days, and all my children round me to partake of it: this may be prejudice -no matter so long as he could afford it, my poor father did so before me; I plead that precedent, and am not ashamed of the custom.

Passing over the minor gradations of my life, the removal from one residence to another, the enlargement of this warehouse, the rebuilding of that, the anxiety of a canvass for common council man, activity in the company of which I am livery man, inquests, and vestries, and ward meetings, and all the other pleasing toils to which an active citizen is subject, let us come at once to the first marked epoch of my life-the year of my Shrievalty. The announcement of my nomination and election filled Mrs. S. with delight; and when I took my children to Great Queen Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, to look at the gay chariot brushing up for me, I confess I felt proud and happy to be able to show my progeny the arms of London, those of the Spectacle Makers Company, and those of the Scroppses (recently found at a trivial expense) all figuring upon the same pannels. They looked magnificent upon the pea-green ground, and the wheels, "white picked out crimson," looked so chaste, and the hammercloth, and the fringe, and the festoons, and the Scropps' crests all looked so rich, and the silk linings and white tassels, and the squabs and the yellow cushions and the crimson carpet looked so comfortable, that, as I stood contemplating the equipage, I said to myself, "What have I done to deserve this?-0 that my poor father were alive to see his boy Jack going down to Westminster, to chop sticks and count hobnails, in a carriage like this!" My children were like mad things and in the afternoon, when I put on my first new brown court suit (lined, like my chariot, with white silk) and fitted up with cut steel buttons, just to try the effect, it all appeared like a dream; the sword, which I tried on, every night for half an hour after I went up to bed, to prac57 ATHENEUM, VOL. 2, 3d series.

tise walking with it, was very inconvenient at first; but use is second nature; and so by rehearsing and rehearsing I made myself perfect before that auspicious day when Sheriffs flourish and geese prevail-namely, the twentyninth of September.

The twelve months which followed were very delightful, for independently of the positive honor and éclat they produced, I had the Mayoralty in prospectû (having attained my aldermanic gown by an immense majority the preceding year), and as I used during the sessions to sit in my box at the Old Bailey, with my bag at my back and my bouquet on my book, my thoughts were wholly devoted to one object of contemplation: culprits stood trembling to hear the verdict of a jury, and I regarded them not; convicts knelt to receive the fatal fiat of the recorder, and I heeded not their sufferings, as I watched the Lord Mayor seated in the centre of the bench, with the sword of justice stuck up in a goblet over his headthere, thought I, if I live two years, shall I sit-however, even as it was, it was very agreeable. When executions, the chief drawbacks to my delight happened, I found, after a little seasoning, I took the thing coolly, and enjoyed my toast and tea after the patients were turned off, just as if nothing had happened; for, in my time, we hanged at eight and breakfasted at a quarter after, so that without much hurry we were able to finish our muffins just in time for the cutting down at nine. I had to go to the House of Commons with a petition, and to Court with an addresstrying situations for one of the Scroppses-however, the want of state in parliament, and the very little attention paid to us by the members, put me quite at my ease at Westminster; while the gracious urbanity of our accomplished Monarch on his throne made me equally comfortable at St. James's. Still I was but a secondary person, or rather only one of two secondary persons-the chief of bailiffs and principal Jack Ketch;

Serjeant at my feet-the pageant was intoxicating; and when, after having breakfasted, I stepped into that glazed and gilded house upon wheels, called the state coach, and saw, my sword bearer pop himself into one of the boots, with the sword of state in his hand, I was lost in ecstasy; I threw myself back upon the seat of the vehicle with all imaginable dignity, but not without damage, for in the midst of my ease and elegance I snapped off the cut steel hilt of my sword, by accidentally bumping the whole weight of my body right, or rather wrong, directly upon the top of it.

But what was a sword hilt or a bruise to me? I was the Lord Mayor-the greatest man of the greatest city of the greatest nation in the world. The people realized my anticipations, and "Bravo, Scropps!" and "Scropps forever!" again resounded, as we proceeded slowly and majestically towards the river, through a fog, which prevented our being advantageously seen, and which got down the throat of the sword bearer, who coughed incessantly during our progress, much to my annoyance, not to speak of the ungraceful movements which his convulsive barkings gave to the red velvet scabbard of the official glave as it stuck out of the window of the coach.

