descending to ask a question) and walk off; this will not only be politically inculcating an idea of your seeming liberality upon the present; but paving the way to credit upon a future occasion. I had hitherto omitted to mention the necessity for previously providing yourself with a glass suspended from your button-hole by a string) the want of which will inevitably brand you with vulgarity, if not with indigence; for the true (and, formerly, 'unsophisticated ') breed of Old John Bull is so very much altered by bad crosses, and a deficiency in constitutional stamina, equally affecting the optic nerves, that there are very few men of fashion can see clear beyond the tip of the nose.

"At the breaking up of the parade, stroll, as it were, accidentally into the Prince of Wales's Coffee house, in Conduit Street, walk up with the greatest ease, and consummate confidence to every box, in rotation; look at everybody with an inexplicable hauteur, bordering upon contempt; for, although it is most likely you will know little or nothing of them, the great object is, that they should have a perfect knowledge of you. Having repeatedly, and vociferously, called the waiter when he is most engaged, and, at each time asked him various questions equally frivolous and insignificant, seem to skim the surface of the Morning Post (if disengaged), humming the March in Blue Beard, to show the versatility of your genius; when, finding

2 "The grand Dramatic Romance of Blue Beard; or, Female Curiosity." The Words by George Colman the younger-the Music composed and selected by M. K. (Michael Kelly). London, 1798.

A BOND STREET LOUNGER.

27

you have made yourself sufficiently conspicuous, and an object of general attention (or rather attraction), suddenly leave the room, but not without such an emphatical mode of shutting the door, as may afford to the various companies, and individuals, a most striking proof of your departure."

CHAPTER XXXI.

"The three Mr. Wiggins's "-The Crops "-Hair-powdering-The powdering closet-Cost of clothes-Economy in hats-Taxing hats-Eye-glasses—“The Green Man at Brighton--Eccentricities in dress.

"T"

HE Three Mr. Wiggins's" are real "Bond Street
Loungers," and are portraits of Lord Llandaff,

and his brothers, the Hon. Montagu, and George, Matthews. They were dandies of the purest water, with their white waistcoats and white satin knee-ribbons. The title is taken from a farce by Allingham, called Mrs. Wiggins," played at the Haymarket, May 27, 1803. It is very laughable, and turns upon the adventures of an old man named Wiggins, and three Mrs. Wiggins's. It was very popular, and gave the title to another caricature of Gillray's.

As will be seen, they wore powder, but this curious. fashion was on its last legs-the Crops, or advanced Whigs, having given it its death blow; still, it struggled on for some years yet. There is a little story told in the Morning

Herald of the 20th of June, 1804, which will bear reproduction: "The following conversation occurred on Monday last, in the Gallery of the House of Commons. A gentleman, very much powdered, happened to sit before another

THE THREE MR. WIGGINS'S.

who did not wear any. During the course of the debate, the son of powder in front, frequently annoyed, by his nodding, or rather his noddle, his neighbour in the rear, for which he apologized, as often as any notice was taken of it. At last, the influence of Morpheus became so powerful, that

the rear rank man found his arm perfectly painted with powder, in such a manner as to produce some ignition in his temper, and repel his annoyer with a little more spunk' than he showed on any of the former occasions. This being resented, the other presented his arm, and said, 'Sir, you should not be angry; for, if I wished for such an ornament as this, I should, this morning, have left that office to my hair-dresser. I am a man of such independence that I would not, willingly, be indebted to you for a single meal, and here you have forced on me a bushel. If I had been your greatest enemy, you could do nothing more severe, than to pulverize me; and, as I have given you no intentional offence, I must beg of you, in future, not to dust my jacket. This sally had all the effect for which it was intended, and, instead of exchanging cards, the affair ended, like some senatorial speeches, in a laugh.”

As all the members of the family, including the domestics had to be powdered, most houses of any pretension had a small room set apart for the performance, called "the powdering room," or closet, where the person to be operated upon went behind two curtains, and, by putting the head between the two, the body was screened from the powder, and the head received its due quantity, without injury to the clothes.

Still, all the world was not rich, and, therefore, with

This word has two meanings, which are here played upon. One is spirit or pluck; the other is the name indifferently for match splints, or dry, rotten wood.