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aside　a　pipe　he　had　smoked　out；　and　filling　the　pipe　just　brought

to　him。



'Oh；　you　DON'T　live　here　then？'　said　I。



He　shook　his　head；　as　he　calmly　lighted　his　pipe　by　means　of　a

German　tinder…box；　and　replied；　'This　is　my　carriage。　　When　things

are　flat；　I　take　a　ride　sometimes；　and　enjoy　myself。　　I　am　the

inventor　of　these　wans。'



His　pipe　was　now　alight。　　He　drank　his　beer　all　at　once；　and　he

smoked　and　he　smiled　at　me。



'It　was　a　great　idea！'　said　I。



'Not　so　bad；'　returned　the　little　man；　with　the　modesty　of　merit。



'Might　I　be　permitted　to　inscribe　your　name　upon　the　tablets　of　my

memory？'　I　asked。



'There's　not　much　odds　in　the　name；'　returned　the　little　man；　'　…

no　name　particular　…　I　am　the　King　of　the　Bill…Stickers。'



'Good　gracious！'　said　I。



The　monarch　informed　me；　with　a　smile；　that　he　had　never　been

crowned　or　installed　with　any　public　ceremonies；　but　that　he　was

peaceably　acknowledged　as　King　of　the　Bill…Stickers　in　right　of

being　the　oldest　and　most　respected　member　of　'the　old　school　of

bill…sticking。'　　He　likewise　gave　me　to　understand　that　there　was　a

Lord　Mayor　of　the　Bill…Stickers；　whose　genius　was　chiefly　exercised

within　the　limits　of　the　city。　　He　made　some　allusion；　also；　to　an

inferior　potentate；　called　'Turkey…legs；'　but　I　did　not　understand

that　this　gentleman　was　invested　with　much　power。　　I　rather

inferred　that　he　derived　his　title　from　some　peculiarity　of　gait；

and　that　it　was　of　an　honorary　character。



'My　father；'　pursued　the　King　of　the　Bill…Stickers；　'was　Engineer；

Beadle；　and　Bill…Sticker　to　the　parish　of　St。　Andrew's；　Holborn；　in

the　year　one　thousand　seven　hundred　and　eighty。　　My　father　stuck

bills　at　the　time　of　the　riots　of　London。'



'You　must　be　acquainted　with　the　whole　subject　of　bill…sticking；

from　that　time　to　the　present！'　said　I。



'Pretty　well　so；'　was　the　answer。



'Excuse　me；'　said　I；　'but　I　am　a　sort　of　collector　…　'



''Not　Income…tax？'　cried　His　Majesty；　hastily　removing　his　pipe

from　his　lips。



'No；　no；'　said　I。



'Water…rate？'　said　His　Majesty。



'No；　no；'　I　returned。



'Gas？　　Assessed？　　Sewers？'　said　His　Majesty。



'You　misunderstand　me；'　I　replied；　soothingly。　　'Not　that　sort　of

collector　at　all：　a　collector　of　facts。'



'Oh；　if　it's　only　facts；'　cried　the　King　of　the　Bill…Stickers；

recovering　his　good…humour；　and　banishing　the　great　mistrust　that

had　suddenly　fallen　upon　him；　'come　in　and　welcome！　　If　it　had　been

income；　or　winders；　I　think　I　should　have　pitched　you　out　of　the

wan；　upon　my　soul！'



Readily　complying　with　the　invitation；　I　squeezed　myself　in　at　the

small　aperture。　　His　Majesty；　graciously　handing　me　a　little　three…

legged　stool　on　which　I　took　my　seat　in　a　corner；　inquired　if　I

smoked。



'I　do；　…　that　is；　I　can；'　I　answered。



'Pipe　and　a　screw！'　said　His　Majesty　to　the　attendant　charioteer。

'Do　you　prefer　a　dry　smoke；　or　do　you　moisten　it？'



