ginning, has had a gradual increase; for no great account was made of it, that I can remember or hear of, before the two elections preceding this last, which has been performed with uncommon pomp and magnificence, in the plebeian mode of pageantry. And, as it has been taken notice of in our public newspapers, it may probably have a run, through those channels, to many parts of the kingdom, and, in time, become the inquiry of the curious, when and why such a mock usage was commenced.

I have herewith sent you copies of some of the haud-bills of the candidates, that were printed and plentifully dispersed (in imitation of the grand monde) before the election came on, by which you may judge of the humour in which the other parts of it were conducted. Their pseudo-titles, as you will observe, are Lord Twankum, Squire Blow-medown, and SquireGubbins. Lord Twankum's right name is John Gardiner, and is grave-digger to this parish; Blow-medown is Willis, a waterman; and Squire Gubbins, whose name is Simmonds, keeps a publichouse, the sign of the Gubbins' Head, in Blackmanstreet, Southwark

Some time hence, perhaps, also it may be a matter of inquiry what is meant by the Gubbins' Head. This

Simmonds formerly lived at Wandsworth, and went from hence to keep a public-house in Blackman-street; he being a droll companion in what is called low-life, several of his old acquaintance of this town used to call at his house, when they were in London, to drink a pot or two; and, as he generally had some cold provisions (which by a cant name he usually called "his gubbins"), he made them welcome to such as he had, from whence he obtained that name; and putting up a man's head for the sign, it was called the "Gubbins' Head." A hundred years hence, perhaps, if some knowledge of the occasion of the name of this sign should not be preserved in writing, our future antiquaries might puzzle themselves to find out the meaning of it. I make no question, but that we have many elaborate dissertations upon antique subjects, whose originals, being obscure or whimsy, like this, were never truly discovered. This leads me to the commendation of the utility of your design in recording singular accidents

and odd usages, the causes and origin of which might otherwise be lost in a loug tract of time.

Garrett Election, 1826.

It seems to be the desire of certain admirers of certain popular customs to get up another burlesque election for Garrett; the last was thirty years ago.

The following is a copy of a Notice, now executing (June 23, 1826) at a signpainters, on a board ten feet high, for the purpose of being publicly exhibited. It need scarcely be observed that the commencing word of this very singular composition, which ought to be Oyez, is improperly spelt and divided, and "yes" is unaccountably placed between three inverted commas; the transcript is verbatim, and is arranged in this column as the original is on the signboard.

"Yes"

NOTICE

That on THURSDAY
6th July, 1826
In conformity of
THE HIGH
AUTHORITIES,
Of the UNITED
KINGDOM
will assemble
THROUGHOUT

the EMPIRE and particularly at the Dustings at GARRAT,

to whit, conformable
to the Custom
Of OUR ANCIENT
LIBERTY.
SIR JOHN
PAUL PRY,
now offers himself
to a Generous
PUBLIC

GOD SAVE THE
KING

The last representative of Garrett was a “remarkable character" in the streets of the metropolis for many years. His ordinary costume was very different from

The kind of oratory and the nature of the argument employed by the candidates in their addresses to their coustituents, can scarcely be better exemplified than by the following

SPEECH OF SIR JEFFERY DUNSTAN. My Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen,

A landed property being the only unexceptionable qualification that entitles me to a seat in the august parlia ment of Great Britain, I presume my state in the Isle of Mud will, in point of propriety, secure to me your votes and interests, to represent you in the ensuing parliament.

Ladies and gem'men, I propose, for the good of mankind, to anticipate a few promises like other great men, but which I will strictly adhere to, that is, as long as I find it's my interest so to do.

First, in regard to his Majesty's want of money, I am determined to make him easy on that point-Lord bless him!) -by abolishing the use of it entirely, and reducing the price of gold, it being the worst cauker to the soul of man; and the only expedient I can think of to prevent bribery and corruption, an evil which all the great big wigs of Westminster cannot prevent, notwithstanding all their gravity and knowledge, as the late proceedings against governor Green Peas can fully testify.

Next, as my worthy constituents may be assured, I shall use all my honest ndeavours to get a majority in the Jouse. I shall always take the popular side of the question; and to do all I can to oblige that jewel of a man, SugarPlumb Billy, I shall assist him in paying off the national debt, without wetting a sponge. My scheme for this, ladies and gem'men, is to unmarry all those who choose it, on such terms as the minister shall think fit. This being a glorious opportunity for women of spirit to exert themselves, and regain their long lost empire over their hus bands, I hope they will use all their coaxing arts to get me elected in their husband's place; and this will greatly increase the influence of the crown, and vastly lower India bonds.

