ENGLISH SPY.

Nor rank, nor order, nor condition,
Imperial, lowly, or patrician,
Shall, when they see this volume, cry,
"The satirist has pass'd us by:"
But, with good humour, view our page
Depict the manners of the age.
Vide Work.

INTRODUCTION TO THE SECOND VOLUME.

BERNARD BLACKMANTLE TO THE PUBLIC.

"The Muse's office was by Heaven design'd
To please, improve, instruct, reform mankind."
--Churchill.

Readers!--friends, I may say, for your flattering support has enabled me
to continue my Sketches of Society to a second volume with that prospect
of advantage to all concerned which makes labour delightful--accept this
fresh offering of an eccentric, but grateful mind, to that shrine where
alone he feels he owes any submission--the tribunal of Public Opinion.
In starting for the goal of my ambition, the prize of your approbation,
I have purposely avoided the beaten track of other periodical
writers, choosing for my subjects scenes and characters of real
life, transactions of our own times, _characteristic, satirical, and
humorous_, confined to no particular place, and carefully avoiding every
thing like personal ill-nature or party feeling. My associates, the
Artists and Publishers, are not less anxious than myself to acknowledge
their gratitude; and we intend to prove, by our united endeavours, how
highly we appreciate the extensive patronage we have already obtained.

BERNARD BLACKMANTLE,

ODE, CONGRATULATORY AND ADVISIORY,

TO BERNARD BLACKMANTLE, ESQ.

ON THE COMPLETION OF HIS FIRST VOLUME OF THE SPY.

"I smell a rat."--Book of Common Parlance.

"More sinned against than sinning."--William Shakspeare.

"The very _Spy_ o' the time."--Ibid.

Well done, my lad, you've run on strong
Amidst the