Johnny Cockaigne showing "Cousin Tummas" a "lions" den [graphic]

"Cockaigne, shewing "Cousin Tummas" a "Lions" den--' A view of Crockford's with riders, carriages, and pedestrians in the roadway. From the opposite pavement of St. James's Street a cockney points it out to a countryman. On the roof is a (symbolical) pigeon-cote on which perches a rook, while pigeons circle round it. Below: 'That's one of the London "Hells" Coz!"--"No sure! why what a nice looking place!!--Well; no wonder so many people do go to the Devil if he a' gotten such Foine Housen!!--' See No. 15934, &c. [2] "Legs" famous for "Cutting" & "Shuffling". Three gamesters stand together, all with long black legs, no body, and the heads of birds (rooks) with predatory beaks. Legs = blacklegs. Jon Bee, Slang, 1823. Cf. No. 14399, &c. [3] "I could a tale unfold". A pig with a curly tail. [4] 'Any thing but Fair play!' A duel, a very broad fat man fires at an absurdly thin one (who does not fire). [5] 'The Abode of Genius'. A ramshackle attic with a mattress on the floor under a sloping roof, across which socks are hung on a line. A man in ragged clothes of fashionable intention sits at a small table struggling with a piece of food held between teeth and fork. He says: 'To call this a tender Chuck Steak! & charge me two pence half-penny for it!!--I've a great mind to go & Chuck it in his face!--Aye!--its a fine thing to be a Genius!!!!!' Below: "My lodging is on the cold ground, / And very hard is my fare;"-- The distressed poet, a standard theme, cf. (e.g.) Nos. 12139, 15641. [6] "House of Industry"-- [Workhouse.] A cobbler, his wife, and three small children are hard at work in a miserable room. She: 'If you get paid for them shoes shall us have a bit of meat on Sunday?-- ' He: 'Why--I dont know what to say to that--you know we had meat last Sunday!--we must not be extravagant.' Below: "A Cobler there was & he lived in a Stall / which served him for Parlour & Kitchen & hall"!--"--British Museum online catalogue