DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1213#0203
156
TALLIS S ILLUSTRATED LONDON J
enemies of Queen Victoria are exorcised in a right loyal
manner. But though " music be the food of love," it is not
an aliment sufficiently satisfactory to appease the gastric
juices of its auditors, sharpened especially, as they fancy
their appetites to have heen, by the " sea-air;" and sand-
wich-baskets, dumpy bottles of stout, and of a fluid the exact
colour of water, and other receptacles of provender, are
forthwith opened, and their contents put into requisition
to meet and to liquidate the claims of nature. And some
of the company descend into the prettily decorated cabin,
where they are unable to resist the attraction of a cold
collation, and the polite attentions of the steward, who is
never more happy than when giving liberty to the wire-
incarcerated corks which restrain the effervescence of the
pale and Edinburgh ales. When we see the exhilarating
effects of a holiday upon our hard-working citizens, we
cannot but reflect what trifles constitute the sum of
human happiness, and regret that more frequent opportu-
nities of harmless enjoyment are not open to the toiling
inhabitants of London.
Our meditations are abruptly interrupted by the cry of
"Erith/' for which a few of our fellow-travellers are
bound.
Erith was anciently a place of some note, Richard de
Lucy, grand justiciary of the kingdom in the reign of
Henry II., having founded in this parish the abbey of
Lesnes, of which he became the prior. Several noble
families were successively the owners of Erith, till it de-
volved to the crown in the person of Edward IV. By
Henry VIII. it was granted to Elizabeth, Countess of
Shrewsbury, and afterwards it frequently changed hands.
Among the monuments in the ancient church, dedicated
to St. John the Baptist, are memorials to the Countess
of Shrewsbury, who died in 1568; and to her daughter,
the countess of Pembroke, who died in 1589. The East
India ships were accustomed, till within the last fifteen
years, to cast anchor here, and remain some time in order
to be lightened of their burden. Latterly Erith has
TALLIS S ILLUSTRATED LONDON J
enemies of Queen Victoria are exorcised in a right loyal
manner. But though " music be the food of love," it is not
an aliment sufficiently satisfactory to appease the gastric
juices of its auditors, sharpened especially, as they fancy
their appetites to have heen, by the " sea-air;" and sand-
wich-baskets, dumpy bottles of stout, and of a fluid the exact
colour of water, and other receptacles of provender, are
forthwith opened, and their contents put into requisition
to meet and to liquidate the claims of nature. And some
of the company descend into the prettily decorated cabin,
where they are unable to resist the attraction of a cold
collation, and the polite attentions of the steward, who is
never more happy than when giving liberty to the wire-
incarcerated corks which restrain the effervescence of the
pale and Edinburgh ales. When we see the exhilarating
effects of a holiday upon our hard-working citizens, we
cannot but reflect what trifles constitute the sum of
human happiness, and regret that more frequent opportu-
nities of harmless enjoyment are not open to the toiling
inhabitants of London.
Our meditations are abruptly interrupted by the cry of
"Erith/' for which a few of our fellow-travellers are
bound.
Erith was anciently a place of some note, Richard de
Lucy, grand justiciary of the kingdom in the reign of
Henry II., having founded in this parish the abbey of
Lesnes, of which he became the prior. Several noble
families were successively the owners of Erith, till it de-
volved to the crown in the person of Edward IV. By
Henry VIII. it was granted to Elizabeth, Countess of
Shrewsbury, and afterwards it frequently changed hands.
Among the monuments in the ancient church, dedicated
to St. John the Baptist, are memorials to the Countess
of Shrewsbury, who died in 1568; and to her daughter,
the countess of Pembroke, who died in 1589. The East
India ships were accustomed, till within the last fifteen
years, to cast anchor here, and remain some time in order
to be lightened of their burden. Latterly Erith has