We embarked in my barge; a new scene of splendor awaited me,-guns, shouts, music, flags, banners, in short, everything that fancy could paint or a water bailiff provide. There, in the gilded bark, was prepared a cold collation; I ate, but tasted nothingfowls, patés, tongue, game, beef, ham, all had the same flavor; champagne, hock, and Madeira, were all alike to me-Lord Mayor was all I saw, all I heard, all I swallowed; everything was pervaded by the one captivating word, and the repeated appeal to "my Lordship" was sweeter than nectar.

At Westminster, having been presented and received, I desired-IJohn Ebenezer Scropps, of Coventry -I desired the Recorder to invite the Judges to dine with me-I-who remember when two of the oldest and

most innocent of the twelve, came the circuit, trembling at the sight of them, and believing them some extraordinary creatures upon whom all the hair and fur I saw, grew naturally-I, not only to ask these formidable beings to dine with me, but, as if I thought it beneath my dignity to do so in my proper person, deputing a judge of my own to do it for me; I never shall forget their bows in return-Chinese mandarins on a chimney-piece are fools to them.

Then came the return-we landed once more in the scene of my dignity

at the corner of Fleet Street we found the Lady Mayoress waiting for the procession-there she was-Sally Scropps (her maiden name was Snob)

there was my own Sally, with a plume of feathers that half filled the coach, and Jenny and Maria and young Sally, all with their backs to my horses, which were pawing the mud and snorting and smoking like steam engines, with nostrils like safety valves, and four of my footmen hanging behind the coach, like bees in a swarm. There had not been so much riband in my family since my poor father's failure at Coventry-And yet how often, over and over again, although he had been dead more than twenty years, did I, during that morning, in the midst of my splendor, think of him, and wish that he could see me in my greatness-Yes, even in the midst of my triumph I seemed to defer to my good kind parent-in heaven, as I hope and trust—as if I were anxious for his judgment and his opinion as to how I should perform the arduous and manifold duties of the day.

;

Up Ludgate Hill we moved-the fog grew thicker and thicker-but then the beautiful women at the windowsthose up high could only see my knees and the paste buckles in my shoes every now and then, I bowed condescendingly to people I had never seen before, in order to show my courtesy and my chain and collar, which I had discovered during the morning shone the better for being shaken.

At length we reached Guildhall. As I crossed the beautiful building, lighted splendidly, and filled with well dressed company, and heard the deafening shouts which rent the fane as I entered it, I really was overcome-I retired to a private room-refreshed my dress, rubbed up my chain, which the damp had tarnished, and prepared to receive my guests. They came, and-shall I ever forget it?-dinner was announced; the bands played "O the roast beef of old England." Onwards we went,-a Prince of the blood, of the blood royal of my country, led out my Sally-my own Sally -the Lady Mayoress! the Lord High Chancellor handed out young Sally-I saw it done-I thought I should have choked; the Prime Minister took Maria; the Lord Privy Seal gave his arm to Jenny; and my wife's mother, Mrs. Snob, was honored by the protection of the Right Honorable the Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench.-Oh, if my poor father could but have seen that! It would be tiresome to dwell upon the pleasures of the happy year, thus auspiciously begun, in detail; each month brought its delights, each week its festival; public meetings under the sanction of the Right Honorable the Lord Mayor; concerts and balls under the patronage of the Lady Mayoress; Easter and its dinner, Blue-coat boys and buns ; processions here, excursions there. Summer came, and then we had swan-hopping up the river, and white-baiting down the river; Yantlet Creek below, the navigation barge above; music, flags, streamers, guns, and company; turtle every day in the week; peas at a pound a pint, and grapes at a guinea a pound; dabbling in rosewater served in gold, not to speak of the loving cup, with Mr. Common Hunt, in full dress, at my elbow. My dinners were talked of, Ude grew jealous, and I was idolized.

The days, which before seemed like weeks, were now turned to minutes scarcely had I swallowed my breakfast before I was in my justice

room; and before I had mittimused half a dozen paupers for beggary, I was called away to luncheon; this barely over, in comes a deputation or a despatch, and so on till dinner, which was barely ended before supper was announced. We all became enchanted with the Mansion House; my girls grew graceful by the confidence their high station gave them; Maria refused a good offer because her lover chanced to have an ill sounding name; we had all got settled in our rooms, the establishment had begun to know and appreciate us; we had just become in fact easy in our dignity and happy in our position, when, lo and behold! the ninth of November came again—the anniversary of my exaltation, the consummation of my downfall.

