February, 1738, De Veil was appointed
inspector-general of the imports and exports, and was so severe against
the retailers of spirituous liquors, that one Allen headed a gang of
rioters for the purpose of pulling down his house, and bringing to a
summary punishment two informers who were there concealed. Allen was
tried for this offence, and acquitted, upon the jury's verdict declaring
him lunatic.

The waiter who supports his worship, seems, from the patch upon his
forehead, to have been in a recent affray; but what use he can have for
a lantern, it is not easy to divine, unless he is conducting his charge
to some place where there is neither moonlight nor illumination.

The Salisbury flying coach oversetting and broken, by passing through
the bonfire, is said to be an intended burlesque upon a right honourable
peer, who was accustomed to drive his own carriage over hedges, ditches,
and rivers; and has been sometimes known to drive three or four of his
maid servants into a deep water, and there leave them in the coach to
shift for themselves.

The butcher, and little fellow, who are assisting the terrified
passengers, are possibly free and accepted masons. One of them seems to
have a mop in his hand;--the pail is out of sight.

To crown the joys of the populace, a man with a pipe in his mouth is
filling a capacious hogshead with British Burgundy.

The joint operation of shaving and bleeding, performed by a drunken
'prentice on a greasy oilman, does not seen a very natural exhibition on
a rejoicing night.

The poor wretches under the barber's bench display a prospect of penury
and wretchedness, which it is to be hoped is not so common now, as it
was then.

In the distance is a cart laden with furniture, which some unfortunate
tenant is removing out of the reach of his landlord's execution.

There is humour in the barber's sign and inscription; "Shaving,
bleeding, and teeth drawn with a touch. ECCE SIGNUM!"

By the oaken boughs on the sign, and the oak leaves in the free-masons'
hats, it seems that this rejoicing night is the twenty-ninth of May, the
anniversary of our second Charles's restoration; that happy day when,
according to our old ballad, "The king enjoyed his own again." This
might be one reason for the artist choosing a scene contiguous to the
beautiful equestrian statue of Charles the First.

In the distance we see a house on fire; an accident very likely to
happen on such a night as this.

On