Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch,* for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London!

PART I: “THE PENNY DREADFULS”:

• 02:50: VARNEY THE VAMPYRE; or, THE FEAST OF BLOOD, Chapter 37: As soon as he can get away, Henry goes next door and challenges Varney to a duel, following a very unsatisfactory conversation about the disposition of Charles Holland, which Varney claims ignorance of, but Henry frankly accuses him of lying. No sooner is Henry home than Admiral Bell sallies forth on a similar errand….
• 36:15: SPORTY STREET BROADSIDE: “Landlord fill a flowing bowl,” a zesty drinking song, presented alongside “The Fire King,” a poem in praise of stage magician and fire-eater J.X. Chabert.
• 42:45: TERRIFIC REGISTER ARTICLE: A wicked archbishop who called his parishioners vermin was, according to this legend, chased down and devoured by a horde of rats.

PART II: “THE SIXPENNY SPOOKIES”:

• 45:45: EARLY VICTORIAN GHOSTLY SHORT STORY, TO-WIT: SHADOW OF A SHADE, by Tom Hood, Part 1 OF 2: We are introduced to Lettie, the narrator’s sister, and her fiancé, George Mason, a merchant-marine officer who is about to set out on an expedition to find Sir John Franklin’s missing North Pole expedition. A younger brother has painted a portrait of George, which Lettie really likes, and has it hung in the living room to remind her of her loved one. George’s fellow officer, Vincent Grieve, comes to dinner before the expedition began, and all but follows Lettie around with his tongue hanging out — seeming to be trying to cut in on her. On his last visit, he tells Lettie he was in love with her, and should she ever break it off with George, he hopes she’ll have him instead. Outraged, Lettie orders him out of the house.
• The ship sails. Then, some weeks later, a chill arctic wind seemed to blow through the room, despite it being summer; and when our narrator looks at the painting of George, it looks like the head has become a skull! Upon approaching, the illusion passed; but our narrator very much fears it was an omen …
• 1:03:00: A SHORT GHOST STORY from the scrapbook of Charles Lindley, Viscount Halifax: The tale of a ghostly butler who still walks the halls of an ancient hall in Yorkshire.
• 1:11:15: A FEW SQUEAKY-CLEAN DAD JOKES from the early-1800s' most popular joke book: "Joe Miller's Jests; or, The Wit's Vade-mecum."

*The Barony of Dunwitch is located in a deep forest glade west of Arkham (where, as H.P. Lovecraft put it, “the hills rise wild, and there are valleys with deep woods that no axe has ever cut; there are dark narrow glens where the trees slope fantastically, and where thin brooklets trickle without ever having caught the glint of sunlight.”) Actually it is a good 3,000 miles west of Arkham. It is not to be confused with Dunwich, the English seacoast town that fell house by house into the sea centuries ago, or Dunsany, the home until 1957 of legendary fantasy author Edward J.M.D. Plunkett, 18th Baron Dunsany.

GLOSSARY OF FLASH TERMS USED IN THIS EPISODE:

• BLACKLEGS: Crooked gamblers.
• CAPTAIN TOBERS: Top-tier highwaymen.
• KNIGHTS OF THE BRUSH AND MOON: Drunken fellows wandering amok in meadows and ditches, trying to stagger home.
• CHAFFING-CRIB: A room where drinking and bantering are going on.
• TARTARS: Feisty old ladies.
• AUTEM DIPPERS: Preachers from Protestant denominations that emphasize baptism by immersion.
• NOGGEN OF LIGHTNING: Quartern of gin.
• SUGAR-CANE JUICE: Rum.
• MORRIS OFF: Flee or run away.
• BEAKS ON THE NOSE: Magistrates or police detectives on an active investigation.
• DIDDLE COVES: Bartenders at a dram shop or gin palace.
• DAFFY DOXIES: Spicy ladies who drink gin (daffy is gin).
• CAPTAIN LUSHINGTONS: Drunken fellows.

There are more! But we’re out of space here. A full glossary of all the flash-cant terms used in this episode is at ⁠https://pennydread.com/discord⁠ in the "#season-5-episodes" thread.