Again did we go in state to Guildhall, again were we toasted and addressed, again were we handed in and led out, again flirted with cabinet ministers and danced with ambassadors, and at two o'clock in the morning drove home from the scene of gaiety to our old residence in Budge Row.-Never in this world did pickled herrings and turpentine smell so powerfully as on that night when we entered the house; and although my wife and the young ones stuck to the drinkables at Guildhall, their natural feelings would have way, and a sort of shuddering disgust seemed to fill their minds on their return home,—the passage looked so narrow-the drawingrooms looked so small-the staircase seemed so dark-our apartments appeared so low, however, being tired, we all slept well, at least I did, for I was in no humor to talk to Sally, and the only topic I could think upon before I dropped into my slumber, was a calculation of the amount of expense which I had incurred during the just expired year of my greatness.

In the morning we assembled at breakfast, a note lay on the table, addressed, "Mrs. Scropps, Budge Row." The girls, one after the other, took it up, read the superscription, and laid it down again. A visit

er was announced-a neighbor and kind friend, a man of wealth and importance what were his first words they were the first I had heard from a stranger since my job,-"How are you, Scropps, done up, eh ??'

Scropps! no obsequiousness, no deference, no respect; no "my lord, I hope your lordship passed an agreeable night-and how is her ladyship and your lordship's amiable daughters?"—not a bit of it-" How's Mrs. S. and the gals?" This was quite natural, all as it had been, all perhaps as it should be—but how unlike what it was, only one day before! The very servants, who, when amidst the strapping, stall-fed, gold-laced lacqueys of the Mansion House, (transferred with the chairs and tables from one Lord Mayor to another) dared not speak, nor look, nor say their lives were their own, strutted about the house, and banged the doors, and talked of their "Missis," as if she had been an apple woman.

So much for domestic miseries ;-I went out-I was shoved about in Cheapside in a most remorseless manner; my right eye had a narrow escape of being poked out by the tray of a brawny butcher's boy, who, when I civilly remonstrated, turned round and said, "Vy, I says, who are you I vonder, as is so partiklar about your hysight." I felt an involuntary shudder,-to-day, thought I, I am John Ebenezer Scropps-two days ago I was Lord Mayor; and so the rencontre ended, evidently to the advantage of the bristly brute. It was however too much for me-the effect of contrast was too powerful, the change was too sudden and I determined to go to Brighton for a few weeks to refresh myself, and be weaned from my dignity.

ed entirely to have forgotten her. By and by, when we were going out in a fly to take the air, one of the waiters desired the fly man to pull off, because Sir Something Somebody's carriage could not come up,—it was clear that the name of Scropps had lost its influence.

We went-we drove to the Royal Hotel; in the hall stood one of his Majesty's ministers, one of my former guests, speaking to his lady and daughter my girls passed close to him, he had handed one of them to dinner the year before, but he appear

We secluded ourselves in a private house, where we did nothing but sigh and look at the sea. We had been totally spoiled for our proper sphere, and could not get into a better; the indifference of our inferiors mortified us, and the familiarity of our equals disgusted us, our potentiality was gone, and we were so much degraded that a puppy of a fellow had the impertinence to ask Jenny if she was going to one of the Old Ship balls. "Of course," said the coxcomb, “I don't mean the Almacks,' for they are uncommonly select."

In short, do what we would, go where we might, we were outraged and annoyed, or at least thought ourselves so; and beyond all bitterness was the reflection, that the days of our dignity and delight never might return. There were at Brighton no less than three men who called me Jack, and that, out of flies or in libraries; and one of these, chose occasionally, by way of making himself particularly agreeable, to address me by the familiar appellation of Jacky. At length, and that only three weeks after my fall, an overgrown tallow chandler met us on the Steyne, and stopped our party to observe, how he thought he owed me for two barrels of coal tar, for doing over his pigstyes." This settled it, we departed from Brighton, and made a tour of the coast; but we never rallied; and business, which must be minded, drove us before Christmas to Budge Row, where we are again settled down.

"as

Maria has grown thin-Sarah has turned methodist-and Jenny, who danced with his Excellency the Portuguese Ambassador, who was called angelic by the Right Honorable the Lord Privy Seal, and who