ry
faces at the publicans and sinners, until they managed to turn the heads
without turning the hearts of a great number of his majesty's liege
subjects, and by the aid of cant and hypocrisy, caused the orthodox
religion of the land to be nearly abandoned; but we are beginning to
be more enlightened, Mr. Blackmantle, and Understand these _trading_
missionaries and _Bible merchants_ much better than they could wish us
to have done. Then, sir, the Pantheon, in Spa Fields, was a favourite
place of resort for the bucks and gay ladies of the time; and Sadler's
Wells and Islington Spa were then in high repute for their mineral
waters. At White Conduit House the Jews and Jewesses of the metropolis
held their carnival, and city apprentices used to congregate at Dobney's
bowling-green, afterwards named, in compliment to Garrick's Stratford
procession, the Jubilee tea-gardens; those were the times to grow rich,
Mr. Blackmantle, when half-a-crown would cover the day's expenditure of
five persons, and behave liberally too."--In our way through Islington,
the alderman pointed out to us the place as formerly celebrated for a
weekly consumption of cakes and ale; and as we passed through Holloway,
informed us that it was in former time equally notorious for its
cheese-cakes, the fame of which attracted vast numbers on

2 Upon reference to an old print of Bagnigge Wells, I find
the alderman's description of the place to be a very
faithful portrait. The Pantheon is still standing, but
converted into a methodist chapel.

~94~~the Sunday, who, having satiated themselves with pastry, would
continue their rambles to the adjacent places of Hornsey Wood House,
Colney Hatch, and Highgate, returning by the way of Hampstead to town.

The topographical reminiscences of the alderman were illustrated as
we proceeded by the occasional sallies of Mrs. Marigold's satire:
"she could not but regret the depravity of the times, that enabled low
shop-keepers and servants to dress equal to their betters: it is now
quite impossible to enjoy society and be comfortable in public, without
being associated with your tallow-chandler, or your butcher, or take a
pleasant drive out of town, without meeting your linen-draper, or your
tailor, better mounted or in a more fashionable equipage than yourself."

"All for the good of trade," said the alderman: "it would be very hard
indeed if those who enable others to cut a dash all the week could not