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GASTRONOMIC RELICS.
On one long table was displayed a cold collation, consisting of savoury dishes, suited to the tastes of all, and where, for the charge of Is. sterling, any one might fare most sumptuously. Those who preferred it, partook of sandwiches, for which the moderate charge of 2¼d. sterling was demanded ; and upon my entrance, my eyes were first attracted by seeing a huge widow - Barnab y - looking woman, devouring them with a voracity I certainly did not expect to witness in that place. The other table displayed confections of various beautiful forms and kinds, interspersed with fruits and flowers ; and where the younger people also seemed to find full employment. Here again I could not help observing the low appearance of many of the “ young men," who, with hats placed on one side of their heads, and immense quantities of black hair smoothed to a half-straight fashion by the assistance of a plentiful supply of lard pomatum, and their thumbs stuck most (un) gracefully in their waistcoat pockets, were pacing the room and shewing off their smart apparel. I afterwards understood that many of these over-dressed specimens of mortality contrived to enter the room without paying the “ quarter dollar" (Is. sterling) entrance money, by fascinating, I suppose, the door-keeper, who was too simple-hearted to denounce these peacock-like persons of conduct a sober-robed owl would scorn to be guilty of. At length the appetites of all seemed to be appeased,— their motives for coming (to see and be seen) fully answered, —their appropriated sum of money expended,—and themselves loaded with pincushions and scent-bags, babies' caps, and reticules, they began to disperse, and we ourselves took our departure, leaving some of the matrons, who had ah eye to business, very eagerly making bargains for sundry portions of beef and ham, tongues, poultry, and cold mutton, jellies and cheese-cakes, and other gastronomic relics.