MISERIES OF LONDON.
'Oars? Sculls, sculls? Oars, oars?'
1812 (?). [Racing.] Published by T. Tegg (158).
July 14, 1812 (?). Glow Worms. (See 1805.) Published by T. Rowlandson, 1 St. James Street, Adelphi.
July 14, 1812 (?). Muck Worms. (See 1800.)
July 14, 1812 (?). The Rivals.
July 15, 1812. A Seaman's Wife's Reckoning. Published by T. Tegg (275), Woodward delin., Rowlandson sculp.—An old salt, with his dog at his elbow, is seated beside his blooming daughter-in-law, a pretty young mother, dandling a fine infant; the lady is using her eloquence and trying to flatter this obdurate relative into confidence in her story. The experienced mariner is declaring, 'Why, d'ye see, I am an old seaman, and not easily imposed upon. I say that can't be my son Jack's child. Why, he has not been married but three months, and during that time he has been at sea—the thing is impossible! You may as well tell me that my ship Nancy goes nine knots an hour in a dead calm. And now I look again it's the very picture of Peter Wilkins, the soap-boiler.'
The fair object of suspicion is by no means confounded at this logical deduction. 'My dear father-in-law, I'll make it out very easily—Jack has been married to me three months,—very well,—I have been with child three months,—which makes six,—then he has been at sea three months, has not he?—and that just makes up the nine!'
The fortunate husband, who sports a new rig-out—with a bright bandanna round his neck, and his pipe stuck in the band of his hat—is lurching into the apartment with a sea-roll. He is quite satisfied with his wife's arithmetic, and is arguing on the side of his tender partner: 'Father, father, don't be too hard upon Poll; I know something about the logbook myself, and dash me but she has kept her reckoning like a true seaman's wife!'
July 15, 1812. The Secret History of Crim Con. Plate 1. Published by T. Tegg (161).
July 15, 1812. The Secret History of Crim Con. Plate 2. Published by T. Tegg (161).