Part 1
OLD TIMES.
OLD TIMES
A Picture of Social Life at the End of the Eighteenth Century
_COLLECTED, AND ILLUSTRATED FROM THE SATIRICAL AND OTHER SKETCHES OF THE DAY_
BY
JOHN ASHTON
AUTHOR OF "SOCIAL LIFE IN THE REIGN OF QUEEN ANNE" ETC. ETC.
With Eighty-eight Illustrations
NEW YORK
SCRIBNER & WELFORD
743 & 747 BROADWAY
1885
PREFACE.
Of the period of which this book treats, there have been political histories, and scurrilous books written anent the Royal Family, _ad nauseam_: and the Diaries which have been published, bearing on this time, deal only with the acts, and sayings, of the higher classes--leaving the life of the vastly greater proportion of the population--the middle classes--untouched. No better source of information as to their mode of living, their amusements, the tattle, and passing follies of the times, can possibly be found, than in the Newspapers of the day; and I selected the commencement of the _Times_, 1 Jan. 1788, as the starting point of a picture of the Social Life at the end of the Eighteenth Century.
The copies of the _Times_, however, are very imperfect,--nay, in some years, totally missing--until 1793-1794--from which date they are perfect; so that, when anything noteworthy occurred, I have drawn from another source; and, to establish the undoubted authenticity of each quotation, I have given the title of the Newspaper, with its date. The daily Newspapers of those times were totally different to those to which we are accustomed. The absence of Railways, Steamships, and Electric Telegraphs, combined with a very high rate of Postage, prevented the publication of all News, either from foreign or provincial sources, except it were of real importance; and, as the daily sheets must be filled, it followed, as a matter of course, that a substitute was found in detailing the social life of the Metropolis--and the daily Newspapers, which now give us the latest news from all parts of the globe--had to be filled with social paragraphs, anecdotal, satirical, or otherwise. They were as open to correction, or contradiction, then, as now; so that we may put trust in them; and when these paragraphs are collected, and somewhat classified, they afford a view of the daily life of the period, such as is utterly unattainable elsewhere. This collection must, of necessity, be valuable to the student of those times, besides being of great interest to the general reader.
The difficulty of obtaining contemporary illustrations, fitted for this work, from books, or pictures, has compelled me to draw freely on the satirical prints of the period--which are abundant, and perfectly well suited to the purpose, if the reader will only bear in mind, that they are sometimes a little exaggerated. Still, on the whole, they so truthfully represent the manners, costume, &c., of the age, that they could not be omitted; and that they are faithful reproductions of the originals, I can guarantee, for I drew them all myself.
JOHN ASHTON.
CONTENTS.
Page
INTRODUCTION 1
MEN'S DRESS 51
WOMEN'S DRESS 69
NAVY AND ARMY 80
SOCIAL ECONOMY 114
GAMING, ETC. 166
THE THEATRE 187
OPERA AND BALLET 204
MASQUERADES, CONCERTS, ETC. 215
MONETARY 232
LAW AND POLICE 243
POLITICAL 280
ROYALTY 293
VARIETIES 297
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