NOTICE/APOLOGY: There are a couple fairly egregious editing errors in this episode caused by my ill-advised attempt at multitasking. I haven't time to re-compile it, but please accept my assurances that I will be more careful in future! — The CORINTHIAN.

Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch,* for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London!

PART I: “THE PENNY DREADFULS”:

• 01:50: DICKENS’ DREADFUL ALMANAC for today: An attorney who took to the road and became a highwayman Bonnie-and-Clyde style was hanged with his highwaywoman sweetheart, 288 years ago today.
• 04:50: VARNEY THE VAMPYRE; or, THE FEAST OF BLOOD, Chapter 35-36: The other men of the household also emerge from the house, and run about trying to figure out where Varney ran off to. After they’re gone, he coolly steps back into the summer house to resume his conversation with Flora. He assures her that after they leave the hall, she will be reunited with Charles; and then he buggers off. They don’t catch him, of course, and next day the whole family gets together to try and figure out what to do next ….
• 33:58: BROADSIDE BALLAD: A couple jolly drinking songs: Bacchus and Time and Heigh-ho Says Thimble!
• 38:24: TERRIFIC REGISTER ARTICLE: They accused her of theft — but learned, after it was too late, who the real thief was: A magpie!

PART II: "THE SIXPENNY SPOOKIES":

• 41:10: EARLY VICTORIAN GHOSTLY SHORT STORY, TO-WIT: No Living Voice, by Thomas Street Millington: Stuck in a boring border town while he waits for his passport to be fixed, an English travler named Mr. Brown takes to exploring the scenery and ruins of the picturesque Neopolitan countryside. One day, darkness catches him still far from town. But a passing shepherd guides him to a rustic country inn, where he can get a good meal and a bed, saving him from the discomfort of being stuck outside all night. A lucky break for Mr. Brown — or is it? Because there’s something about that country inn that’s not quite right ….
• 1:05:30: A SHORT GHOST STORY from the scrapbook of Charles Lindley, Viscount Halifax: The family had no end of trouble from ghostly manifestations in a particular room in the house… then, when they demolished that room to expand the staircase, they found a coffin under the floorboards.
• 1:15:30: A FEW SQUEAKY-CLEAN DAD JOKES from the early-1800s' most popular joke book: "Joe Miller's Jests; or, The Wit's Vade-mecum."

GLOSSARY OF FLASH TERMS USED IN THIS EPISODE:

• CONVEYANCERS: Burglars or thieves.
• CHICKSTERS: Prostitutes.
• KNIGHTS OF THE BRUSH AND MOON: Drunken fellows wandering amok in meadows and ditches, trying to stagger home.
• CORINTHIAN: A fancy toff or titled swell. Used here as a reference to Corinthian Tom, the quintessential Regency rake depicted in Pierce Egan's "Life in London" (usually referred to as "Tom and Jerry").
• CHAFFING-CRIB: A room where drinking and bantering are going on.
• GUNPOWDER: Proper old lady.
• IRON DOUBLET: Fire-and-brimstone preacher.
• BRUSHER: Large glass.
• STRIKE-ME-DEAD: New gin, hot off the still, also known as kill-devil.
• HEDGE BIRDS: Scoundrels.
• CAKES: Soft-headed fellows.
• SLIPPERY BLADE: A crafty gentleman.
• JARVEY: Hackney-coach driver.
• VADE MECUM: Latin for "hand book."
• JOE MILLER: A player at Drury-lane, in the early 1700s, who was famous for a Leslie Nielsen style of stone-faced comedy. Mr. Miller was always so serious (and don’t call him Shirley) that he was hilarious on stage. When he died leaving some dependents uncared-for, the jestbook was created by Joe’s friends as a sort of inside joke, as a fundraiser to support his bereaved family.
• EXIT PURSUED BY A BEAR: The most famous stage direction in all of Shakespeare’s work. Appears seemingly out of the blue in The Winter’s Tale.

There are more! But we’re out of space here. A full glossary of all the flash-cant terms used in this episode is at ⁠https://pennydread.com/discord⁠ in the "#season-5-episodes" thread.