As　unmitigated　tobacco　produces　most　disturbing　effects　upon　my

system　（indeed；　if　I　had　perfect　moral　courage；　I　doubt　if　I　should

smoke　at　all；　under　any　circumstances）；　I　advocated　moisture；　and

begged　the　Sovereign　of　the　Bill…Stickers　to　name　his　usual　liquor；

and　to　concede　to　me　the　privilege　of　paying　for　it。　　After　some

delicate　reluctance　on　his　part；　we　were　provided；　through　the

instrumentality　of　the　attendant　charioteer；　with　a　can　of　cold

rum…and…water；　flavoured　with　sugar　and　lemon。　　We　were　also

furnished　with　a　tumbler；　and　I　was　provided　with　a　pipe。　　His

Majesty；　then　observing　that　we　might　combine　business　with

conversation；　gave　the　word　for　the　car　to　proceed；　and；　to　my

great　delight；　we　jogged　away　at　a　foot　pace。



I　say　to　my　great　delight；　because　I　am　very　fond　of　novelty；　and

it　was　a　new　sensation　to　be　jolting　through　the　tumult　of　the　city

in　that　secluded　Temple；　partly　open　to　the　sky；　surrounded　by　the

roar　without；　and　seeing　nothing　but　the　clouds。　　Occasionally；

blows　from　whips　fell　heavily　on　the　Temple's　walls；　when　by

stopping　up　the　road　longer　than　usual；　we　irritated　carters　and

coachmen　to　madness；　but　they　fell　harmless　upon　us　within　and

disturbed　not　the　serenity　of　our　peaceful　retreat。　　As　I　looked

upward；　I　felt；　I　should　imagine；　like　the　Astronomer　Royal。　　I　was

enchanted　by　the　contrast　between　the　freezing　nature　of　our

external　mission　on　the　blood　of　the　populace；　and　the　perfect

composure　reigning　within　those　sacred　precincts：　where　His

Majesty；　reclining　easily　on　his　left　arm；　smoked　his　pipe　and

drank　his　rum…and…water　from　his　own　side　of　the　tumbler；　which

stood　impartially　between　us。　　As　I　looked　down　from　the　clouds　and

caught　his　royal　eye；　he　understood　my　reflections。　　'I　have　an

idea；'　he　observed；　with　an　upward　glance；　'of　training　scarlet

runners　across　in　the　season；　…　making　a　arbour　of　it；　…　and

sometimes　taking　tea　in　the　same；　according　to　the　song。'



I　nodded　approval。



'And　here　you　repose　and　think？'　said　I。



'And　think；'　said　he；　'of　posters　…　walls　…　and　hoardings。'



We　were　both　silent；　contemplating　the　vastness　of　the　subject。　　I

remembered　a　surprising　fancy　of　dear　THOMAS　HOOD'S；　and　wondered

whether　this　monarch　ever　sighed　to　repair　to　the　great　wall　of

China；　and　stick　bills　all　over　it。



'And　so；'　said　he；　rousing　himself；　'it's　facts　as　you　collect？'



'Facts；'　said　I。



'The　facts　of　bill…sticking；'　pursued　His　Majesty；　in　a　benignant

manner；　'as　known　to　myself；　air　as　following。　　When　my　father　was

Engineer；　Beadle；　and　Bill…Sticker　to　the　parish　of　St。　Andrew's；

Holborn；　he　employed　women　to　post　bills　for　him。　　He　employed

women　to　post　bills　at　the　time　of　the　riots　of　London。　　He　died　at

the　age　of　seventy…five　year；　and　was　buried　by　the　murdered　Eliza

Grimwood；　over　in　the　Waterloo　Road。'



