and fortune-telling, and an old woman that lives in Bull-and-Mouth
Street makes a tolerable subsistence by detecting stolen goods,
and promising the girls good husbands. They are apt to be rendered
uncomfortable by comets and eclipses; and if a dog howls dolefully at
night, it is looked upon as a sure sign of a death in the place. There
are even many ghost stories current, particularly concerning the old
mansion-houses; in several of which it is said strange sights are
sometimes seen. Lords and ladies, the former in full bottomed wigs,
hanging sleeves, and swords, the latter in lappets, stays, hoops and
brocade, have been seen walking up and down the great waste chambers,
on moonlight nights; and are supposed to be the shades of the ancient
proprietors in their court-dresses.

Little Britain has likewise its sages and great men. One of the most
important of the former is a tall, dry old gentleman, of the name
of Skryme, who keeps a small apothecary's shop. He has a cadaverous
countenance, full of cavities and projections; with a brown circle round
each eye, like a pair of horned spectacles. He is much thought of by the
old women, who consider him a kind of conjurer, because he has two of
three stuffed alligators hanging up in his shop, and several snakes in
bottles. He is a great reader of almanacs and newspapers, and is much
given to pore over alarming accounts of plots, conspiracies, fires,
earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions; which last phenomena he considers
as signs of the times. He has always some dismal tale of the kind to
deal out to his customers, with their doses; and thus at the same time
puts both soul and body into an uproar. He is a great believer in omens
and predictions; and has the prophecies of Robert Nixon and Mother
Shipton by heart. No man can make so much out of an eclipse, or even
an unusually dark day; and he shook the tail of the last comet over the
heads of his customers and disciples until they were nearly frightened