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St. John's Wood, on the first of May, instead of suffering them to collect money as heretofore; the public are therefore cautioned against encouraging in any way such collections, as they are too frequently obtained by persons of the worst descriptions, or for the sinister purposes of their employers.

N. B. The procession will start from the Bedford Arms, Charlotte-street, Bedford-square, at eleven o'clock.

On Monday, the first of May, 1826, (pursuant to the above notice,) the first anniversary dinner of the "United Society of Master Chimney Sweepers," took place at the Eyre tavern, St. John's-wood, Marylebone.

About eleven o'clock, two hundred of their apprentices proceeded in great regularity through the principal streets and squares at the west end of the town, accompanied by an excellent band of music. The clean and wholesome appearance of the lads, certainly, reflected much credit on their masters, and attracted crowds of persons to the above tavern, where the boys were regaled with a substantial repast of roast beef and plum-pudding; after which the masters themselves sat down to a very excellent dinner provided for the occasion.

On the cloth being removed, and the usual routine of loyal toasts drank, the chairman addressed his brother tradesmen, congratulating them on the formation of a society that was calculated to do such essential service to the trade in general. It would be the means of promoting the welfare of their apprentices, which was a feeling he was convinced every one of them had at heart,-who, in stead of being permitted to loiter and dance about the streets on the first of May, dressed up in tawdry apparel, and solicit ing money, should in future be regaled with substantial fare on each forthcoming day of the anniversary of the society, in order to put an end to the degrading practice which had for such a length of time stigmatized the trade. (Applause.)

"Success to the United Society of Chimney Sweepers," having been drank with thunders of applause,

Mr. BENNETT, of Welbeck-street, addressed the company on the subject of cleansing chimnies with the machine, the introduction of which he was confident would never answer the intended purposes. He urged the absolute necessity of employing climbing boys in their trade; and instanced several cases in which the machines were rendered perfectly useless: most of the chimnies in the great houses at the west end of the

town were constructed in such a manner that it was utterly impossible to clear them of soot, unless a human being was sent up for that purpose. He admitted that some houses had chimnies which were built perpendicular; but even in those were frequently to be met with what the trade called "cores," which were large pieces of mortar that projected out from the brick-work, and that collected vast quantities of soot on their surface, so that no machine could get over the difficulty. When the subject of the climbing boys was before the house of lords, he (Mr. Bennett) was sent for by the earl of Hardwicke, who was desirous of personally ascertaining whether the practice of allowing boys to ascend chimnies could be dispensed with entirely. He (Mr. Bennett) had attended at his lordship's residence with the machine, which was tried in most of the chimnies in the huose, but the experiment failed; one of his apprentices having been ultimately obliged to ascend for the purpose of extricating the machine from impediments which were only to be surmounted by the activity of elimbing boys. The result was, that his lordship subsequently expressed his opinion that the machines could never answer the purposes for which they were originally intended, and therefore had his chimnies swept by the old method. Mr. Bennett concluded by making some observations on the harsh manner in which the trade had been aspersed. He said it had been insinuated that their apprentices, in consequence of being permitted to ascend chimnies, were often rendered objects for the remainder of their lives. There were, he ad...itted, a few solitary instances of accidents happening in their trade as well as in every other. He now only wished that their opponents might have an opportunity of witnessing the healthy and cheerful state in which their apprentices were.

A master chimney-sweeper, with great vehemence of action and manner, said, "I am convinced, Mr. Chairman, that it is a thing impossible to do away with our climbing boys. For instance, look at the duke of York's fifty-one new chimnies.

