PREFACE.

The merit of Captain Grose's Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue has been long 
and universally acknowledged. But its circulation was confined almost 
exclusively to the lower orders of society: he was not aware, at the time 
of its compilation, that our young men of fashion would at no very distant 
period be as distinguished for the vulgarity of their jargon as the 
inhabitants of Newgate; and he therefore conceived it superfluous to 
incorporate with his work the few examples of fashionable slang that might 
occur to his observation. 

But our Jehus of rank have a phraseology not less peculiar to themselves, 
than the disciples of Barrington: for the uninitiated to understand their 
modes of expression, is as impossible as for a Buxton to construe the 
Greek Testament. To sport an Upper Benjamin, and to swear with a good 
grace, are qualifications easily attainable by their cockney imitators; 
but without the aid of our additional definitions, neither the cits of 
Fish-street, nor the boors of Brentford would be able to attain the 
language of whippism. We trust, therefore, that the whole tribe of second- 
rate Bang Ups, will feel grateful for our endeavour to render this part of 
the work as complete as possible. By an occasional reference to our pages, 
they may be initiated into all the peculiarities of language by which the 
man of spirit is distinguished from the man of worth. They may now talk 
bawdy before their papas, without the fear of detection, and abuse their 
less spirited companions, who prefer a good dinner at home to a glorious 
UP-SHOT in the highway, without the hazard of a cudgelling. 

But we claim not merely the praise of gratifying curiosity, or affording 
assistance to the ambitious; we are very sure that the moral influence of 
the Lexicon Balatronicum will be more certain and extensive than that of 
any methodist sermon that has ever been delivered within the bills of 
mortality. We need not descant on the dangerous impressions that are made 
on the female mind, by the remarks that fall incidentally from the lips of 
the brothers or servants of a family; and we have before observed, that 
improper topics can with our assistance be discussed, even before the 
ladies, without raising a blush on the cheek of modesty. It is impossible 
that a female should understand the meaning of TWIDDLE DIDDLES, or rise 
from table at the mention of BUCKINGER'S BOOT. Besides, Pope assures us, 
that "VICE TO BE HATED NEEDS BUT TO BE SEEN;" in this volume it cannot be 
denied, that she is seen very plainly; and a love of virtue is, therefore, 
the necessary result of perusing it. 

The propriety of introducing the UNIVERSITY SLANG will be readily 
admitted; it is not less curious than that of the College in the Old 
Bailey, and is less generally understood. When the number and accuracy of 
our additions are compared with the price of the volume, we have no doubt 
that its editors will meet with the encouragement that is due to learning, 
modesty, and virtue.