MR. PIPS HIS DIARY.
The Flower Showe at Chvsyk Gardens.
[Saturday, June 9, 1849.]
MY Wife holding me to my Promiſe to take her to the Chiſwick Flower Show, and I could not break it: for certainly the poor Wretch do drudge in the Houſe like a Slave; and ſo often as I go out for Pleaſure myſelf, methinks it were well to give her a Treat now and then, to eaſe my Conſcience, and keep her quiet alſo. So took her, though our two Tickets together came to 10s., and we thither in an Omnibus, and the Fare doubled on the Occaſion, inſtead of 1s. coſt me 2s. more, which made me mad. A rare Sight, nigh the Gardens, to look out on the Line of Carriages behind us, and methought how mean and paltry it ſeemed to be riding in an Omnibus; and was in ſome Trouble left any of our acquaintance mould be in the Carriages, and ſee us 'light. At the paſſage to the Gardens beſet by Fellows with Shoe-Bruſhes and Clothes-Brumes, importunate to bruſh my Coat and Boots, that were clean enough, but only to earn 4d. or 6d. Our Tickets delivered, and we into the Grounds with a Stream of Company, and followed them and our Ears to a Band of Muſique, the Horſe Guards playing hard by a Grove of Rhododendrons in full Bloom, and a Mob of Beauties round about them more blooming ſtill. Heard a Medley-Piece of Scraps of moll of the Operas that I knew; which was better Muſique than I expected. Then to the Tents, where the Prize-
