Lavender is what a man of the
world, whose business it has been to watch over the interests of
society, should be, superior in education and in mind, to any one I ever
met with filling a similar situation: the governor of the Castle is
a companion for a lord, or to suit the purposes of justice, instantly
metamorphosed into an out and outer, a regular knowing cove, whose
knowledge of flash and the cant and slang used by the dissolute is
considered to be superior to that of any public officer. A specimen
of this will be found in the following note, which a huge fellow of a
turnkey brought to my bedside, and then apologised for disturbing me, by
pleading the governor's instructions.
"QUEER COVES,
"I hope you have left your dabs,{1}
and nobs,{2} all right: perhaps prime legs{3} is queer in
the oration-box{4} from a too frequent use of the
steamer{5} last darky.{6} I make this fakement{7} to let
you know I and morning spread are waiting.
Steel-hotel, Yours, &c.
June 9, 1825. LOCKIT."
[Illustration: page335]
My readers will very readily conceive that with such a companion we
were not long in tracing out what little of true life was to be found
in Worcester, and certainly one of the pleasantest scenes in which we
participated was a visit to the Subscription Bowling Alley, where, in
the summer time, the most respectable of the inhabitants of Worcester
meet every evening
1 Beds.
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