part iv

., No. 2128, with manuscript notes and additions in the autograph of Isaac Reed, price £1 8s.

NEW DICTIONARY of the Terms, Ancient and Modern, of the Canting Crew in its several tribes of Gypsies, Beggars, Thieves, Cheats, &c., with an addition of some _Proverbs, Phrases, Figurative Speeches, &c._, by B. E. GENT, 12mo. N.D. [1710]

Afterwards issued under the title of _Bacchus and Venus_, 1737, and in 1754 as the _Scoundrel’s Dictionary_.

NEW DICTIONARY of all the Cant and Flash Languages used by every class of offenders, from a Lully Prigger to a High Tober Gloak, small 8vo., pp. 62. 179—

Mentioned by John Bee.

NOTES AND QUERIES. The invaluable Index to this most useful periodical may be consulted with advantage by the seeker after etymologies of slang and cant words.

PARKER. High and Low Life, A View of Society in, being the Adventures in England, Ireland, &c., of Mr. G. Parker, a _Stage Itinerant_, 2 vols in 1, thick 12mo. _Printed for the Author_, 1781

A curious work, containing many cant words, with 100 orders of rogues and swindlers.

PARKER’S (Geo.) Life’s Painter of Variegated Characters, with a Dictionary of Cant Language and Flash Songs, to which is added a Dissertation on Freemasonry, _portrait_, 8vo. 1789

PEGGE’S (Samuel) Anecdotes of the English Language, chiefly regarding the Local Dialect of London and Environs, 8vo. 1803–41

PERRY’S (William) London Guide and Stranger’s Safeguard, against Cheats, Swindlers, and Pickpockets, by a Gentleman who has made the Police of the Metropolis an object of enquiry twenty-two years (no wonder when the author was in prison a good portion of that time!) 1818

Contains a dictionary of slang and cant words.

PHILLIPS’ New World of Words, folio. 1696

PICKERING’S (F.) Vocabulary, or Collection of Words and Phrases which have been supposed to be peculiar to the United States of America, to which is prefixed an Essay on the present state of the English Language in the United States, 8vo. _Boston_, 1816

The remark made upon _Bartlett’s Americanisms_ applies equally to this work.

PICTURE OF THE FANCY, 12mo. 18—

Contains numerous slang terms.

POTTER’S (H. T., of _Clay, Worcestershire_) New Dictionary of all the Cant and Flash Languages, both ancient and modern, 8vo, pp. 62. 1790

POULTER. The Discoveries of John Poulter, alias Baxter, 8vo, 48 pages. (1770?)

At pages 42, 43, there is an explanation of the “Language of Thieves, commonly called Cant.”

PRISON BREAKER, The, or the Adventures of John Shepherd, a Farce, 8vo. _London_, 1725

Contains a canting song, &c.

PUNCH, or the London Charivari,

Often points out slang, vulgar, or abused words. It also, occasionally, employs them in jokes, or sketches of character.

QUARTERLY REVIEW, vol. x., p. 528.

Gives a paper on Americanisms and slang phrases.

RANDALL’S (Jack, _the pugilist_, formerly of the “_Hole in the Wall_,” Chancery lane) Diary of Proceedings at the House of Call for Genius, edited by Mr. Breakwindow, to which are added several of Mr. B.’s minor pieces, 12mo. 1820

Believed to have been written by Thomas Moore. The verses are mostly parodies of popular authors, and abound in the slang of pugilism, and the phraseology of the fast life of the period.

RANDALL (Jack) A Few Selections from his Scrap Book; to which are added Poems on the late Fight for the Championship, 12mo. 1822

Frequently quoted by Moore in _Tom Crib’s Memorial_.

SCOUNDREL’S DICTIONARY, or an Explanation of the Cant Words used by Thieves, Housebreakers, Street-robbers, and Pickpockets about Town, with some curious dissertations on the Art of Wheedling, &c., _the whole printed from a copy taken on one of their gang, in the late scuffle between the watchmen and a party of them on Clerkenwell green_, 8vo. 1754

A reprint of _Bacchus and Venus_, 1737.

SHARP (Jeremy) The Life of an English Rogue, 12mo. 1740

Includes a “Vocabulary of the Gypsies’ Cant.”

SHERWOOD’S Gazetteer of Georgia, U.S., 8vo.