As　this　was　somewhat　in　the　nature　of　a　royal　speech；　I　listened

with　deference　and　silently。　　His　Majesty；　taking　a　scroll　from　his

pocket；　proceeded；　with　great　distinctness；　to　pour　out　the

following　flood　of　information：…



'〃The　bills　being　at　that　period　mostly　proclamations　and

declarations；　and　which　were　only　a　demy　size；　the　manner　of

posting　the　bills　（as　they　did　not　use　brushes）　was　by　means　of　a

piece　of　wood　which　they　called　a　'dabber。'　　Thus　things　continued

till　such　time　as　the　State　Lottery　was　passed；　and　then　the

printers　began　to　print　larger　bills；　and　men　were　employed　instead

of　women；　as　the　State　Lottery　Commissioners　then　began　to　send　men

all　over　England　to　post　bills；　and　would　keep　them　out　for　six　or

eight　months　at　a　time；　and　they　were　called　by　the　London　bill…

stickers　'TRAMPERS；'　their　wages　at　the　time　being　ten　shillings

per　day；　besides　expenses。　　They　used　sometimes　to　be　stationed　in

large　towns　for　five　or　six　months　together；　distributing　the

schemes　to　all　the　houses　in　the　town。　　And　then　there　were　more

caricature　wood…block　engravings　for　posting…bills　than　there　are

at　the　present　time；　the　principal　printers；　at　that　time；　of

posting…bills　being　Messrs。　Evans　and　Ruffy；　of　Budge　Row；

Thoroughgood　and　Whiting；　of　the　present　day；　and　Messrs。　Gye　and

Balne；　Gracechurch　Street；　City。　　The　largest　bills　printed　at　that

period　were　a　two…sheet　double　crown；　and　when　they　commenced

printing　four…sheet　bills；　two　bill…stickers　would　work　together。

They　had　no　settled　wages　per　week；　but　had　a　fixed　price　for　their

work；　and　the　London　bill…stickers；　during　a　lottery　week；　have

been　known　to　earn；　each；　eight　or　nine　pounds　per　week；　till　the

day　of　drawing；　likewise　the　men　who　carried　boards　in　the　street

used　to　have　one　pound　per　week；　and　the　bill…stickers　at　that　time

would　not　allow　any　one　to　wilfully　cover　or　destroy　their　bills；

as　they　had　a　society　amongst　themselves；　and　very　frequently　dined

together　at　some　public…house　where　they　used　to　go　of　an　evening

to　have　their　work　delivered　out　untoe　'em。〃'



All　this　His　Majesty　delivered　in　a　gallant　manner；　posting　it；　as

it　were；　before　me；　in　a　great　proclamation。　　I　took　advantage　of

the　pause　he　now　made；　to　inquire　what　a　'two…sheet　double　crown'

might　express？



'A　two…sheet　double　crown；'　replied　the　King；　'is　a　bill　thirty…

nine　inches　wide　by　thirty　inches　high。'



'Is　it　possible；'　said　I；　my　mind　reverting　to　the　gigantic

admonitions　we　were　then　displaying　to　the　multitude　…　which　were

as　infants　to　some　of　the　posting…bills　on　the　rotten　old　warehouse

…　'that　some　few　years　ago　the　largest　bill　was　no　larger　than

that？'



'The　fact；'　returned　the　King；　'is　undoubtedly　so。'　　Here　he

instantly　rushed　again　into　the　scroll。



'〃Since　the　abolishing　of　the　State　Lottery　all　that　good　feeling

has　gone；　and　nothing　but　jealousy　exists；　through　the　rivalry　of

each　other。　　Several　bill…sticking　companies　have　started；　but　have

failed。　　The　first　party　that　started　a　company　was　twelve　year

ago；　but　what　was　left　of　the　old　school　and　their　dependants

joined　together　and　opposed　them。　　And　for　some　time　we　were　quiet

again；　till　a　printer　of　Hatton　Garden　formed　a　company　by　hiring

the　sides　of　houses；　but　he　was　not　supported　by　the　public；　and　he

left　his　wooden　frames　fixed　up　for　rent。　　The　last　company　that

started；　took　advantage　of　the　New　Police　Act；　and　hired　of　Messrs。

Grissell　and　Peto　the　hoarding　of　Trafalgar　Square；　and　established

a　bill…sticking　office　in　Cursitor　Street；　Chancery　Lane；　and

engaged　some　of　the　new　bill…stickers　to　do　their　work；　and　for　a

time　got　the　half　of　all　our　work；　and　with　such　spirit　did　they

carry　on　their　opposition　towards　us；　that　they　used　to　give　us　in

charge　before　the　magistrate；　and　get　us　fined；　but　they　found　it

so　expensive；　that　they　could　not　keep　it　up；　for　they　were　always

employing　a　lot　of　ruffians　from　the　Seven　Dials　to　come　and　fight

us；　and　on　one　occasion　the　old　bill…stickers　went