Contains a chapter on slang.
THE WHOLE ART OF THIEVING and Defrauding Discovered: being a Caution to
all Housekeepers, Shopkeepers, Salesmen, and others, to guard against
Robbers of both Sexes, and the best Methods to prevent their Villanies;
to which is added an Explanation of most of the cant terms in the
Thieving Language, 8vo, pp. 46. 1786
TOM CRIB’S Memorial to Congress, with a Preface, Notes, and Appendix
_by one of the Fancy_ [Tom Moore, the poet], 12mo. 1819
A humorous poem, abounding in slang and pugilistic terms, with a
burlesque essay on the classic origin of slang.
VACABONDES, The Fraternatye of, as well of ruflyng Vacabones, as
of beggerly, of Women as of Men, of Gyrles as of Boyes, with their
proper Names and Qualities, with a Description of the Crafty Company
of Cousoners and Shifters, also the XXV. Orders of Knaves; otherwyse
called a Quartern of Knaves, confirmed by Cocke Lorell, 8vo. _Imprinted
at London by John Awdeley, dwellyng in little Britayne streete without
Aldersgate._ 1575
It is stated in _Ames’ Typog. Antiq._, vol. ii., p. 885, that an
edition bearing the date 1565 is in existence, and that the compiler
was no other than old John Audley, the printer, himself. This
conjecture, however, is very doubtful. As stated by Watt, it is more
than probable that it was written by Harman, or was taken from his
works, in MS. or print.
VAUX’S (Count de, _a swindler and a pickpocket_) Life, written by
himself, 2 vols., 12mo, _to which is added a Canting Dictionary_. 1819
These Memoirs were suppressed on account of the scandalous passages
contained in them.
WEBSTER’S (Noah) Letter to the Hon. John Pickering, on the Subject
of his Vocabulary, or Collection of Words and Phrases supposed to be
peculiar to the United States, 8vo, pp. 69. _Boston_, 1817
WILD (Jonathan) History of the Lives and Actions of Jonathan Wild,
Thieftaker, Joseph Blake, _alias_ Blue skin, Footpad, and John
Sheppard, Housebreaker; together with a CANTING DICTIONARY BY JONATHAN
WILD, _woodcuts_, 12mo. 1750
WILSON (Professor) contributed various Slang pieces to _Blackwood’s
Magazine_; including a Review of Bee’s Dictionary.
WITHERSPOON’S (Dr., of America) Essays on Americanisms, Perversions of
Language in the United States, _Cant_ phrases, &c., 8vo., in the 4th
vol. of his Works. _Philadelphia_, 1801
The earliest work on American vulgarisms. Originally published
in a series of Essays, entitled the _Druid_, which appeared in a
periodical in 1761.
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS, &c.
_A.N._—Anglo-Norman.
_Ancient_, or _Ancient English_—Whenever these terms are employed, it
is meant to signify that the words to which they are attached were in
respectable use in or previous to the reign of Elizabeth.—See _Old_.
_Ancient Cant_—In use as a _cant_ word in or previous to the reign of
Elizabeth.
_A.S._—Anglo-Saxon.
_Beds._—Bedfordshire.
_Cor._—A corruption.
_East._—Used in the Eastern Counties.
_Eng._—English.
_Fren._—French.
_Ger._—German.
_Glouc._—Gloucestershire.
_Hants._—Hampshire.
_Ital._—Italian.
_L.F._—Lingua Franca, or Bastard Italian.
_Lat._—Latin.
_Linc._—Lincolnshire.
_Midx._—Middlesex.
_N.D._—No date.
_Norf._—Norfolk.
_Old_, or _Old English_—In general use as a respectable word in or
previous to the reign of Charles the Second.—See _Ancient_.
_Old Cant_—In use as a cant word in or previous to the reign of
Charles II.
_Oxon._—Oxfordshire.
_Prov._—Provincial.
_Pug._—Pugilistic.
_Sal._, or _Salop_—Shropshire.
_Sax._—Saxon, or Anglo-Saxon.
_Scot._—Scotch.
_Sea_—Used principally by Sailors.
_Shaks._—Shakspeare.
_Som._—Somerset.
_Span._—Spanish.
_Suf._—Suffolk.
_Theat._—Theatrical.
_Teut._—Teutonic.
_V.D._—Various dates.
_West._—Used in the Western Counties.
_Wilts._—Wiltshire.
_Worc._—Worcestershire.
_Yorks._—Yorkshire.