Contains a glossary of words, slang and vulgar, peculiar to the Southern States.

SMITH’S (Capt.) Compleat History of the Lives and Robberies of the most Notorious Highwaymen, Foot-pads, Shop-lifts, and Cheats, of both Sexes, in and about London and Westminster, 12mo, vol. i. 1719

This volume contains “THE THIEVES NEW CANTING DICTIONARY OF THE WORDS, PROVERBS, &c., USED BY THIEVES.”

SMITH (Capt. Alexander) The Thieves Grammar, 12mo., p. 28. 17—

A copy of this work is in the collection formed by Prince Lucien Bonaparte.

SMITH’S (Capt.) Thieves Dictionary, 12mo. 1724

SNOWDEN’S Magistrate’s Assistant, and Constable’s Guide, thick small 8vo. 1852

Gives a description of the various orders of cadgers, beggars, and swindlers, together with a _Glossary of the Flash Language_.

SPORTSMAN’S DICTIONARY, 4to. 17—

By an anonymous author. Contains some low sporting terms.

STANLEYE’S Remedy, or the Way how to Reform Wandring Beggers, Thieves, etc., wherein is shewed that Sodomes Sin of Idlenes is the Poverty and the Misery of this Kingdome, 4to. 1646

This work has an engraving on wood which is said to be the veritable original of Jim Crow.

SWIFT’S coarser pieces abound in vulgarities and slang expressions.

THE TRIUMPH OF WIT, or Ingenuity display’d in its Perfection, being the Newest and most Useful Academy, Songs, Art of Love, _and the Mystery and Art of Canting, with Poems, Songs, &c., in the Canting Language_, 16mo. _J. Clarke_, 1735

What is generally termed a shilling _Chap Book_.

THE TRIUMPH OF WIT, or the Canting Dictionary, being the Newest and most Useful Academy, containing the Mystery and Art of Canting, with the original and present management thereof, and the ends to which it serves and is employed, illustrated with Poems, Songs, and various Intrigues in the Canting Language, with the Explanations, &c., 12mo. _Dublin_, N.D.

A Chap Book of 32 pages, circa 1760.

THOMAS (I.) My Thought Book, 8vo. 1825

Contains a chapter on slang.

THE WHOLE ART OF THIEVING and Defrauding Discovered: being a Caution to all Housekeepers, Shopkeepers, Salesmen, and others, to guard against Robbers of both Sexes, and the best Methods to prevent their Villanies; to which is added an Explanation of most of the cant terms in the Thieving Language, 8vo, pp. 46. 1786

TOM CRIB’S Memorial to Congress, with a Preface, Notes, and Appendix _by one of the Fancy_ [Tom Moore, the poet], 12mo. 1819

A humorous poem, abounding in slang and pugilistic terms, with a burlesque essay on the classic origin of slang.

VACABONDES, The Fraternatye of, as well of ruflyng Vacabones, as of beggerly, of Women as of Men, of Gyrles as of Boyes, with their proper Names and Qualities, with a Description of the Crafty Company of Cousoners and Shifters, also the XXV. Orders of Knaves; otherwyse called a Quartern of Knaves, confirmed by Cocke Lorell, 8vo. _Imprinted at London by John Awdeley, dwellyng in little Britayne streete without Aldersgate._ 1575

It is stated in _Ames’ Typog. Antiq._, vol. ii., p. 885, that an edition bearing the date 1565 is in existence, and that the compiler was no other than old John Audley, the printer, himself. This conjecture, however, is very doubtful. As stated by Watt, it is more than probable that it was written by Harman, or was taken from his works, in MS. or print.

VAUX’S (Count de, _a swindler and a pickpocket_) Life, written by himself, 2 vols., 12mo, _to which is added a Canting Dictionary_. 1819

These Memoirs were suppressed on account of the scandalous passages contained in them.

WEBSTER’S (Noah) Letter to the Hon. John Pickering, on the Subject of his Vocabulary, or Collection of Words and Phrases supposed to be peculiar to the United States, 8vo, pp. 69. _Boston_, 1817

WILD (Jonathan) History of the Lives and Actions of Jonathan Wild, Thieftaker, Joseph Blake, _alias_ Blue skin, Footpad, and John Sheppard, Housebreaker; together with a CANTING DICTIONARY BY JONATHAN WILD, _woodcuts_, 12mo. 1750

WILSON (Professor) contributed various Slang pieces to _Blackwood’s Magazine_; including a Review of Bee’s Dictionary.