Page
EDMUND BURKE 16
THE PRINCE'S BOW 51
TIGHT-LACING, 1788 51
MACARONIS, 1789 53
A JESSAMY, 1790 54
A CHOICE SPIRIT--A BUCK 54
A SMART, 1790 55
A RAIN-BEAU 56
JIMMY LINCUM FEADLE, 1791 56
A SCARAMOUCH 56
APING THE FRENCHMAN 57
NECK OR NOTHING--A BACK VIEW OF THE CAPE, 1792 57
A SPENCER AND A THREAD PAPER, 1792 63
"A JEAN DEBRY" (MR. SKEFFINGTON) 66
FRENCH TAILOR FITTING JOHN BULL WITH A "JEAN DEBRY" 66
A COTILLION, 1788 69
FASHIONS FOR 1788 69
INDOOR COSTUMES, 1788 70
THE DUCHESS OF YORK 70
THE DUCHESS 70
FRAILTIES OF FASHION, 1793 70
THE HEIGHT OF FASHION, 1793 70
THE TOILETTE, NO. 1 71
DO. NO. 2 71
DO. NO. 3 71
A SCARECROW, 1793 71
"SHEPHERDS! I HAVE LOST MY WAIST" 1794 72
FOLLOWING THE FASHION, "ST. JAMES'S GIVING THE TON" 73
FOLLOWING THE FASHION, "CHEAPSIDE APING THE MODE" 74
CROPS 73
A LADY PUTTING ON HER CAP, 1795 73
CHARACTERS IN HIGH LIFE 75
A MODERN BELLE GOING TO THE ROOMS OR BALLS, 1796 75
WAGGONER'S FROCK, OR NO BODYS OF 1795 75
THE FASHION, DEC. 1795 76
FASHIONABLE MODESTY, 1796 76
HIGH CHANGE IN BOND STREET, 1796 76
FASHIONS FOR 1797 (SEE FRONTISPIECE) 78
MY POLL, AND MY PARTNER JOE, 1796 80
BRITISH LADIES PATRIOTIC PRESENTS TO THE ARMY, 1793 95
KIDNAPPING, OR A DISGRACE TO OLD ENGLAND 99
MODERN MODE OF BEATING UP FOR VOLUNTEERS 104
HEROES RECRUITING AT KELSEY'S, 1797 108
INSTALLATION SUPPER, NO. 1 114
DO. NO. 2, SIR F. JOHNSTON AND LADY, LORD BATHURST, MAJOR TOPHAM 114
INSTALLATION SUPPER, NO. 3, SIR GEORGE YOUNG AND LADY 114
INSTALLATION SUPPER, NO. 4, LORD AMHERST 114
DO. NO. 5, LORD SANDWICH, DR. BRILLAND, DR. PAIR 114
THE ASSESSED TAXES TAKING THEIR DEPARTURE 132
JOHN BULL AND THE INCOME TAX 133
A PRETTY BAR MAID 135
A LADY AT A CARD PARTY WHO DOES NOT PLAY, 1788 166
GAMBLING, 1792 166
A KICK UP AT A HAZARD TABLE, NO. 1, 1790 167
DO. NO. 2, 1790 167
MODERN HOSPITALITY 168
DIVIDING THE SPOIL, ST. JAMES'S, 1796 177
DO. ST. GILES'S, 1796 177
FARO'S DAUGHTERS 177
DISCIPLINE À LA KENYON, 1797 179
THE THEATRE 187
MACKLIN AS "SHYLOCK"--HOLMAN AS "RICHARD" 190
POPE AS "HOTSPUR"--JOHNSTONE AS "APOLLO" 190
QUICK AS "SCRUB"--RYDER AS "FALSTAFF" 190
KEMBLE AS "HAMLET"--KEMBLE AS "LEAR" 190
MRS. BELLAMY--MRS. ABINGTON AS "LAPPET" 190
MRS. SIDDONS AS "ANDROMACHE"--MRS. JORDAN AS "VIOLA" 190
MRS. BILLINGTON AS "ROSETTA"--MRS. MARTYR AS "EUPHROSYNE" 190
MISS BRUNTON AS "JULIET "--MISS FIELD AS "ARIEL" 190
AT THE OPERA--AT CHURCH 204
THE CELEBRATED MADEMOISELLE G--M--RD 211
BALLET AT THE KING'S THEATRE-PANTHEON, 1791 211
THE OPERATICAL FINALE TO THE BALLET OF "ALONZO E CARO" 212
MDLLE PARISOT 213
DURHAM MUSTARD TOO POWERFUL FOR ITALIAN CAPERS, 1798 213
ECCLESIASTICAL SCRUTINY, OR, THE DURHAM INQUEST ON DUTY, 1798 214
MADAME CORNELYS 217
THE FEMALE COTERIE 221
A COUNTRY CONCERT, OR AN EVENING'S ENTERTAINMENT IN SUSSEX 225
SAVOYARDS OF FASHION, 1799 226
SEEN HOME BY THE WATCH, 1792 243
THE MONSTER CUTTING A LADY, 1790 248
RENWICK WILLIAMS, 1790 256
PROTECTION FROM THE MONSTER 258
BOXING MADE EASY, OR HUMPHREYS GIVING A LESSON, 1788 274
JEFFREY DUNSTAN--ORDINARY COSTUME 292
SIR JEFFREY DUNSTAN--COURT DRESS 293
TREATMENT OF LUNATICS 298
_Memorandum.--For binder's purposes some of the illustrations will not be found on the pages named, but a few pages further on._
OLD TIMES.
