Pagina 359 de 896

The officiating undertakers made some protest against these

changes in the ceremonies; but, the river being alarmingly near,

and several voices remarking on the efficacy of cold immersion in

bringing refractory members of the profession to reason, the

protest was faint and brief. The remodelled procession started,

with a chimney-sweep driving the hearse--advised by the regular

driver, who was perched beside him, under close inspection, for

the purpose--and with a pieman, also attended by his cabinet

minister, driving the mourning coach. A bear-leader, a popular

street character of the time, was impressed as an additional

ornament, before the cavalcade had gone far down the Strand; and

his bear, who was black and very mangy, gave quite an Undertaking

air to that part of the procession in which he walked.