00000037.htm

jg MEMOIES OF JOSEPH GRIMAIDI.

every visit with great anxiety. His father, upon Ms part, was
most anxious that he should support the credit of the family
upon these occasions, and, after great deliberation, and much
consultation with tailors, the "little clown" was attired for one
of these Sunday excursions in the Mowing style. On. Ms back
lie wore a green coat, embroidered with almost as many artificial
flowers as his father had put in the garden at Lambeth; beneath
this there shone a satin waistcoat of dazzling whiteness; and
beneath that again were a pair of green cloth breeches (the Word
existed in those days) richly embroidered. His legs were fitted
into wMte silk stockings, and Ms feet into shoes with brilliant
paste buckles, of wMch he also wore another resplendent pair at
Ms knees: he had a laced shirt, cravat, and ruffles; a cocked-hat
upon Ms head; a small watch set with diamonds—theatrical,
we suppose—in Ms fob; and a little cane in Ms hand, which, he
switched to and fro as our clowns may do now.

Being thus thorougMy equipped for starting, he was taken in
for Ms father's inspection: the old gentleman was pleased to
signify Ms entire approbation with Ms appearance, and, after
Mssing him in the moment of Ms gratification, demanded the
key of the " fortune-box." The key being got with some diffi-
culty out of one of the pockets of the green smalls, the bottom of
wMeh might be somewhere near the buckles, the old gentleman
took a guinea out' of the box, and, putting it into the boy's
pocket, said, " Dere now. you are a gentleman, and something
more—you have got a guinea in your pocket." The box having
been carefully locked, and the key returned to the owner of the
"fortune," off he started, receiving strict injunctions to bo home
by eight o'clock. The father would not allow anybody to attend
Mm, on the ground that he was a gentleman, and consequently
perfectly able to take care of himself; so away he went, to walk
all the way from Little Eussel-street, Drury-lane, to Newton-
street, Holborn.



	jg MEMOIES OF JOSEPH GRIMAIDI. every visit with great anxiety. His father, upon Ms part, was most anxious that he should support the credit of the family upon these occasions, and, after great deliberation, and much consultation with tailors, the "little clown" was attired for one of these Sunday excursions in the Mowing style. On. Ms back lie wore a green coat, embroidered with almost as many artificial flowers as his father had put in the garden at Lambeth; beneath this there shone a satin waistcoat of dazzling whiteness; and beneath that again were a pair of green cloth breeches (the Word existed in those days) richly embroidered. His legs were fitted into wMte silk stockings, and Ms feet into shoes with brilliant paste buckles, of wMch he also wore another resplendent pair at Ms knees: he had a laced shirt, cravat, and ruffles; a cocked-hat upon Ms head; a small watch set with diamonds—theatrical, we suppose—in Ms fob; and a little cane in Ms hand, which, he switched to and fro as our clowns may do now. Being thus thorougMy equipped for starting, he was taken in for Ms father's inspection: the old gentleman was pleased to signify Ms entire approbation with Ms appearance, and, after Mssing him in the moment of Ms gratification, demanded the key of the " fortune-box." The key being got with some diffi- culty out of one of the pockets of the green smalls, the bottom of wMeh might be somewhere near the buckles, the old gentleman took a guinea out' of the box, and, putting it into the boy's pocket, said, " Dere now. you are a gentleman, and something more—you have got a guinea in your pocket." The box having been carefully locked, and the key returned to the owner of the "fortune," off he started, receiving strict injunctions to bo home by eight o'clock. The father would not allow anybody to attend Mm, on the ground that he was a gentleman, and consequently perfectly able to take care of himself; so away he went, to walk all the way from Little Eussel-street, Drury-lane, to Newton- street, Holborn.