Although this book does not pretend to be a history of the times of which it treats, still, it will materially help the reader, if, at the outset, some of the principal events which occurred during the period are succinctly narrated.
We start with the year 1788--and one of the first items of importance is the founding of the colony of New South Wales; for Captain Phillips, on 28th January, landed the first batch of convicts, consisting of 561 men, 192 women, and 18 children, also a military force of 212 men. As soon as they were all on shore, Phillips ordered the King's Commission to be read, and assumed the office of Governor. Such was the modest foundation of our great Australian Empire. On the same day at home, Lord George Gordon, of Protestant rioting memory, was brought before the judges of the King's Bench, to receive sentence on two libels, one against the Queen of France, and another on the criminal justice of the country. His sentence for the former, was three years' imprisonment, for the latter, two years, to pay a fine of £500, and find security for his good behaviour for fourteen years. He fled to Holland, was arrested, brought back, and lodged in Newgate. He did not live to regain his liberty, but death set him free 1st November 1793.
An all-absorbing topic of conversation in this year was the trial of Warren Hastings, for his conduct whilst Governor-General of Bengal. The trial commenced on the 13th of February, and it took place in Westminster Hall, which was fitted up with a throne and canopy, having the woolsack for the Lord Chancellor in front. On either side the throne was a private box, one for the use of the King, the other for the Queen: the King never used either throne or box, but, when he went to the trial, he went _incognito_.
There were seats covered with green baize for the accommodation of members of the House of Commons, but all the rest of the hall was glowing with red baize. Boxes were also provided for the Ambassadors and _Corps Diplomatique_. The grand show commenced at eleven A.M. with the entrance of the committee appointed to manage the impeachment, all of them in full dress, followed by Burke, who headed the members of the House of Commons.
Hardly had they taken their seats when a buzz of excitement filled the hall, for no one less than the Queen, attended by all her daughters, entered. She did not go to the royal box, but sat in part of the Duke of Newcastle's Gallery. This attracted the attention of all, until the coming in of the peers, including the judges, and the Bishops, the string of Dukes being closed by the Prince of Wales (as Duke of Cornwall), and the Dukes of York, Gloucester, and Cumberland. Lord Thurlow, the Lord Chancellor, came last. The peers all wore their robes and collars, the robes of the royal dukes being borne by pages. Then the Chancellor's mace-bearer cried "Oyez, Oyez, Oyez," and notified to all, that Warren Hastings had come to take his trial, and that his accusers might come forth and make good their charges against him. The Lord Chancellor addressed the prisoner, and told him to be prepared with his defence, to which Hastings replied, "My Lords, I am come to this high tribunal equally impressed with a confidence in my own integrity and in the justice of the court before which I stand." As this trial will not again be mentioned, I may state the fact, that it lasted seven years and three months, and ended in his acquittal, 17th April 1795.
Another remarkable event happened in this year, for on 31st January there died at Rome, at the age of sixty-seven, the young Pretender, Prince Charles Edward Louis Casimir Stuart, grandson of James II.; and, with him, died all hope for the Jacobite party, for he left behind him but one natural daughter, on whom he conferred the empty title of Duchess of Albany. It is true that he left his pretensions to the throne of England to his brother, Cardinal York, but all this Prince did to claim regal honours was to strike a medal, on which he styled himself Henry the IXth. He knew there was no use in continuing the struggle, so accepted a pension from George III., which was paid him until his death.
