white; I have written evidence.

BLACK ART. The art of picking a lock. Cant.

BLACK A-SE. A copper or kettle. The pot calls the kettle
black a-se. Cant.

BLACK BOOK. He is down in the black book, i.e. has a
stain in his character. A black book is keep in most regiments,
wherein the names of all persons sentenced to punishment
are recorded.

BLACK BOX. A lawyer. Cant.

BLACK EYE. We gave the bottle a black eye, i.e. drank it
almost up. He cannot say black is the white of my eye;
he cannot point out a blot in my character.

BLACK FLY. The greatest drawback on the farmer is the
black fly, i.e. the parson who takes tithe of the harvest.

BLACK GUARD. A shabby, mean fellow; a term said to be
derived from a number of dirty, tattered roguish boys, who
attended at the Horse Guards, and Parade in St. James's
Park, to black the boots and shoes of the soldiers, or to do
any other dirty offices. These, from their constant attendance
about the time of guard mounting, were nick-named
the black-guards.

BLACK JACK. A nick name given to the Recorder by the