‘Doll every day had walk’d these treacherous roads;
Her neck grew warp’d beneath Autumnal loads
Of various fruit: she now a basket bore;
That head, alas! shall basket bear no more.
Each booth she frequent past, in quest of gain,
And boys with pleasure heard her thrilling strain.
Ah, Doll! all mortals must resign their breath,
And industry itself submit to death!
The crackling crystal yields; she sinks, she dies,
Her head, chopt off, from her lost shoulders flies;
Pippins she cried, but death her voice confounds,
And pip—pip—pip, along the ice resounds.’

“Mr. J. T. Smith, in his ‘Ancient Topography of London,’ page 24, states that another remarkable character, called ‘Tiddy Doll,’ died in the same place and manner.

“In the treasures of Mr. Crowle’s Illustrated Pennant, are several contemporary memorials of this Fair; which I shall very briefly mention, and give some specimens of the poetry attached to them.

“A coarse copper-plate, entitled ‘The View of Frost Fair,’ 10¼ inches by 12, scene taken from York-buildings Water-Works; twelve verses beneath.

“A copper-plate, 7½ inches by 5, representing an altar-piece with the ten commandments, engraven between the figures of Moses and Aaron; and beneath, on a cartouche, ‘Printed on the Ice on the River of Thames, Janry. 15, 1739.’

“A coarse copper-plate engraving, looking down the River, entitled ‘Frost Fair,’ with eight lines of verse beneath; and above ‘Printed upon the River Thames when Frozen, Janu. the 28, 1739⁄40.’ 9½ inches by 12¼.

“A copper-plate 5 inches by 8¼, representing an ornamental border with a female head, crowned at the top; and below, two designs of the letter-press and rolling press. In the centre in type, ‘Upon the Frost in the year 1739-40;’ six verses, and then ‘Mr. John Cross, aged 6. Printed on the Ice upon the Thames, at Queen-Hithe, January the 29th, 1739-40.’

‘Behold the Liquid Thames now frozen o’er!
That lately Ships of mighty Burden bore.
Here You may Print your Name, tho’ cannot Write,
’Cause numb’d with Cold: ’Tis done with great Delight.
And lay it by; That Ages yet to come
May see what Things upon the Ice were done.’

“A copper-plate, representing a view of the Thames at Westminster, with the tents, sports, &c., and alphabetical references, entitled ‘Ice Fair.’ ‘Printed on ye River Thames, now frozen over, Jany 31, 1739-40;’ 7½ inches by 12½.

‘Amidst ye arts yt on ye Thames appear,
To tell ye Wonders of this frozen Year,
Sculpture claims Prior place, since yt alone
Preserves ye Image when ye Prospect’s gone.’