watermen, during an election, determined on passing a merry day at Garratt, a district in the parish of Wandsworth, in Surry, took into their heads to choose one of their company representative of that place. Ever since, at a general election, the custom has been generally kept up, and the Mayor, who is usually a cripple or an idiot, is elected. The crowd collected on such occasions, occasioned a sort of fair, and the election, on this account, perhaps, was principally encouraged. The last Mayor of Garratt was Sir Harry Dimsdale, as he was called; for the power which made him representative of Garratt, conferred on him the honor of knighthood.

This poor idiot was born in Shug-lane, Haymarket, in the year 1758. Of his early pursuits little is known; but we find him in 1788, receiving parochial relief from St. Martin's parish: his trade at that time was vending "bobbins, thread, and stay-laces for the ladies:" he next commenced muffin dealer; by which he rendered himself very conspicuous about the streets of London. His harmless behaviour gained him many customers, and life rolled on gaily and smoothly, till 'ambition fired his soul;' and he aspired to the honor of representing the borough of Garratt, on the death of that celebrated character, Sir Jeffrey Dunstan; and in which he was successful. Sir Harry was elected to fill the important station of Mayor of Garratt, during four parliaments; though not without experiencing violent opposition in the persons of Squire Jobson the bill-sticker, Lord Goring the ministerial barber, and others. The following is a copy of his address to his constituents, at the general election in 1807.

To the worthy, free, and independent
Electors of the ancient borough of Garratt.

Gentlemen,-Once more you are called on to exercise your invaluable right, the elective franchise, for your ancient and honorable borough, and once more your faithful representative, for the three last parliaments, offers himself a candidate...

Gentlemen, as all the Talents were lately dismissed, disgracefully, it is requisite I should declare to you, I held no place under them. I am, gentlemen, no milk and water patriot-I am no summer insect-I have always been a champion for the rights and privileges of my constituentsand as we have now an entire change of men, I hope, as they are called by many all the Blocks, they will see the necessity of calling to their aid and assistance, men who have long been hid in obscurity-men whose virtue and integrity may shine at this awful crisis-and, gentlemen, should they at length see their interest so clear, as to call into action my abilities, I declare I am ready to accept any place under them, but I am determined to act on independent principles, as my worthy colleague, Lord Cochrane, so loudly and so often swore on the hustings, at Covent Garden.

Gentlemen, I congratulate you on the defeat of Sixpenny Jack,; he was obliged to hop off and leave the laurel of victory to Sir Francis Burdett and my worthy colleague Lord Cochrane, and should any Quixotic candidate be hardy enough to contest with me the high honor of representing your ancient borough, I have no doubt, by your manly exertions, you will completely triumph over my opponent. In times past, you have had confidence in my wisdom and integrity-you have

looked up to me as your guardian angel-and I hope you have not been deceived; for, believe me, when I repeat what I so often have done, I am ready to sacrifice life, health, and fortune, in defence of the invaluable rights, privileges, and immunities of your ancient and honorable borough. I am, &c.

SIR HARRY DIMSDALE.

From my attic chamber,
The dirty end of Monmouth-street,

June 10, 1807.

In this contest, Sir Harry was again successful, and his procession to Garratt-lane, exceeded any thing of the kind ever seen in London. He was placed (or rather, tied) on an eminence in a carriage somewhat resembling a triumphal car, drawn by four horses, which were profusely decorated with dyed wood shavings a substitute for ribands. The dress of Sir Harry was perfectly en suite; and the tout ensemble a rare display of eccentric magnificence. Solomon, in all his glory, was not arrayed like the Mayor of Garratt, on this memorable day.

And now, for a short time, all was sunshine with Sir Harry; yet, he found something was wanting to complete his happiness, and he resolved on taking to his bosom a wife; a suitable object presenting herself in the person of an inmate of St. Ann's workhouse. In a few weeks after the con summation of their nuptials, his rib, with the utmost good-nature, presented him with a son and heir, of which he was very proud.

In addition to his Mayoralty, he was nominated as a proper person to be opposed to the then allpowerful Buonaparte, whereupon he was elected Emperor. His garb now assumed all the show of

royalty; but unlike most monarchs, he carried his crown in his hand; it not being correct, he said, for him to wear it till he had ousted his more powerful rival. In this character, Sir Harry levied pretty handsome contributions on the good people of London; but the novelty of his person at length lost most of its attractions; he became neglected; illness seized him; and he died in the year 1811, in the 53d year of his age.

By his death, the boys were deprived of an object of ridicule, and the compassionate man spared the painful task of witnessing so harmless a being tormented and ill-used by the unfeeling and the heedless: for, as Shakspeare says,

God made him,

Therefore let him pass for a man.

A GOOD PATIENT.

AT the Lincoln Assizes in March 1817, an action was brought by Mr. Wright, an apothecary of Bottesford, against a Mr. Jessop, a bachelor of opulence, residing near Lincoln, to recover the sum of 7871. 18s. for medicine and attendance, during 25 years. By the statement of plaintiff's counsel, it appeared that the defendant was of a hypochondriacal turn, and had taken pills for a great number of years; he used to have from 600 to 2000 pills sent to him at a time; and in one year he took 51,000! being at the rate of 150 a-day. There were also thousands of bottles of mixture. From the ravenous propensity of the patient for physic, it was deemed necessary to call in two physicians, who inquiring of the defendant what was the course of medicine and nourishment

he pursued through the day, answered as follows: At half past two o'clock in the morning I take two spoonsful and a half of jalap and then a quantity of electuary; then I sleep till seven, and repeat the dose of both jalap and electuary; at nine o'clock I take 14 pills of No. 9, and 11 pills of No. 10, to whet my appetite for breakfast. At breakfast I eat a basin of milk, at eleven I have an acid and alkali mixture, afterwards I have a bolus, and at nine at night I have an anodyne mixture and go to sleep." After some progress had been made in the evidence, a compromise took place, the plaintiff accepting a verdict for 4501.!

MARRIOT THE GLUTTON.

MARRIOT was a lawyer of Gray's Inn, who piqued himself on the brutal qualification of a voracious appetite, and a powerful digestive faculty, attainments which at most could only rank him in the same scale of beings as the cormorant or the ostrich.

Marriot increased his natural capacity for food by art and application, and had as much vanity in eating to excess as any monk ever had in absti

nence.

Great eaters have been found in all ages, from the time of Herodotus, the wrestler of Megara, who would eat as much as ought to serve his whole Company, down to the fellow backed by Sir John Lade, some years ago, against a glutton provided by the Duke of Queensbury. We do not recollect how much these fellows devoured, but the umpires declared that one man beat the other by a pig and an apple-pie.