There is little worth chronicling until we come to the (to Englishmen) most painful event of the year, namely, the King's illness. In July his physicians remarked symptoms in him which gave them grave concern, but he visited Cheltenham, and improved in his health. In October, however, rumours began to get about that all was not well. The _Morning Post_ of 30th October mentions that "On 28th His Majesty complained of a pain in his bowels, and by the advice of his physicians, and the rest of His Majesty's attendants, he is not expected to leave Windsor for the course of a week or a fortnight." Next day we hear that "the chief symptom is said to be a swelling in the legs." Then news is brought, that on the 4th November he had a relapse; on the 7th he is reported better, though, as a matter of fact, he was delirious at dinner on the 5th. On the 9th they say he is better; on the 10th he is MUCH BETTER, and HOPES ARE ENTERTAINED OF HIS RECOVERY. The bulletins of the 11th are vague; that of the 12th reports that he "was not better," and the newspapers of the 13th openly speak of a Regency. In the _Morning Post_ of November 14th it plainly states that "his mental faculties were more deranged." Then his physicians quarrelled amongst themselves as to his treatment, and wrote daily contradictory bulletins, until Dr. Willis took his patient under his sole charge, with good effect. And so ends 1788.
* * * * *
1789 opens with a great frost, one of the heaviest on record. It commenced on the 24th November 1788, and continued, with one intermission (from December 24th to December 26th) until 13th January 1789. On 10th January the Thames at Irongate--which is below London Bridge, by the Tower, was frozen over, and several booths were erected on the ice. The day previously an ox was roasted whole, and eagerly bought by the people who were skating and sliding. The _Annual Register_ thus describes the sight:--"The scene on the Thames is very entertaining; from Putney Bridge upwards, the river is completely frozen over, and people walk to and from the different villages on the face of the deep. Opposite to Windsor Street booths have been erected since Friday last, and a fair is kept on the river. Multitudes of people are continually passing and repassing; puppet shows, roundabouts, and all the various amusements of Bartholomew Fair are exhibited. In short, Putney and Fulham, from the morning dawn till the dusk of returning evening, is a scene of festivity and gaiety. On the 12th a young bear was baited on the ice, opposite to Redriffe (Rotherhithe), which drew multitudes, and fortunately no accident happened to interrupt their sport." The outward-bound vessels at Deptford and Gravesend cleared out with all despatch, lest they should be caught in the ice and detained or damaged.
The usual royal gift of £1000 to the poor of London was this year not forthcoming, so the Prince of Wales ordered that sum to be given from his own treasury. He also sent large sums to the poor of Edinburgh and Brighton.
A Bill to make the Prince of Wales Regent had been introduced in both Houses of Parliament at the latter end of 1788, but was negatived in each; in the Commons by 251 to 178. There had been great squabbling over this Bill, especially between the rival leaders, Fox and Pitt; the former asserting that the Prince of Wales had an _absolute right_ to succeed to the Regency, and the latter would only admit that he had an _irresistible claim_.
But the King did not get better, and something must be done, yet it was not thought fit to invest the Prince of Wales with altogether regal powers: there must be some limitation. Therefore Pitt wrote to His Royal Highness, detailing the plan intended to be pursued, which was, that the Queen should have the care of the King's person, and the disposition of the royal household, by which means she would enjoy the patronage of 400 places, amongst which were the offices of Lord Steward, Lord Chamberlain, and Master of the Horse: but the Prince should have no power of granting any office, reversion, or pension, for any other term than during the King's pleasure, nor might he confer any peerage.
This, no doubt, was prudent, but was extremely distasteful to the Prince, who wrote a dignified remonstrance to Pitt, at the end of which, however, he consented to accept the terms, being convinced of the evils which might arise were there no Regency. Fifty-five peers, together with the Dukes of York and Cumberland, signed a protest against the limitations, but the Commons cared but little for it. They went on with their work, and, on the 12th February, sent up the Bill to their Lordships for consideration; and they were debating it when the proverb of "There's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip" was fulfilled. On the 19th February the Lord Chancellor announced to the House that the physicians reported that the King was rapidly recovering from his malady. On this the House adjourned, and practically no work was done, either by Lords or Commons, for three weeks.
