Londonispeculiarlyfertileinthissortofphrases，whichspringupsuddenly，nooneknowsexactlyinwhatspot，andpervadethewholepopulationinafewhours，nooneknowshow。Manyyearsagothefavouritephrasefor，thoughbutamonosyllable，itwasaphraseinitselfwasQuoz。Thisoddwordtookthefancyofthemultitudeinanextraordinarydegree，andverysoonacquiredanalmostboundlessmeaning。Whenvulgarwitwishedtomarkitsincredulityandraisealaughatthesametime，therewasnoresourcesosureasthispopularpieceofslang。Whenamanwasaskedafavourwhichhedidnotchoosetogrant，hemarkedhissenseofthesuitor’sunparalleledpresumptionbyexclaimingQuoz！Whenamischievousurchinwishedtoannoyapassenger，andcreatemirthforhischums，helookedhimintheface，andcriedoutQuoz！andtheexclamationneverfailedinitsobject。
　　Whenadisputantwasdesirousofthrowingadoubtupontheveracityofhisopponent，andgettingsummarilyridofanargumentwhichhecouldnotoverturn，heutteredthewordQuoz，withacontemptuouscurlofhislipandanimpatientshrugofhisshoulders。Theuniversalmonosyllableconveyedallhismeaning，andnotonlytoldhisopponentthathelied，butthatheerredegregiouslyifhethoughtthatanyonewassuchanincompoopastobelievehim。EveryalehouseresoundedwithQuoz；everystreetcornerwasnoisywithit，andeverywallformilesaroundwaschalkedwithit。
　　But，likeallotherearthlythings，Quozhaditsseason，andpassedawayassuddenlyasitarose，neveragaintobethepetandtheidolofthepopulace。Anewclaimantdroveitfromitsplace，andheldundisputedswaytill，initsturn，itwashurledfromitspre-eminence，andasuccessorappointedinitsstead。
　　“Whatashockingbadhat！“wasthephrasethatwasnextinvogue。
　　Nosoonerhaditbecomeuniversal，thanthousandsofidlebutsharpeyeswereonthewatchforthepassengerwhosehatshowedanysigns，howeverslight，ofancientservice。Immediatelythecryarose，and，likethewhat-whoopoftheIndians，wasrepeatedbyahundreddiscordantthroats。Hewasawisemanwho，findinghimselfunderthesecircumstances“theobservedofallobservers，“borehishonoursmeekly。Hewhoshowedsymptomsofill-feelingattheimputationscastuponhishat，onlybroughtuponhimselfredoublednotice。Themobsoonperceivewhetheramanisirritable，and，ifoftheirownclass，theylovetomakesportofhim。Whensuchaman，andwithsuchahat，passedinthosedaysthroughacrowdedneighbourhood，hemightthinkhimselffortunateifhisannoyanceswereconfinedtotheshoutsandcriesofthepopulace。Theobnoxioushatwasoftensnatchedfromhishead，andthrownintothegutterbysomepracticaljoker，andthenraised，coveredwithmud，upontheendofastick，fortheadmirationofthespectators，whoheldtheirsideswithlaughter，andexclaimedinthepausesoftheirmirth，“Oh！whatashockingbadhat！……Whatashockingbadhat！“Manyanervous，poorman，whosepursecouldbutillsparetheoutlay，doubtlesspurchasedanewhatbeforethetime，inordertoavoidexposureinthismanner。
　　Theoriginofthissingularsaying，whichmadefunforthemetropolisformonths，isnotinvolvedinthesameobscurityasthatwhichshroudstheoriginofQuozandsomeothers。Therehadbeenahotly-contestedelectionfortheboroughofSouthwark，andoneofthecandidateswasaneminenthatter。Thisgentleman，incanvassingtheelectors，adoptedasomewhatprofessionalmodeofconciliatingtheirgood-will，andofbribingthemwithoutlettingthemperceivethattheywerebribed。Wheneverhecalleduponormetavoterwhosehatwasnotofthebestmaterial，or，beingso，hadseenitsbestdays，heinvariablysaid，“Whatashockingbadhatyouhavegot；callatmywarehouse，andyoushallhaveanewone！“Uponthedayofelectionthiscircumstancewasremembered，andhisopponentsmadethemostofit，byincitingthecrowdtokeepupanincessantcryof“Whatashockingbadhat！“allthetimethehonourablecandidatewasaddressingthem。FromSouthwarkthephrasespreadoverallLondon，andreigned，foratime，thesupremeslangoftheseason。
