er. At the back of this plate is Lee and Harper's great booth, where,
by the picture of the wooden horse, we are told, is represented "The
Siege of Troy." The next paintings consist of the fall of Adam and Eve,
and a scene in Punch's opera. Beneath is a mountebank, exalted on a
stage, eating fire to attract the public attention; while his
merry-andrew behind is distributing his medicines. Further back is a
shift and hat, carried upon poles, designed as prizes for the best
runner or wrestler. In front is a group of strollers parading the fair,
in order to collect an audience for their next exhibition; in which is a
female drummer, at that time well known, and remarked for her beauty,
which we observe has caught the eye of two countrymen, the one old, the
other young. Behind these men is a buskined hero, beset by a Marshalsea
Court officer and his follower. To the right is a Savoyard exhibiting
her farthing show; and behind, a player at back sword riding a blind
horse round the fair triumphantly, in all the boast of self-important
heroism, affecting terror in his countenance, glorying in his scars, and
challenging the world to open combat: a folly for which the English were
remarkable. To this man a fellow is directing the attention of a country
gentleman, while he robs him of his handkerchief. Next him is an artful
villain decoying a couple of unthinking country girls to their ruin.
Further back is a man kissing a wench in the crowd; and above, a juggler
performing some dexterity of hand. Indeed it would be tedious to enter
into an enumeration of the various matter of this plate; it is
sufficient to remark that it presents us with an endless collection of
spirited and laughable characters, in which is strikingly portrayed the
character of the times.

[Illustration: SOUTHWARK FAIR.]

GARRICK IN THE CHARACTER OF RICHARD III.

Give me another horse,--bind up my wounds,--
Have mercy, Jesu!--Soft; I did but dream.--
O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me!--
The lights burn blue!--is it not dead midnight?
Cold, fearful drops hang on my trembling flesh.--

Such is the exclamation of Richard, and such is the disposition of his
mind at the moment of this delineation. The lamp, diffusing a dim
religious light through the tent, the crucifix placed at his head, the
crown, and unsheathed sword at his hand, and the armour lying on the
ground, are judicious and appropriate accompaniments. Those wh