Page:Nollekens and His Times, Volume 2.djvu/296

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284
NOLLEKENS'S CONTEMPORARIES.

a song of itself sufficient to immortalize its author. This delightful composition was in such requisition, that for months the printers could not produce it fast enough; and Dibdin actually hired a stall, which then stood close to the corner of the Piazza in Russell-street, such as was formerly called a "by-stander" and similar to those erected in front of the Royal-Exchange for the sale of newspapers, being large enough for Wood, his man, to stand in to deliver out the songs. The crowd and scramble to get them, even wet from the press, was such, that I have seen persons fight for their turn; while others were glad to get out of the mob without their change, congratulating themselves upon the possession of "Poor Tom Bowling," or "Poll and my Partner Joe."