　　HookeyWalker，derivedfromthechorusofapopularballad，wasalsohighinfavouratonetime，andserved，likeitspredecessor，Quoz，toanswerallquestions。Inthecourseoftimethelatterwordalonebecamethefavourite，andwasutteredwithapeculiardrawluponthefirstsyllable，andasharpturnuponthelast。Ifalivelyservantgirlwasimportunedforakissbyafellowshedidnotcareabout，shecockedherlittlenose，andcried“Walker！“Ifadustmanaskedhisfriendfortheloanofashilling，andhisfriendwaseitherunableorunwillingtoaccommodatehim，theprobableanswerhewouldreceivewas“Walker！“Ifadrunkenmanwasreelingalongthestreets，andaboypulledhiscoat-tails，oramanknockedhishatoverhiseyestomakefunofhim，thejokewasalwaysaccompaniedbythesameexclamation。Thislastedfortwoorthreemonths，and“Walker！“walkedoffthestage，nevermoretoberevivedfortheentertainmentofthatoranyfuturegeneration。
　　Thenextphrasewasamostpreposterousone。Whoinventedit，howitarose，orwhereitwasfirstheard，arealikeunknown。Nothingaboutitiscertain，butthatformonthsitwastheslangparexcellenceoftheLondoners，andaffordedthemavastgratification。
　　“Therehegoeswithhiseyeout！“or“Thereshegoeswithhereyeout！“asthesexofthepartyalludedtomightbe，wasinthemouthofeverybodywhoknewthetown。Thesoberpartofthecommunitywereasmuchpuzzledbythisunaccountablesayingasthevulgarweredelightedwithit。Thewisethoughtitveryfoolish，butthemanythoughtitveryfunny，andtheidleamusedthemselvesbychalkingituponwalls，orscribblingituponmonuments。But，“allthat’sbrightmustfade，“
　　eveninslang。Thepeoplegrewtiredoftheirhobby，and“Therehegoeswithhiseyeout！“washeardnomoreinitsaccustomedhaunts。
　　Anotherveryoddphrasecameintoreputeinabriefspaceafterwards，intheformoftheimpertinentandnotuniversallyappositequery，“Hasyourmothersoldhermangle？“Butitspopularitywasnotofthatboisterousandcordialkindwhichensuresalongcontinuanceoffavour。Whattendedtoimpedeitsprogresswas，thatitcouldnotbewellappliedtotheolderportionsofsociety。Itconsequentlyranbutabriefcareer，andthensankintooblivion。Itssuccessorenjoyedamoreextendedfame，andlaiditsfoundationssodeep，thatyearsandchangingfashionshavenotsufficedtoeradicateit。Thisphrasewas“Flareup！“anditis，evennow，acolloquialismincommonuse。IttookitsriseinthetimeoftheReformriots，whenBristolwasnearlyhalfburnedbytheinfuriatedpopulace。Theflamesweresaidtohaveflaredupinthedevotedcity。Whethertherewasanythingpeculiarlycaptivatinginthesound，orintheideaofthesewords，ishardtosay；butwhateverwasthereason，ittickledthemob-fancymightily，anddroveallotherslangoutofthefieldbeforeit。NothingwastobeheardalloverLondonbut“flareup！“Itansweredallquestions，settledalldisputes，wasappliedtoallpersons，allthings，andallcircumstances，andbecamesuddenlythemostcomprehensivephraseintheEnglishlanguage。Themanwhohadoversteppedtheboundsofdecoruminhisspeechwassaidtohaveflaredup；hewhohadpaidvisitstoorepeatedtothegin-shop，andgotdamagedinconsequence，hadflaredup。Toputone’s-selfintoapassion；tostrolloutonanocturnalfrolic，andalarmaneighbourhood，ortocreateadisturbanceinanyshape，wastoflareup。Alovers’quarrelwasafareup；sowasaboxing-matchbetweentwoblackguardsinthestreets，andthepreachersofseditionandrevolutionrecommendedtheEnglishnationtoflareup，liketheFrench。Sogreatafavouritewastheword，thatpeoplelovedtorepeatitforitsverysound。Theydelightedapparentlyinhearingtheirownorgansarticulateit；andlabouringmen，whennonewhocouldrespondtothecallwerewithinhearing，wouldoftenstartlethearistocraticechoesoftheWestbythewell-knownslangphraseoftheEast。Eveninthedeadhoursofthenight，theearsofthosewhowatchedlate，orwhocouldnotsleep，weresalutedwiththesamesound。Thedrunkardreelinghomeshowedthathewasstillamanandacitizen，bycalling“flareup“inthepausesofhishiccough。