WITHERSPOON’S (Dr., of America) Essays on Americanisms, Perversions of Language in the United States, _Cant_ phrases, &c., 8vo., in the 4th vol. of his Works. _Philadelphia_, 1801

The earliest work on American vulgarisms. Originally published in a series of Essays, entitled the _Druid_, which appeared in a periodical in 1761.

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS, &c.

_A.N._—Anglo-Norman.

_Ancient_, or _Ancient English_—Whenever these terms are employed, it is meant to signify that the words to which they are attached were in respectable use in or previous to the reign of Elizabeth.—See _Old_.

_Ancient Cant_—In use as a _cant_ word in or previous to the reign of Elizabeth.

_A.S._—Anglo-Saxon.

_Beds._—Bedfordshire.

_Cor._—A corruption.

_East._—Used in the Eastern Counties.

_Eng._—English.

_Fren._—French.

_Ger._—German.

_Glouc._—Gloucestershire.

_Hants._—Hampshire.

_Ital._—Italian.

_L.F._—Lingua Franca, or Bastard Italian.

_Lat._—Latin.

_Linc._—Lincolnshire.

_Midx._—Middlesex.

_N.D._—No date.

_Norf._—Norfolk.

_Old_, or _Old English_—In general use as a respectable word in or previous to the reign of Charles the Second.—See _Ancient_.

_Old Cant_—In use as a cant word in or previous to the reign of Charles II.

_Oxon._—Oxfordshire.

_Prov._—Provincial.

_Pug._—Pugilistic.

_Sal._, or _Salop_—Shropshire.

_Sax._—Saxon, or Anglo-Saxon.

_Scot._—Scotch.

_Sea_—Used principally by Sailors.

_Shaks._—Shakspeare.

_Som._—Somerset.

_Span._—Spanish.

_Suf._—Suffolk.

_Theat._—Theatrical.

_Teut._—Teutonic.

_V.D._—Various dates.

_West._—Used in the Western Counties.

_Wilts._—Wiltshire.

_Worc._—Worcestershire.

_Yorks._—Yorkshire.

Footnotes

[1] “Swarms of vagabonds, whose eyes were so sharp as Lynx.”—_Bullein’s Simples and Surgery, 1562._

[2] _Mayhew_ has a curious idea upon the habitual restlessness of the nomadic tribes, _i.e._, “Whether it be that in the mere act of wandering, there is a greater determination of blood to the surface of the body, and consequently a less quantity sent to the brain.”—_London Labour_, vol. i., p. 2.

[3] Mr. Thos. Lawrence, who promised an _Etymological, Cant, and Slang Dictionary_. Where is the book?

[4] _Richardson’s Dictionary._

[5] _Description of England_, prefixed to _Holinshed’s Chronicle_.

[6] The word SLANG, as will be seen in the chapter upon that subject, is purely a Gipsey term, although now-a-days it refers to low or vulgar language of any kind,—other than cant. SLANG and GIBBERISH in the Gipsey language are synonymous; but, as English adoptions, have meanings very different from that given to them in their original.

[7] The vulgar tongue consists of two parts: the first is the CANT Language; the second, those burlesque phrases, quaint allusions, and nick names for persons, things, and places, which, from long uninterrupted usage, are made classical by prescription.—_Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue_, 1st edition, 1785.

[8] “Outlandish people calling themselves _Egyptians_.” 1530.

[9] In those instances, indicated by a *, it is impossible to say whether or not we are indebted to the Gipseys for the terms. DAD, in _Welsh_, also signifies a father. CUR is stated to be a mere term of reproach, like “Dog,” which in all European languages has been applied in an abusive sense. Objections may also be raised against GAD and MAUND.

[10] JABBER, I am reminded, may be only another form of GABBER, GAB, very common in Old English, from the _Anglo-Saxon_, GÆBBAN.

[11] This very proverb was mentioned by a young Gipsey to Crabb, a few years ago.—_Gipseys’ Advocate_, p. 14.

[12] I except, of course, the numerous writers who have followed Grellman, and based their researches upon his labours.

[13] _Gipseys of Spain_, vol. i., p. 18.

[14] _Shakes._ Hen. IV.,