: Studies of Contemporary Poets by Sturgeon Mary - English poetry 20th century History and criticism

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Nathaniel Bentley, Esq. Ann Siggs Martin Van Butchell John Statham Anne Longman John and Robert Green Tom and His Pigeons Roger Smith George Romondo Toby Memoirs of the Famous Sir John Dinely, Baronet Particulars Concerning the Polite Grocers of the Strand Ann Johnson Samuel Horsey Miss Theodora De Verdion Daniel Lambert The Death of Mr. Lambert! Mary Jones A Well-Known Carver The Life of John Elwes, Esq. The Flying Pye-Man Thomas Laugher The Life of Daniel Dancer, Esq.

NATHANIEL BENTLEY, Esq.

Late a Hardware Merchant, in Leadenhall-street.

Mr. Bentley resided at the corner of the avenue leading to the house formerly the Old Crown Tavern, Leadenhall-street, not far from the East-India House.

The house and character of this eccentric individual are so well described in a poem published in the European Magazine, for January 1801, that we shall transcribe it:

"Who but has seen 'Twixt Aldgate's well-known pump and Leadenhall, A curious hard-ware shop, in general full Of wares, from Birmingham and Pontipool? Begrim'd with dirt, behold its ample front, With thirty years collected filth upon't. See festoon'd cobwebs pendent o'er the door, While boxes, bales, and trunks, are strew'd around the floor.

"Behold how whistling winds and driving rain Gain free admission at each broken pain, Save where the dingy tenant keeps them out With urn or tray, knife-case, or dirty clout! Here snuffers, waiters, patent screws for corks; There castors, card-racks, cheese-trays, knives and forks: Here empty cases pil'd in heaps on high; There pack-thread, papers, rope, in wild disorder lie.

"O say, thou enemy to soap and towels! Hast no compassion lurking in thy bowels? Think what thy neighbours suffer by thy whim Of keeping self and house in such a trim! The officers of health should view the scene, And put thy shop and thee in quarantine. Consider thou, in summer's ardent heat, When various means are tried to cool the street, What must each decent neighbour suffer then From various vapours issuing from thy den.

"When fell Disease, with all her horrid train, Spreads her dark pinions o'er ill-fated Spain, That Britain may not witness such a scene, Behoves us doubly now to keep our dwellings clean.

"Say, if, within the street where thou dost dwell, Each house were kept exactly like thy cell; O, say, thou enemy to brooms and mops! How long thy neighbours could keep open shops, If, following thee in taste, each wretched elf, Unshav'd, unwash'd, and squalid like thyself, Resolv'd to live?--The answer's very plain, One year would be the utmost of their reign: Victims to filth, each vot'ry soon would fall, And one grand jail-distemper kill them all.

"Persons there are, who say thou hast been seen with hands and face wash'd clean; And, wouldst thou quit this most unseemly plan, Thou art a very comely man: Of polish'd language, partial to the fair, Then why not wash thy face and comb thy matted hair? Clear from thy house accumulated dirt, New paint the front, and wear a cleaner shirt."

Many are the reports concerning his civility, and polite manner of attending to the ladies whenever they have honoured him with their commands; and several curious persons have come to town from various parts of the country, on purpose to see so remarkable a figure.

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