As I detest the idea of a placeman, I pledge myself not to accept of anything less than the government of Duck Island, or the bishoprick of Durham, for I am very fond of a clean shirt, and lawn sleeves, I think, took well; besides, the

sine qua non is the thing I aim at, like other great men. The ludiaCompany,100, I will convey from Leadenhall-street to Westminster, and, according to my owr wig principles, I will create all the directors' and nabobs' titles, and, besides, show them how to get what they have been long aiming at the way to Botany Bay. I shall likewise prove the Excise Office to be the greatest smuggle in the nation, for they smuggled the ground from the public on which their office stands, and for which I shall conjure up Old Gresham's ghost, to read them a lecture upon thieving.

Like the great men, 1 pledge my honour, life, and fortune, that I will remove all heavy taxes, and by a glorious scheme, contrived by me and my friend Lord George Gordon, I shall, by a philosophical, aristocratical thermometer, or such-like hydraulics, discover the longitude among the Jews of Duke's Place, and the secret of Masonry.

City honours I never courted, nor idle state through Cheapside's foggy air would I give an old wig to be drawn in

on a 9th of November.-No, I would rather sit by the side of my great friend Mr. Fox, in the Duke of Devonshire's coach, and make another coalition, or go with him to India, and be a governor's great man; for,

Ilated by fools, and fools to hate,
Was always Jeffery Dunstan's fate

Though my Lord George has turned Jew, and wears a broom about his chin*, I never intend to do so until his informer is dead, or the time elapsed of his imprisonment in the county castle, when we shall both go into Duke's Place, and be sworn true friends; then woe be to the informing busy bookseller of Spitalfields, who was lately turned out of the Snogo for eating pork with the riud on. Depend upon it his windows shall chatter more Hebrew than he ever understood. All this shall be done by me, in spite of him. Yes, by me, your humble servant,

SIR JEFFERY DUNSTAN, M.P.

Lord George Gordon, who rendered himself se conspicuous during the riots in 1780, adopted in his latter days the habit and manners of a Jew. He died November 1, 1793, in Newgate where he had been confined two years, for a libel on the moral and political conduct of the Queen of France; three years more for a libel on the Empress of Russia, and ten months longer for nct procuring the neces sary security for enlargement. His last moments are said to have been imbittered by the knowledge that he could not be buried among the Jews; w whose religion he was warmly attacked.

Exparte DIMSDALE, Bart. "Two single Gentlemen roll'd into one." TAKE NOTICE

Whereas, on or upon the last page but one of the last sheet, that is to say, columns 829 and 830 of the Every-Day Book, there are two whole length portraits, each whereof is subscribed, or inscribed beneath, with one name.

AND WHEREAS each, and both, is and are, thereby, that is to say, by the said one name, called, or purported to be called, "Sir Jeffery Dunstan, M.P. for Garrett, &c."

AND WHEREAS the said two engravings are portraits of two several, separate, and distinct individuals.

AND WHEREAS it is hereby declared to be true and certain, and not to be gainsayed or denied, that two neither are, nor is, nor can be, one.

Therefore, ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN are hereby intended, and required to be instructed, and informed thereof.

AND FURTHER, that the first, or top, or uppermost portrait, although subscribed "Sir Jeffery Dunstan, &c." is to be seen, taken, and received, as and for the true and faithful likeness of sir Harry Dimsdale, Bart. M.P. for Garrett, and for no or none other.

AND FURTHERMORE, that the second, or last portrait is, in truth, a like true, and faithful likeness of sir Jeffery Dunstan, as is there truly stated:

AND MORE, FURTHERMORE, that the misnomer, as to the said Sir Harry Dimsdale, was unpurposed and accidentally made and written by the undersigned, and overseen by the overseer, when the same was set up or composed in type by the compositor; and that he, the said compositor, was bound in duty not to think, but unthinkingly, and without thought, to do as he did, that is to say, follow his copy, and not think :

AND LASTLY, that the last portrait, subscribed "Sir Jeffery Dunstan," is rightly and truly so subscribed:

COS

Wherefore, the portrait of the " mopolite and muffin seller," was, and is, only, and alone, and no other, than the just and faithful likeness of sir Harry Dimsdale, according, and notwithstanding as aforesaid.

AND THEREFORE, the well-disposed are enjoined and required to dele, or strike out, the misnomer thereof, or thereto affixed, and in tender consideration of the preVOL. II.-79.

mises to forget and forgive the same, which proceeded wholly, solely, entirely, and unhappily from June 28, 1826.

Attestation, &c.

A. B.

This is to certify, that so much of the above contents as are within my knowledge, and the whole thereof, according to my full and perfect belief, is, and are, strictly and entirely true: And that the signature thereto subjoined is true and honest, in manner and form following, to wit,-the letter "A" is, of itself alone, what it purports to be, that is to say, 66 A," by itself, "A;" And the letter "B," in alphabetical order, is, also in nominal order, the literal beginning, or initial, of the real name, which is, or ought, or is meant to be attached thereto, namely " BLUNDER:" And that the said "Blunder" is altogether honest, and much to be pitied; and is known so to be, by every one as well acquainted with the said "Blunder," and the rest of the family, as myself.— The Printer.

