HENRY MAYHEW (1812-1887) AND

Pqle of England," "in modern language, rhymers. singas, story-tellers, jugglas.
relaters of koic actions. buffoons. and peas"'; . . . all of them anae kluded unk the
name of minstreI."
Following the Nomulll C~~~qllest. Strun reccxded that th minstrels
"were pmnitted to perfam in the rich moaastaies, and in the mansions of the nobility,
which they fkequently visited in large parties, and especially upon occasions of
fesrivity."
Minstrels "constituted the theatre, tk opaa and thhe of of powerfd
and wealthy." Strun coaclucCed that he was "very certain that the po& the songster. and
rhe musician were 6requently united in the same person" Mayhew also argued that
running patttxers. lilce Brwnmagem Jack and the Country Paganini, were not only "the
sufficiently legithate desceadaat of the jestour. sad in some respects of the
mountebank" but they wae also mmxtd to the dent street-fdk. The ancient streetfolk
were accompanied "gemrally by a chauntern "to reader their peafamances more
attractive." Mayhew concludad that his own "account of the authors, &c.. of street
literature shms that the analogy still holds." zm
Every standing pattaa a "boardman" needed a "pitch", "board wak", and an
audience." TO attract anemia to ckir pamphlets and papas. rhey used ei-
"a board
with colaured pictures upon it, illustrative of the amtents of what they sell, a else by
in that quarter, and three at the East-end. Many tdhds are wrim expressly fa the Seven-Dials
press, especially the Newgate and the political ones, as well as those upon any topic of the day.
There are five known authors for the Dials press, and they are all suet ballad-singers. I am one of
these myself" (Mayhew, m: 1%).
lo2 Ibid., 226.
lo3 Ibid.. 273.
Ibid.. 237.
'" Shepard, 1973.100; Webb. 1955.28.