Let me ask any one of you in company, is it possible a machine could be poked up any one of them? I say, no; and for this reason that most of them run in a horizontal line, and then abruptly turn up, so that you see a machine would be of no more use than if you were to thrust up an old broomstick; and I mean to stick to it, that our opponents may as well try to put down chimney-sweepers in the old way, as the Equitable Loan Bank Company endeavoured to cut up the business of the pawnbrokers. (Applause.) When I look round the table, (said the speaker,) and see such respectable gentlemen on my right and on my left, and in front of me, who dares to say that the United Society of Master Chimney Sweepers are not as respectable a body of tradesmen as any in London? and although, if I may be excused the expression, there is not a gentleman now present that has not made his way in the profession,' by climbing up chimnies. (There was a universal nod of assent at this allusion.) Therefore, continued the speaker, the more praise is due to us, and I now conclude by wishing every success to our new society." The above animated address was received with the loudest plaudits.

Several other master chimney-sweepers addressed the company, after which the ladies were introduced into the room, and dancing commenced, which was kept up

to a late hour.*

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Boys by the use of the Scandiscope," are those of the "patron," and the president, vice-presidents, committee, and treasurer. These are chiefly prelates, peers, and members of the house of commons; but the "patron" of the society is "the king," in opposition to whom, in the capacity of "patron," Mr. Bennett, the master-sweep, of Welbeck-street, urges the "absolute necessity" of employing climbing boys. One of his reasons is, that in some chimnies the bricklayers have "cores" of mortar whereon the soot accumulates so that no machine can get over the difficulty; but this only shows the "absolute necessity" of causing the "cores" to be removed from chimnies already so deformed, and of making surveyors of future houses responsible for the expenses of alteration, if they suffer them to be so improperly constructed. Mr. Bennett says, that lord Hardwicke was convinced "the machines could never answer the purposes for which they were originally intended, and therefore had his chimnies swept by the old method." If his lordship did express that opinion, it is in opposition to the opinion of the king, as " patron," the late bishop of Durham, the present bishop of Oxford, the duke of Bedford, the lords Grosvenor, Morley, Harrowby, Gwydir, Auckland, and other distinguished individuals, who as president and vice-presidents of the society, had better opportunities of determining correctly, than Mr. Bennett probably afforded to earl Hardwicke.

Another "master chimney-sweeper" is reported to have said, "look at the duke of York's fifty-one new chimnies:--most of them run in a horizontal line, and then abruptly turn up, so that, you see, a machine would be of no more use than if you were to thrust up an old broomstick :" and then he asks, "who dares to say that the United Society of Master Chimney Sweepers are not as respectable a body of tradesmen as any in London ?” and triumphantly adds, that "there is not a gentleman now present that has not made his way in the profession by climbing up chimnies." To this "there was a universal nod of assent." But a universal admission by all "the gentlemen present" that they had climbed to respectability by climbing up chimnies, is of very little weight with those who observe and know that willing slaves become the greatest and most effective oppressors; and as to the duke of York's new chimnies, it is not credible his royal highness can be informed that the present

construction of his chimnies necessarily dooms unborn infants to the certain fate of having the flesh torn from their joints before they can sweep such chimnies. The scandalous default of a surveyor has subjected the duke of York to the odium of being quoted as an authority in opposition to a society for abolishing a cruel and useless trade, wherein servitude is misery, and independence cannot be attained but by the continual infliction of blows and torture on helpless children. Yet as an act of parliament abated the frequency of conflagrations, by empowering district surveyors to cause the erection of party walls, so a few clauses added to the building act would authorize the surveyors to enforce the building of future chimnies without "cores," and of a form to be swept by the "Scandiscope." Master chimney-sweepers would have no reason to complain of such enactment, inasmuch as they would continue to find employment, till the old chimnies and the prejudices in favour of cruelty to children, disappeared by effluxion of time.

The engraving at the head of this article is altered from a lithographic print representing a "Scandiscope." Perhaps the machine may be better understood from the annexed diagram. It simply consists of a whalebone brush, and wooden cylinders strung on rope, and put into action by the method described beneath the larger engraving.

