fought duels in the year 1822, and they possess skill too, every one having missed manslaughter. "Oh, my leg !" is a hint to a discharged convict; and gave name probably to the legs.'

Leger (St.) Stakes-are a payment of 25 guineas each, by the owners of 3-year olds, (horses and mares) to be run for over a course of about 2 miles, more or less; the winner takes or sweeps off all-whence 'sweepstakes.' Colts carry 8st. 2lbs; fillies 8st. They were begun at Doncaster in 1776, before which time, the fashion of running 3 yr-olds was limited; the application of names to the several stakes, as Derby, Craven, and St. Leger, began soon after then-Legere is French for light weights. In 1822, 73 horses were named, and 23 started. Let loose that part of the ring at a bull-bait, where the dogs are slipped, or let loose. The let-loose,' or 'let-out,' of prison, occurs at three months, six months, &c. after the conclusion of each session respectively, about noon: the man who would see life in its varieties,' and at Newgate in particular, would do well to watch the movements of the discharged persons for an hour or two. Levanter-one who does not pay his losses upon turf-bets but flies off, is a Levanter, and by comparison, pari passu on similar bets. Derived doubtlessly from the Levant wind in the Mediterranean, which coming on suddenly, detaches single ships from their squadron, and drives them the lord knows whither.

A Lewis Cornaro-any old water-drinker, or suspected. Lexicon-bon-ton for a dictionary, even of the most ordinary kind, as Entick's; or 'reach me Sam Janson's Lexicon, vol. toe.'

Liberal Education --bon-ton; Latin and Greek, with an opportunity of bringing those to some account-but neglected. In the mouths of tradesmen and manufacturers, reading, writing, and arithmetic, equal to a National Schoolian,' and subscription to the village library, during his apprenticeship.

Liberal Principles-freedom from controul, human or divine; with proselytism by the press. Liberty-hall-to drink as you list.

Lick (a) a hit, not returned; and a licking, a beating not resisted. Hence, 'I can't fight, but I von't be licked.' 'He got a sound licking;' he was beat like a child-no chance. I knows I shall be vell licked when I gets home.'

Lick-spittle-one who fawns or seeks another's favour in a dastardly manner, and would, if desired, lick his spittle like a dog. See Toad-eater.

८

Life-to live joyously, is life.' 'Seeing life,' is said of the boarding-school miss, when she is first introduced to a ball-room. 6 Going up to town, to see a bit of life,' is a common expression with those who come up to visit the theatres, piazzas, and shows. Life in its varieties,' high and low life, but chiefly a softened expression for the latter. * High life,' is properly-living among the great and titled ones. A bit of high life,' would be a visit to Almack's or the masquerade, and taking a stroll into a hell. 'Low life-Billingsgate is not so bad as it, though St. Giles's below stairs might do. White-cross street, of a Saturday night, is low, and so is Petticoat-lane of a Sunday morning, and Kent-street all day. 'Life and fun,' may be seen at fairs, but the term is mostly applicable to street business. Thus Dibdin's Jolly Dick the lamplighter:'

But father 's not the likes of I

་

For seeing life and fun,'

For I strange tricks and fancies spy,
Folks seldom show the sun.

Few people generalise their ideas so far as to visit every variety of life. The writer of these sheets has seen ALL, except being presented at court, and feeling the delights of a prison. No two pursuits can differ more than 'Life' in the several classes of society: with the haut-ton, routs, cards, and up-all-night, constitute life; whereas the cobbler's wife considers no higher enjoyment of life exists, than taking a drop of heavy-wet on a St. Monday with her dear Mr. Lapstone, while he plays at skittles and blows a cloud. He who is acquainted with the various cheats about town, is said to 'know life: "Where do you live?" asks an old acquaintance. Ans. "I do not live now; I have left life and vegetate in the country."

'Light, to strike a'-to open an account, of the minor sort, generally applied to ale-house scores. "Tis an invention

of the working printers in their chapel. Light weight-In affairs connected with the ring, persons of 11 stone and under are light weights, and if of nine or less, they receive the appellation of little-ones. A jockey of 9 st. is not considered a light weight:' boys of 6 st. 4 lb. being sometimes required, seldom less.

Limbo-any place to which one's particulars may be confined; so this explicatory volume may be considered the author's 'Limbo of Oddities.' 'Cast into Limbo'-sent to a prison.

Line-a string. A man is in a line when he is made the fool or butt of another; when of the entire company, he is in a string.' To be in the line was some time meant a dealer in forged bank-notes, but became obsolete by the re-issue of gold: those passers were also termed smashers (improperly), who retailed but a few, singly. In the line of life to live dishonestly; a w who does not rob, is not yet got into the line or manner of doing it—she is only in the way of life.

Lingo Damn his lingo,' said of a parson, or admonishing justice. Vhat pretty lingo Tom Owen does patter surelye,' in the ring.

