Bradford, Yorkshire.
_The Southwark Pudding Wonder._--I have been very much pleased with the
perusal of a collection of MS. letters, written by the celebrated antiquary
William Stukeley to Maurice Johnson, Esq., the founder of the Gentlemen's
Society at Spalding. These letters have not been published; the MSS. exist
in the library of the Spalding Society. They contain much interesting
matter, and furnish many traits of the manners, character, and modes of
thinking and acting of their respected author.
Can any of your readers explain the meaning of the following passage, which
is found in a letter dated 19th June, 1718: "_The Southwark Pudding wonder
is over?_"
In the same letter the Dr. alludes to a contested election for the office
of Chamberlain of the City of London, which took place in 1718:
"The city is all in an uproar about the election of a chamberlain, like
a country corporation for burgesses, where roast pig and beef and wine
are dealt about freely at taverns, and advertisements about it more
voluminous than the late celebrated Bangorean Notification, though not
in a calm and undisturbed way."