Musa Pedestris - Three Centuries of Canting Songs and Slang Rhymes [1536 - 1896] Part 54

_Jack Flashman_

_Miss Dolly Trull_

and

_The By-Blow Of The Jug_

_See_ Note to "Sonnets for The Fancy" p. 225. Captain Macheath was one of Egan's latest, and by no means one of his best, productions. It is now very scarce.

_The Cadger's Ball_

John Labern, a once popular, but now forgotten music-hall artiste, and song-writer, issued several collections of the songs of the day. It is from one of these that "The Cadger's Ball" is taken.

_"Dear Bill, This Stone-Jug"_

The state of affairs described in this poem is now happily a thing of the past. Newgate, as a prison, has almost ceased to be. Only when the Courts are sitting do its functions commence, and then there is constant coming and going between the old city gaol and the real London prison of to-day, Holloway Castle.

_The Leary Man_

_The Vulgar Tongue_, by Ducarge Anglicus, is, as a glossary, of no account whatever; the only thing not pilfered from Brandon's _Poverty, Mendicity, and Crime_ being this song. Where that came from deponent knoweth not.

_A Hundred Stretches Hence_

_The Rogue's Lexicon_, mainly reprinted from Grose's _Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue_, is of permanent interest and value to the philologist and student for the many curious survivals of, and strange shades of meaning occurring in, slang words and colloquilisms after transplantation to the States. G. W. Matsell was for a time the chief of the New York police.

_The Chickaleary Cove_

Vance, a music-hall singer and composer in the sixties, made his first great hit in _Jolly Dogs; or Slap-bang! here we are again_. This was followed by _The Chickaleary Cove_: a cla.s.sic in its way.

_'Arry at a Political Picnic_

The 'Arry Ballads' are too fresh in public memory to need extensive quotation. The example given is a fair sample of the series; which, taken as a whole, very cleverly "hit off" the idiosyncrasies and foibles of the London larrikin.

Stanza VIII, line 4. _Walker_ = Be off!

_"Rum Coves that Relieve us"_

Heinrich Baumann, the author of _Londonism en_, an English-German glossary of cant and slang, to which "Rum Coves that Relieve us" forms the preface.

_Villon's Good Night_

_Villon's Straight Tip_

and

_Culture in the Slums_

William Ernest Henley, poet, critic, dramatist, and editor was born at Gloucester in 1849, and educated at the same city. In his early years (says _Men of the Time_) he suffered much from ill-health, and the first section of his _Book of Verses_ (1888: 4th ed. 1893), _In Hospital: Rhymes and Rhythms_, was a record of experiences in the Old Infirmary, Edinburgh, in 1873-5. In 1875 he began writing for the London magazines, and in 1877 was one of the founders as well as the editor of _London_. In this journal much of his early verse appeared. He was afterwards appointed editor of _The Magazine of Art_, and in 1889 of _The Scots_, afterwards _The National Observer_. To these journals, as well as to _The Athenaeum_ and _Sat.u.r.day Review_ he has contributed many critical articles, a selection of which was published in 1890 under the t.i.tle of _Views and Reviews_. In collaboration with Robert Louis Stevenson he has published a volume of plays, one of which, _Beau Austin_, was produced at the Haymarket Theatre in 1892. His second volume of verses--_The Song of the Sword_--marks a new departure in style.

He has edited a fine collection of verses, _Lyra Heroica_, and, with Mr. Charles Whibley, an anthology of English prose. In 1893 Mr.

Henley received the honour of an L.L.D. degree of St. Andrew's university. At the present time he is also editing _The New Review_, a series of _Tudor Translations_, a new _Byron_, a new _Burns_, and collaborating with Mr. J. S. Farmer in _Slang and its a.n.a.logues_; an historical dictionary of slang.

"_Villon's Straight Tip_: Stanza I, line I. _Screeve_ = provide (or work with) begging-letters. Line 2. _Fake the broads_ = pack the cards. _Fig a nag_ = play the coper with an old horse and a fig of ginger. Line 3. _Knap a yack_ = steal a watch. Line 4. _Pitch a snide_ = pa.s.s a false coin. _Smash a rag_ = change a false note. Line 5. _Duff_ = sell sham smugglings.

_Nose and lag_ = collect evidence for the police. Line 6. _Get the straight_ = get the office, and back a winner. Line 7.

_Multy_ (expletive) = "b.l.o.o.d.y". Line 8. _Booze and the blowens cop the lot: cf_. "'Tis all to taverns and to la.s.ses." (A. Lang).

Stanza II, line 1. _Fiddle_ = swindle. _Fence_ = deal in stolen goods. _Mace_ = welsh. _Mack_ = pimp. Line 2.

_Moskeneer_ = to p.a.w.n for more than the pledge is worth. _Flash the drag_ = wear women's clothes for an improper purpose. Line 3.

_Dead-lurk a crib_ = house-break in church time. _Do a crack_--burgle with violence. Line 4. _Pad with a slang_ = tramp with a show. Line 5. _Mump and gag_ = beg and talk. Line 6.

_Tats_ = dice. _Spot_, (at billiards). Line 7. _Stag_ = s.h.i.+lling.

Stanza III, line 2. _Flash your flag_ = sport your ap.r.o.n. Line 4.

_Mug_ = make faces. Line 5. _Nix_ = nothing. Line 6.

_Graft_ = trade. Line 7. _Goblins_ = sovereigns.

_Stravag_ = go astray.

The Moral. Liner. /i>Up the spout and Charley Wag_ = expressions of dispersal. Line 2. _Wipes_ = handkerchiefs. _Tickers_ = watches. Line 3. _Squeezer_ = halter. _Scrag_ = neck.

_"Tottie"_

_A Plank-Bed Ballad_

and

_The Rondeau of the Knock_

G. R. Sims ("Dagonet") needs little introduction to present-day readers. Born in London in 1847, he was educated at Harwell College, and afterwards at Bonn. He joined the staff of _Fun_ on the death of Tom Hood the younger in 1874, and _The Weekly Despatch_ the same year. Since 1877 he has been a contributor to _The Referee_ under the pseudonym of "Dagonet". A voluminous miscellaneous writer, dramatist, poet, and novelist, M. Sims shows yet no diminution of his versatility and power.

_Wot Cher!_

_Our Little Nipper_

and

_The Coster's Serenade_

Albert Chevalier, a "coster poet", music-hall artist, and musician of French extraction was born in Hammersmith. He is a careful, competent actor of minor parts, and sings his own little ditties extremely well.

APPENDIX

THERE are still one or two "waifs and strays" to be mentioned:--

I.

In _Don Juan_, canto XI, stanzas xvii--xix, Byron thus describes one of his _dramatis personae_.

Poor Tom was once a kiddy upon town, A thorough varmint and a real swell...

Full flash, all fancy, until fairly diddled, His pockets first, and then his body riddled.