And my timbers, what lingo he'd coil and belay!' "Twas all just as one as high Dutch. Dibdin. Listener-the ear. "Gas now planted his favourite hit under the left listener of his antagonist, which sent him to dorse." Vide Fancy Gazette. Literary pursuits-subscription to a library and access to talking company; the production of a scrap or two occasionally in a favourite paper, busy intercourse (monthly) with a magazine, and the announcement of a volume once in ten years. Of such quacks and their admirers we find there are two classes, those who have erudition without genius, and those who have volubility without research;" we shall obtain second-hand sense from the one, and original nonsense from the other.

Little Chancery-a court of requests, or of conscience.
Little-ease the name of a certain city-prison.

Lob-a shopkeeper's till. Lob's-pound-a prison, dark and drear.

Lobster a soldier. By inversion a lobster is also called a soldier, when boiled, as is a red-herring.

Logier-a pocket-book, it is Jewish-Dutch.

Longshore Lawyers are Black Sharks,' which see.
Long-town-London is so spoken of by the Irish.
Love-nothing: to fight for love, or play for it, is nought-
no such thing in existence among the legs; hence the

term.

Low-any unexpected sally from one of a party acting like gentlefolks, is denounced low: and he is low company,' who of a St. Monday, or during a Sunday ramble, should come out with sexual stuff- -or infamous dirty allusionsYet is not such conduct confined to dustmen and mere donneken dabblers, but pervades all highflyer society. Lud-two species of Lud, differing toto cœlo in their habitudes, are now before our vif imagination: the one may be spoken to, the other only spoken of; the one is visible, the other kind only felt, or are heard of occasionally, without being seen. The first kind may amount to about a dozen (a baker's dozen) at any one time; of the second, as many hundreds or thousands go out at a time; that 'town-bred,' this kind confined to the country. Yet are the fewer the best off in respect to gallows affairs, as these never go to the drop,' but commit the more numerous kind of Luds to the finishing care of John Ketch, the roper. The most populous take individually the name of Ned; among the pars paucere they had among them only one Ned (viz. Edward Ellenbro' dec.) and he no one dared call Ned, except Will Hone, and even he called him Lud' for the most part: "My Lud! my Lud!! it is I that am to be tried, and not you!!!" The three Luds in the Minories,' so much written of by the Slang-whangers at one time, never did exist: but the three Lords' may be found there once a sporting-house.

Lumber (live)-men and women over-loading a cart-no matter the age or condition. Lumbered taken-up on suspicion, supposed in irons.

Lumber-troop--a society of jolly-ones, citizens of the middle rank, assuming military distinctions, as commander, colonel, captain, &c. with insignia, forms, and cannon. Lumpy-heavy. "Here they are, lumping penn'orths," of fruit at the stalls.

"I, Lumpy famed, Mendoza lick,

I'm up to all and quite the kick,"

Lurcher a thief-dog, trained by poachers, being got out of the worst of two or three species; e. g.—a mastiff and bull

dog, then the fiercest of the produce upon a lawless staghound; let the gestation and litter be in the woods or glens, far from home. Also, the greyhound and tanned terrier cross. Law lurcher-a bum-bailiff.

Lush-drink of any sort-beer principally. Thus we have Tom Cribb's lush-crib.' Lush-out; a drinking bout. 'Lushington,' or 'dealing with Lushington,' taking too much drink.

M.

Ma'am-abbreviated from Madam, a term of respect used in addressing ladies of respectability; but among fish-fags and prostitutes, 'tis taken ironically, considered as an insult, and resented accordingly. Marm, is but a further corruption of the first.

Macaroni stakes-those ridden by gentlemen, not jockies. Mace-the broad-pointed instrument used for playing the safe game at billiards. The mace-cove is he who will cheat, take in, or swindle, as often as may be. Mad-cap-a frisky wild lass, full of fun.

Mag, magging-monotonous endless talk; 'Stow magging,' cease talking. Mag-a halfpenny.

Maiden-plate-a racing prize, for which untried horses and mares alone are allowed to start; or, if any do start surreptitiously and win the race, the prize is withheld. These plates are generally fifties.

Main (a)-with dice-players, is the averages of the number to be thrown.

Then Ajax grasps his clumsy fist,
And gives the box a devilish twist,
Out pop the dice; cried Nestor-seven
'S the main; a nick, by Jove! eleven.
Another throw then Ajax tries:

Now eight's the main, sly Nestor cries;
Resolv'd this jobbernoul to cozen,

Roars out, another nick! a dozen.

Main-in cock-fighting; he who wins the advantage on a series of battles, wins the main.

'Malleting—a horse.' Two horse-dealers appear, the one as a buyer, the other assists the seller in making sale of his horse; they try him, and dispose of the animal to a fourth person, pocketing the proceeds, and sometimes fight which shall have it; when honest men come to know who the rogues are. This last is a malletting bout, which differs a little from Hammering. Vide Old Fancy,' p. 98.