Drinkhaddeprivedhimofthepowerofarrangingallotherideas；hisintellectwassunktothelevelofthebrute’s；butheclungtohumanitybytheonelastlinkofthepopularcry。Whilehecouldvociferatethatsound，hehadrightsasanEnglishman，andwouldnotsleepinagutter，likeadog！Onwardshewent，disturbingquietstreetsandcomfortablepeoplebyhiswhoop，tillexhaustednaturecouldsupporthimnomore，andherolledpowerlessintotheroad。When，induetimeafterwards，thepolicemanstumbleduponhimashelay，thatguardianofthepeaceturnedthefulllightofhislanternonhisface，andexclaimed，“Here’sapoordevilwho’sbeenflaringup！“Thencamethestretcher，onwhichthevictimofdeeppotationswascarriedtothewatchhouse，andpitchedintoadirtycell，amongascoreofwretchesaboutasfargoneashimself，whosalutedtheirnewcomradebyaloud，longshoutofflareup！
　　Souniversalwasthisphrase，andsoenduringseemeditspopularity，thataspeculator，whoknewnottheevanescenceofslang，establishedaweeklynewspaperunderitsname。Buthewaslikethemanwhobuilthishouseuponthesand；hisfoundationgavewayunderhim，andthephraseandthenewspaperwerewashedintothemightyseaofthethingsthatwere。Thepeoplegrewatlastwearyofthemonotony，and“flareup“becamevulgarevenamongthem。Graduallyitwaslefttolittleboyswhodidnotknowtheworld，andinprocessoftimesankaltogetherintoneglect。Itisnowheardnomoreasapieceofpopularslang；butthewordsarestillusedtosignifyanysuddenoutbursteitheroffire，disturbance，orill-nature。
　　Thenextphrasethatenjoyedthefavourofthemillionwaslessconcise，andseemstohavebeenoriginallyaimedagainstprecociousyouthswhogavethemselvestheairsofmanhoodbeforetheirtime。
　　“Doesyourmotherknowyou’reout？“wastheprovokingqueryaddressedtoyoungmenofmorethanreasonableswagger，whosmokedcigarsinthestreets，andworefalsewhiskerstolookirresistible。Wehaveseenmanyaconceitedfellowwhocouldnotsufferawomantopasshimwithoutstaringheroutofcountenance，reducedatonceintohisnaturalinsignificancebythemereutteranceofthisphrase。
　　ApprenticeladsandshopmenintheirSundayclothesheldthewordsinabhorrence，andlookedfiercewhentheywereappliedtothem。
　　Altogetherthephrasehadaverysalutaryeffect，andinathousandinstancesshowedyoungVanity，thatitwasnothalfsoprettyandengagingasitthoughtitself。Whatrendereditsoprovokingwasthedoubtitimpliedastothecapabilityofself-guidancepossessedbytheindividualtowhomitwasaddressed。“Doesyourmotherknowyou’reout？“wasaqueryofmockconcernandsolicitude，implyingregretandconcernthatonesoyoungandinexperiencedinthewaysofagreatcityshouldbeallowedtowanderabroadwithouttheguidanceofaparent。Hencethegreatwrathofthosewhovergedonmanhood，buthadnotreachedit，whenevertheyweremadethesubjectofit。Evenolderheadsdidnotlikeit；andtheheirofaducalhouse，andinheritorofawarrior’sname，towhomtheywereappliedbyacabrioletdriver，whowasignorantofhisrank，wassoindignantattheaffront，thathesummonedtheoffenderbeforethemagisterialbench。ThefellowhadwishedtoimposeuponhisLordshipbyaskingdoublethefarehewasentitledto，andwhenhisLordshipresistedthedemand，hewasinsultinglyasked“ifhismotherknewhewasout？“Allthedriversonthestandjoinedinthequery，andhisLordshipwasfaintoescapetheirlaughterbywalkingawaywithasmuchhasteashisdignitywouldallow。ThemanpleadedignorancethathiscustomerwasaLord，butoffendedjusticefinedhimforhismistake。
　　Whenthisphrasehadnumbereditsappointeddays，itdiedaway，likeitspredecessors，and“Whoareyou？“reignedinitsstead。Thisnewfavourite，likeamushroom，seemstohavesprungupinanight，or，likeafroginCheapside，tohavecomedowninasuddenshower。
　　Onedayitwasunheard，unknown，uninvented；thenextitpervadedLondon；everyalleyresoundedwithit；everyhighwaywasmusicalwithit，“Andstreettostreet，andlanetolaneflungbackTheoneunvaryingcry。“