The Dandy’s Perambulations
April 9, 2019
I am grateful to Sian Rees, student of my last blog course and author of PLANTING DIARIES, gardens, planting styles and their origins for kindly drawing my attention to The Dandy’s Perambulations by Robert Cruickshank, being an account of a trip to Kew Gardens in 1819
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If only I was taught to read with ‘The Dandy’s Perambulations’ instead of ‘Janet & John’; it would have saved much emotional turmoil during childhood.
If dressing took 5 hours a day, even before his morning walk and lounge, we can assume that the dandy didn’t need to work at a job. Where did the money for the leisure-filled lifestyle come from?
What an absolute gem!
I love the tone of it – making fun but it’s kind too.
What a lovely insight into a day out on the ‘Like A Bike’s – no pedals!
Really sweet – imagine bumping into geese and pigs on the way to the wilds of Kew!
Love the doting gran 🙂
Greetings from Boston,
GA, such a delightful tale to tell. What surprised me was the appearance of bicycle-like contraptions so far back – the book was published in 1819.
Pure delight! I like the details, like the bootjack in the first and last pictures.
And ‘ouch!’ those britches are so tight the poor man can seldom bend his legs! 😉
Fine AND dandy, both. What a fun romp. I loved concluding with the exhausted fellow
on his granny’s lap……with the cat nearby undoubtedly thinking “Here we go again……”.
You’ve given us a treat “a la mode” — once more!
Thank you, GA.
Dear GA,
Thank you, as always!
What a wonderful piece. I am only relieved that my perambulations do not create such drama. Who would be a dandy?
Kindest regards,
Mrs Chapman
Tee hee! What a jolly jape…
But I didn’t know that boneshaker ‘hobbies’ had been around that long – presumably they were the latest thing when the poem was written?
Pink managed to unlace his stays; imagine the relief!
Delightful.
I wonder whose house that was at Turnham Green?
Thank you.