Horace Walpole, in a letter dated 16th Aug., 1746, says, “I have this morning been at the Tower, and passed under the new heads at Temple Bar, where people make a trade of letting spy-glasses, at a halfpenny each, to view them.” One of the iron spikes remained till the present century.
UMBRELLAS TO MEND!—ANY OLD ONES TO SELL!
During the day the Umbrella-mender goes his rounds, repeating these words, “Umbrellas to mend! Sixpence apiece for your old broken umbrellas!” and, having collected enough, he returns home to patch and mend, after which he or some of his family hawks them about for sale. Here he appears in his glory, under the auspices of St. Swithen, the patron saint of umbrella and patten-maker. It is the Strand, near
SOMERSET HOUSE.
On this site formerly stood Somerset Palace, built by Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, about 1549. The present building was begun in 1774, after a design by Sir W. Chambers. The Strand front is one hundred and thirty feet long, has a rustic basement supporting Corinthian columns, and is crowned in the centre with an attic, surmounted by a group consisting of the arms of Britain supported by the genius of England and Fame. Nine large arches compose the basement, three of which open into the court. The key-stones are nine masks, representing the ocean and the eight chief rivers of England. In the quadrangle, directly fronting the entrance, is a bronze figure of the Thames, by Bacon; also a statue of George III. It has a Thames front, with a spacious terrace and water-gate.
CHERRIES, ROUND AND SOUND!—FULL WEIGHT, FOURPENCE A POUND!
Of cherries there are a great variety; most come from the county of Kent, and are sold in the streets of London, sometimes as low as one penny per pound! the sellers of which are often addicted to giving short weight, as their customers apprehend, hence the cry of “full weight.”