An Italian, who went about with trained monkeys, furnished me with the
following account.
He had a peculiar boorish, and yet good-tempered expression, especially
when he laughed, which he did continually.
He was dressed in a brown, ragged, cloth jacket, which was buttoned
over a long, loose, dirty, drab waistcoat, and his trowsers were
of broad-ribbed corduroy, discoloured with long wearing. Round his
neck was a plaid handkerchief, and his shoes were of the extreme
“strong-men’s” kind, and grey with dust and want of blacking. He wore
the Savoy and broad-brimmed felt hat, and with it on his head had a
very picturesque appearance, and the shadow of the brim falling on the
upper part of his brown face gave him almost a Murillo-like look. There
was, however, an odour about him,--half monkey, half dirt,--that was
far from agreeable, and which pervaded the apartment in which he sat.
“I have got monkey,” he said, “but I mustn’t call in London. I goes out
in countree. I was frightened to come here. I was frightened you give
me months in prison. Some of my countrymen is very frightened what you
do. No, sir, I never play de monkey in de town. I have been out vare
dere is so many donkey, up a top at dat village--vat you call--I can’t
tell de name. Dey goes dere for pastime,--pleasure,--when it makes fine
weather. Dere is two church, and two large hotel,--yes, I tink it is
Blackheath! I goes dere sometime vid my monkey. I have got only one
monkey now,--sometime I have got two;--he is dressed comme un soldat
rouge, like one soldier, vid a red jacket and a Bonaparte’s hat. My
monkey only pull off his hat and take a de money. He used to ride a de
dog; but dey stole a de dog,--some of de tinkare, a man vid de umbrella
going by, stole a him. Dere is only tree months dat I have got my
monkey. It is my own. I gave dirty-five shilling for dis one I got. He
did not know no tricks when he come to me first. I did teach a him all
he know. I teach a him vid de kindness, do you see. I must look rough
for tree or four times, but not to beat him. He can hardly stir about;
he is afraid dat you go to hit him, you see. I mustn’t feed him ven I
am teaching him. Sometimes I buy a happorth of nuts to give him, after
he has done what I want him to do. Dis one has not de force behind; he
is weak in de back. Some monkey is like de children at de school, some
is very hard to teash, and some learn de more quick, you see. De one
I had before dis one could do many tings. He had not much esprit pas
grande chose; but he could play de drum,--de fiddle, too,--Ah! but he
don’t play de fiddle like de Christian, you know; but like de monkey.
He used to fight wid de sword,--not exactly like de Christian, but like
de monkey too,--much better. I beg your pardon to laugh, sir! He used
to move his leg and jomp,--I call it danse,--but he could not do polka
like de Christian.--I have seen the Christian though what can’t danse
more dan de monkey! I beg your pardon to laugh. I did play valtz to
him on de organ. Non! he had not moosh ear for de musick, but I force
him to keep de time by de jerk of de string. He commence to valtz vell
when he die. He is dead the vinter dat is passed, at Sheltenham. He
eat some red-ee paint. I give him some castor-oil, but no good: he die
in great deal pain, poor fellow! I rather lose six pounds than lose my
monkey. I did cry!--I cry because I have no money to go and buy anoder
monkey! Yes! I did love my monkey! I did love him for the sake of my
life! I give de raisins, and bile dem for him. He have every ting he
like. I am come here from Parma about fourteen or fifteen year ago. I
used to work in my countree. I used to go and look at de ship in de
montagnes: non! non! pas des vaisseaux, mais des moutons! I beg your
pardon to laugh. De master did bring me up here,--dat master is gone
to America now,--he is come to me and tell me to come to Angleterre.
He has tell me I make plenty of money in dis country. Ah! I could get
plenty of money in dat time in London, but now I get not moosh. I vork
for myself at present. My master give me nine--ten shilling each veek,
and my foot, and my lodging--yes! everyting ven I am first come here. I
used to go out vid de organ,--a good one,--and I did get two, tree, and
more shillan for my master each day. It was chance-work: sometimes I
did get noting at all. De organ was my master’s. He had no one else but
me wid him. We used to travel about togeder, and he took all de money.
He had one German piano, and play de moosick. I can’t tell how moosh he
did make,--he never tell to me,--but I did sheat him sometimes myself.
Sometime when I take de two shillan I did give him de eighteen-pence!
I beg your pardon to laugh! De man did bring up many Italians to dis
country, but now it is difficult to get de passports for my countrymen.
I was eighteen months with my master; after dat I vent to farm-house.
I run away from my master. He gave me a slap of de face, you know, von
time, so I don’t like it, you know, and run away! I beg your pardon
to laugh! I used to do good many tings at de farm-house. It was in
Yorkshire. I used to look at de beasts, and take a de vater. I don’t
get noting for my vork, only for de sake of de belly I do it. I was
dere about tree year. Dey behave to me very well. Dey give me de
clothes and all I want. After dat I go to Liverpool, and I meet some
of my countrymen dere, and dey lend me de monkey, and I teash him to
danse, fight, and jomp, mush as I could, and I go wid my monkey about
de country.
“Some day I make tree shillan wid my monkey, sometime only sixpence,
and sometime noting at all. When it rain or snow I can get noting. I
gain peut-être a dozen shillan a week wid my monkey, sometime more, but
not often. Dere is long time I have been in de environs of London; but
I don’t like to go in de streets here. I don’t like to go to prison.
Monkey is defended,--_defendu_,--what you call it, London. But dere
is many monkey in London still. Oh, non! not a dozen. Dere is not one
dozen monkey wot play in Angleterre. I know dere is two monkey at
Saffron hill, and one go in London; but he do no harm. I don’t know
dat de monkey was train to go down de area and steal a de silver spoons
out of de kitchen. Dey would be great fool to tell dat; but every one
must get a living de best dey can. Wot I tell you about de monkey I’m
frightened vill hurt me!
“I tell you dey is defended in de streets, and dey take me up. I hope
not. My monkey is very honest monkey, and get me de bread. I never was
in prison, and I would not like to be. I play de moosick, and please
de people, and never steal noting. Non! non! me no steal, nor my
monkey too. Dey policemen never say noting to me. I am not beggar, but
artiste!--every body know dat--and my monkey is artiste too! I beg your
pardon to laugh.”