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OLD STORIES RE-TOLD.

BY

WALTER THORNBURY,

AUTHOR OF "HAUNTED LONDON."

LONDON:

CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193, PICCADILLY.

1870.

223. J
j. 62

LONDON:

PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STREET

AND CHARING CROSS,

PREFACE.

THERE are many events of the past and present century— wrecks, riots, trials, famines, and insurrections-familiar to most of us by name, but the details of which are unknown to the younger men of this generation. Every one has heard something of the Luddites and their outrages; of Thurtell the gambler, and the cruel murder he committed; of that agonising event the burning of the Kent East Indiaman; of the savage execution of the Cato Street conspirators; of the trickeries of old Patch; of the tragedy of Spafields, &c.; but there are few of us who have had either time or opportunity to collect, compare, and read at full length, the newspapers, pamphlets, and street ballads which refer to these occurrences. It is only those who have, who can know thoroughly the truth or falsehood of the traditional accounts. It is from the interesting and vivifying details, that the real nature of the social catastrophes and extraordinary occurrences of the past century can best be ascertained. Some of the more remarkable pages of old Time's chronicle we would here humbly present for reperusal.

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