Mr. George Smart obtained two gold medals from the Society of Arts for this invention. The names of the machine chimney-sweepers in different parts of

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London may be obtained from Mr. Wilt, secretary of the "Society for superseding Climbing Boys," No. 125, Leadenhallstreet; the treasurer of the institution is W. Tooke, esq., F. R. S. Any person may become member, and acquaint himself with the easy methods by which the machine is adopted to almost any chimney. As the climbing chimney-sweepers are combining to oppose it, all humane individuals will feel it a duty to inquire whether they should continue willing instru ments in the hands of the "profession" for the extension of the present cruel practice.

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And is all pity for the poor sweeps fled,
Since Montagu is numbered with the dead?
She who did once the many sorrows weep,
That met the wanderings of the woe-worn sweep!
Who, once a year, bade all his griefs depart,
On May's sweet morn would doubly cheer his heart!
Washed was his little form, his shirt was clean,
On that one day his real face was seen,

His shoeless feet, now boasted pumps and new,
The brush and shovel gaily held to view!
The table spread, his every sense was charmed,
And every savoury smell his bosom warmed;
His light heart joyed to see such goodly cheer,
And much he longed to taste the mantling beer:
His hunger o'er-the scene was little heaven-
If riches thus can bless, what blessings might be given !

But, she is gone! none left to soothe their grief,
Or, once a year, bestow their meed of beef!
Now forth he's dragged to join the beggar's dance;
With heavy heart, he makes a slow advance,
Loudly to clamour for that tyrant's good,
Who gives with scanty hand his daily food!

It is the interest of the "United Society of Master Chimney Sweepers" to appear liberal to the wretched beings who are the creatures of their mercy; of the variation and degrees of that mercy, there is evidence before the committee of the house of commons. Sympathy for the oppressed in the breast of their oppressors is reasonably to be suspected. On the minutes of the "Society for superseding Climbing Boys," there are cases that make humanity shudder; against their recurrence there is no security but the general adoption of machines in chimnies-instead of children.

Friend, and Climbing Boys' Album," is a Mr.Montgomery's "Chimney Sweeper's volume of affecting appeal, dedicated to the king," in honour of his majesty's condescending and exemplary concern for the effectual deliverance of the meanest, the poorest, and weakest of British born subjects, from unnatural, unnecessary, and unjustifiable personal slavery and moral degradation." It contains a variety of beautiful compositions in prose and verse: one of them is

THE CHIMNEY SWEEPER.

Communicated by Mr. Charles Lamb, from a very rare and curious little work, Mr. Blake's "Songs of Innocence."

When my mother died I was very young,

And my father sold me, while yet my tongue
Could scarcely cry, Weep! weep! weep!"

66

So your chimnies I sweep, and in soot I sleep.

There's little Tom Toddy, who cried when his head,
That was curl'd like a lamb's back, was shaved, so I said,
"Hush, Tom, never mind it for when your head's bare,
You know that the soot cannot spoil your white hair."

And so he was quiet, and that very night
As Tom was a sleeping, he had such a sight,

That thousands of sweepers, Dick, Joe, Ned, and Jack,
Were all of them locked up in coffins so black.

And by came an angel, who had a bright key,
And he opened the coffins, and set them all free;
Then down a green plain, leaping, laughing, they run,
And wash in a river, and shine in the sun,

Then naked and white, all their bags left behind,
They rise upon clouds, and sport in the wind;
And the angel told Tom, if he'd be a good boy
He'd have God for his father, and never want joy.
And so Tom awoke, and we rose in the dark,
And got with our bags and our brushes to work;
Though the morning was cold, Tom was happy and warm,
So if all do their duty they need not fear harm.