MOCK ELECTION AT GARRETT,

25th of June, 1781.

This is the burlesque election referred to at column 825, when "upwards of 50,000 people were, on that ludicrous occasion, assembled at Wandsworth."

That notice, with the interesting letter concerning the origin of this popular custom, from Mr. Massey to Dr. Ducarel, on column 826, was inserted with other particulars, in the last sheet, for the purpose of inciting attention to the subject and under an expectation that the request there urged, for further information, might be further complied with. hope has been realized to a certain extent, and there will now be placed before the reader the communications of correspondents, and whatever has been obtained from personal intercourse with those who remember the old elections for Garrett.

The

To mention the earliest within remembrance, it is proper to say that this public burlesque was conducted in 1777 with great spirit; sir John Harper was then elected, and a man in armour rode in that procession. The name of this champion was "Jem Anderson," a breechesmaker of Wandsworth, and a wonderful humorist.

At sir John Harper's election, on the 25th of June, 1781, he had six rivals to contend with. A printed bill now before the editor, sets forth their titles and qualifications in the following manner :

"THE GARRATT ELECTION.

"The Possessions and Characters of the Seven Candidates that put up for that Great and Important Office, called

THE MAYOR OF GARRETT.

"Sir Jeffery Dunstan, sir William Blase, sir Christopher Dashwood, sir John Harper, sir William Swallow-tail, sir John Gnawpost, and

sir Thomas Nameless.

"On Wednesday, the 25th instant, being the day appointed for the Garrat election, the candidates proceeded from different parts of London to Garrat-green, Wandsworth.

"Sir Jeffery Dunstan : he is a man of low stature, but very great in character and abilities; his principal view is to serve his king and country, his worthy

friends and himself.

"The next gentleman that offered himself was sir William Blase, a man of great nonour and reputation, and was of high rank in the army, serving his king and country near forty years, and had the honour to be a corporal in the city trainbands, the last rebellion.

"The third, admiral Dashwood, well known in the county of Surry, to many who has felt the weight of his hand on their shoulders, and shewing an execution in the other.

"Sir John Harper is a man of the greatest abilities and integrity, and his estate lies wherever he goes; his wants are supplied by the oil of his tongue, and is of the strictest honour: he made an oath against work when in his youth, and was never known to break it.

"Sir William Swallow-tail is an eminent merchant in the county of Surry, and supplies most of the gardeners with strawberry-baskets, and others to bring their fruit to market.

"Sir John Gnawpost is a man well known to the public; he carries his traffic under his left arm, and there is not a schoolboy in London or Westminster but what has had dealings with him:-His general cry is 'twenty if you win, and five if you lose.'

"Sir Thomas Nameless,"―of reputation unmentionable.

Having thus described the candidates from the original printed "Hustings paper," it is proper to state that its description of them is followed by a woodsir Jeffery Dunstan, in the costume and cut representing two figures-one, of attitude of his portrait given at column 830, but holding a pipe in his right band, and one of another candidate, who, for want of a name to the figure, can scarcely be guessed at; he is in a court dress, with a star on the right breast of his coat, his right arm gracefully reposing in the pocket of his unmentionables, and his left hand holding a bag, which is thrown over his left shoulder.

Beneath that engraving is

"The speech of sir Jeffery Dunstan, Bart. delivered from the hustings.

"Gentlemen,

"I am heartily glad to see so great a number of my friends attend so early on the great and important business of this day. If I should be so happy as to be the object of your choice, you may depenc on it that your great requests shall be my sole study both asleep and awake. I am determined to oppose lord North in every measure he proposes; and that my electors shall have porter at threepence a pot; that bread shall be sold at four pence a quartern loaf, and corn be brought fairly to market, not stived up in granaries to be eat by rats and mice; and that neither Scotchmen or Irishmen shall have a seat in our parliament.

"Gentlemen, as I am not an orator or personable man, be assured I am an honest member. Having been abused in the public papers, I am resolved, if it cost me a thousand pounds, to take the free votes of the electors. It is true, it has cost me ten shillings for a coach, to raise which, I have pawned my cloathes; but that I regard not, since I am now in a situation to serve my king, whom I wish God to bless, also his precious queen, who, under the blessing of a king above, hath produced a progeny which has presaged a happy omen to this country.

"Gentlemen, I can assure you with the greatest truth, that the cloaths I have on are all my own, for the meanness of borrowing cloaths to appear before you, my worthy electors, I highly detest; and bribery and other meanness I abhor;