On 27th February the prayer for his recovery was discontinued, and, in its stead, a form of prayer, and thanksgiving for his restoration to health, was ordered to be read in all churches and chapels throughout England and Wales. So completely had he recovered, that he ordered Parliament to be opened by Commission, which was done on 10th March. The 23rd April was appointed for a general thanksgiving, and his Majesty, accompanied by the Queen and the Royal Family, went in solemn state to Saint Paul's, to render thanks to the Almighty for His great mercy.
The following account is much condensed from the report in the _Morning Post_ of 24th April 1789:--"They started early, for, precisely at eight o'clock in the morning, the first carriage that led the procession reached St. Clement's Church in the Strand. After the usual state pioneers, came the members of the House of Commons, followed by the peers according to their several degrees, then the Archbishops, and the princes of the blood royal, after whom came the Prince of Wales, whose equipage outshone all others. Their Majesties' Household came next, and lastly their Majesties themselves.
"The Queen seemed inexpressibly happy: the loud huzzas, which from every quarter rent the air, testified to her, that _he_ who was dearest to her was dearest to the people.
"The King, as if impressed by the weight of the obligation which he owed to Heaven for his recovery, and full of the religious solemnity with which he was going, _publicly_, to acknowledge that obligation to the Almighty, seemed to be unusually grave and silent; and behaved, at this first appearance in public since his recovery, in a manner which filled the spectators with reverence and awe.
"His Majesty appeared to be much reduced in point of size, but he looked as if in perfect health."
It was a quarter-past three when the procession, on its return, reached Temple Bar, and it was noted that the King looked more cheerful, whilst the Queen was in high spirits.
London was, of course, brilliantly illuminated at night.
This is the principal event of the year, and with it we will close 1789.
* * * * *
As far as England, and its social economy, is concerned, 1790 is very barren. In France, there was the commencement of that dreadful revolution which terrorised all Europe, yet strangely enough all allusion to France was omitted in the Royal Speeches to Parliament, either on 21st January or 26th November.
The navy sadly wanted manning, so much so that a proclamation was issued for encouraging seamen, and landsmen, to enter themselves on board His Majesty's ships of war; that officers on foreign stations should join their respective corps, and recalling, and prohibiting seamen from serving foreign princes, and states. This was all very well, for the fleet was in urgent need of men, owing to the number of ships being put in commission, and ordered to be got ready for sea with the greatest expedition: for instance--
At Deptford, 3; " Woolwich, 3; " Chatham, 3; " Sheerness, 3; " Portsmouth, 10 (one 100, and another 98 guns); " Plymouth, 7 (one 100 another 80 guns);
besides others which were expected to be commissioned in a few days.
Ordinary means were not sufficient to provide men, and resort was made to impressment, a mode of obtaining seamen which is of ancient practice. In 1378 a statute of 2 Richard II. speaks of it as being well known, and so it must have been, for the first commission for its use was issued 29 Edward III., 1355. In 1641, Parliament declared the practice illegal, either for the land or sea service; but this has always been ignored when the necessity for seamen arose. It has been regulated by Parliament even so lately as 1835, when, by the statute 5 and 6 William IV., compulsory service is restricted to five years.
How should we feel if some day, in reading our morning paper, we should come across such a passage as the following:--"A very hot press took place in the river Thames, and at all the outports"?--Would you like to know what a "hot press" means?--then learn from the following excerpts from the _St. James's Chronicle_, May 4-6, 1790:--
"The report of the number pressed in the river on Tuesday night was delivered to the Lords of the Admiralty yesterday morning, which amounted to about 1500 taken in Wapping, and in Southwark, &c., more than 600; amounting in the whole to upwards of 2100 men, besides those at the different seaport towns, reports of which were not received."
"Four tenders went down the river yesterday morning, crowded with impressed men, to be shipped on board a vessel of war lying in Long-reach, ready to receive them. The same tenders were expected up again with the return of the tide, upon the same errand."