University of Virginia Library

OF THE UNEDUCATED STATE OF
COSTERMONGERS.

I have stated elsewhere, that only about one in
ten of the regular costermongers is able to read.
The want of education among both men and
women is deplorable, and I tested it in several
instances. The following statement, however,
from one of the body, is no more to be taken as
representing the ignorance of the class gene-
rally, than are the clear and discriminating
accounts I received from intelligent coster-
mongers to be taken as representing the intelli-
gence of the body.

The man with whom I conversed, and from
whom I received the following statement, seemed
about thirty. He was certainly not ill-looking,
but with a heavy cast of countenance, his light
blue eyes having little expression. His state-
ments, or opinions, I need hardly explain, were
given both spontaneously in the course of con-
versation, and in answer to my questions. I
give them almost verbatim, omitting oaths and
slang:

"Well, times is bad, sir," he said, "but it's
a deadish time. I don't do so well at present
as in middlish times, I think. When I served
the Prince of Naples, not far from here (I
presume that he alluded to the Prince of
Capua), I did better and times was better.
That was five years ago, but I can't say to
a year or two. He was a good customer, and
was wery fond of peaches. I used to sell them
to him, at 12s. the plasket when they was
new. The plasket held a dozen, and cost me
6s. at Covent-garden — more sometimes; but I
didn't charge him more when they did. His
footman was a black man, and a ignorant man
quite, and his housekeeper was a English-
woman. He was the Prince o' Naples, was my
customer; but I don't know what he was like, for
I never saw him. I've heard that he was the
brother of the king of Naples. I can't say
where Naples is, but if you was to ask at
Euston-square, they'll tell you the fare there and
the time to go it in. It may be in France for
anything I know may Naples, or in Ireland.
Why don't you ask at the square? I went
to Croydon once by rail, and slept all the
way without stirring, and so you may to
Naples for anything I know. I never heard
of the Pope being a neighbour of the King of
Naples. Do you mean living next door to
him? But I don't know nothing of the King
of Naples, only the prince. I don't know what
the Pope is. Is he any trade? It's nothing
to me, when he's no customer of mine. I have
nothing to say about nobody that ain't no
customers. My crabs is caught in the sea, in
course. I gets them at Billingsgate. I never
saw the sea, but it's salt-water, I know. I
can't say whereabouts it lays. I believe it's
in the hands of the Billingsgate salesmen — all of
it? I've heard of shipwrecks at sea, caused
by drownding, in course. I never heard that
the Prince of Naples was ever at sea. I like
to talk about him, he was such a customer when
he lived near here." (Here he repeated his
account of the supply of peaches to his Royal
Highness.) "I never was in France, no, sir,
never. I don't know the way. Do you think
I could do better there? I never was in
the Republic there. What's it like? Bona-
parte? O, yes; I've heard of him. He was
at Waterloo. I didn't know he'd been alive
now and in France, as you ask me about him.
I don't think you're larking, sir. Did I hear
of the French taking possession of Naples,
and Bonaparte making his brother-in-law
king? Well, I didn't, but it may be true,
because I served the Prince of Naples, what
was the brother of the king. I never heard
whether the Prince was the king's older brother
or his younger. I wish he may turn out his
older if there's property coming to him, as the
oldest has the first turn; at least so I've heard —
first come, first served. I've worked the streets
and the courts at all times. I've worked them by
moonlight, but you couldn't see the moonlight
where it was busy. I can't say how far the
moon's off us. It's nothing to me, but I've
seen it a good bit higher than St. Paul's. I
don't know nothing about the sun. Why do
you ask? It must be nearer than the moon
for it's warmer, — and if they're both fire, that
shows it. It's like the tap-room grate and that
bit of a gas-light; to compare the two is.
What was St. Paul's that the moon was above?
A church, sir; so I've heard. I never was in
a church. O, yes, I've heard of God; he
made heaven and earth; I never heard of his
making the sea; that's another thing, and you
can best learn about that at Billingsgate. (He
seemed to think that the sea was an appur-
tenance of Billingsgate.) Jesus Christ? Yes.
I've heard of him. Our Redeemer? Well,
I only wish I could redeem my Sunday togs
from my uncle's."

Another costermonger, in answer to inquiries,
said: "I 'spose you think us 'riginal coves that
you ask. We're not like Methusalem, or some
such swell's name, (I presume that Malthus was
meant) as wanted to murder children afore
they was born, as I once heerd lectured
about — we're nothing like that."

Another on being questioned, and on being
told that the information was wanted for the
press, replied: "The press? I'll have nothing
to say to it. We are oppressed enough already."

That a class numbering 30,000 should be per-
mitted to remain in a state of almost brutish
ignorance is a national disgrace. If the London
costers belong especially to the "dangerous
classes," the danger of such a body is assuredly
an evil of our own creation; for the gratitude of
the poor creatures to any one who seeks to give
them the least knowledge is almost pathetic.