Dining with Duke Humphrey,

MAY DAY HONOURS TO HIM. In old St. Paul's cathedral "within a proper chappel purposely made for him,"

and in a proper tomb, sir John Beauchamp, constable of Dover, and warden of the cinque ports, was buried in the year 1358. "This deceased nobleman," says Stow, "by ignorant people hath been erroneously mistermed and said to be

duke Humfrey, the good duke of Gloucester, who lyeth honourably buried at Saint Albans in Hartfordshire, twenty miles from London; in idle and frivolous opinion of whom, some men, of late times, have made a solemne meeting at his. tombe upon Saint Andrewe's day in the morning (before Christmasse) and concluded on a breakfast or dinner, as assuring themselves to be servants, and to hold diversity of offices under the good duke Humfrey."

Stow's continuator says, "Likewise, on May-day, tankard bearers, watermen, and some other of like quality beside, would use to come to the same tombe early in the morning, and, according as the other, deliver serviceable presentation at the same monument, by strewing herbes, and sprinkling faire water on it, as in the duty of servants, and according to their degrees and charges in office but (as Master Stow hath discreetly advised such as are so merrily disposed, or simply profess themselves to serve duke Humfrey in Pauls) if punishment of losing their dinners daily, there, be not sufficient for them, they should be sent to St. Albans, to answer there for their disobedience, and long absence from their so highly well deserving lord and master, as in their merry disposition they please so to call him."

There can be no doubt that this mock solemnity on May-day, and the feast of St. Andrew, on pretence of attending a festival in Paul's, on the invitation of a dead nobleman in another place, gave rise to the saying concerning" dining with duke Humfrey." It is still used respecting persons who inquire "where shall I dine?" or who have lost, or are afraid of "losing their dinners."

PRINTERS' MAY FESTIVAL

The following particulars of a very curious celebration is remarkable, as being a description of the old mode of festivous enjoyment, "according to order," and the wearing of garlands by the stewards, with "whifflers" in the procession. It is extracted from Randle Holme's "Storehouse of Armory, 1688."

Stationers' Hall May Feast.
The Printers, Journeymen, with the
Founders and Ink-makers have every

* Whifters, see vol. i. p. 1444, note, and 1488.

year a general Feast, which is kept in the Stationers Hall on or about May Day. It is made by 4 Stewards, 2 Masters, and 2 Journeymen; and with the Collection of half a Crown a piece of every Guest, the charges of the whole Feast is defrayed.

About 10 of the Clock in the Morning on the Feast day, the Company invited meet at the place appointed, and from thence go to some Church thereabouts in this following Order. First, 4 Whifflers (as Servitures) by two and two, walking before with white Staves in their Hands, and red and blew Ribbons hung Beltwise upon their Shoulders: these make way for the Company.

Then walks the Beadle of the Company of Stationers, with the Companies Staff in his Hand, and Ribbons as afore.

Then the Minister, whom the Stewards have engaged to Preach the Sermon, and his Reader or Clerk.

Then the Stewards walk, by two and two, with long white wands in their Hands, and all the rest of the Company follow in like order, till they enter the Church, &c. Service ended, and a Sermon suitable for the occasion finished, they all return to their Hall in the same order, where upon their entrance each Guest delivers his Ticket to a Person appointed, which gives him admittance; where every one Feasts himself with what he likes best, being delighted all the while with Musicks and Songs, &c.

After Dinner the Ceremony of Electing new Stewards for the next Year begins: then the Stewards withdraw into another Room, and put Garlands of Laurel or Box on their Heads, and white wands in their Hands, and are Ushered out of the withdrawing Room thus ;

First, the Companies Beadle with his Staff in his Hand, and Musick sounding before him;

Bowl of White wine and Sugar in bis Then one of the Whifflers with a great right Hand, and his Staff in the left: after him follows the eldest Steward.

before the second Steward; in like manThen another Whiffler as aforesaid, ner another Whiffler before the third; and another before the fourth Steward.

And thus they walk, with Musick sounding before them, three times round the Hall; and, in the fourth round, the first Steward takes the Bowl from his Whiffler, and Drinks to one (whom before he resolved on) by the Title of Mr.

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