On the outer edges of the pavement, in front of the busy shops, were rows of booths, stalls, and harrows, whereon meat, vegetables, fish, and household requirements of indescribable variety were exposed for sale.
The vendors vied with one another in uproarious advertisement of their goods.

In vociferation the butchers doubtless excelled; their 'Lovely, lovely, lovely!' and their reiterated 'Buy, buy, buy!' rang clangorous above the hoarse roaring of costermongers and the din of those who clattered pots and pans.

Here and there meat was being sold by Dutch auction, a brisk business.

Umbrellas, articles of clothing, quack medicines, were disposed of in the same way, giving occasion for much coarse humour.

The market-night is the sole out-of-door amusement regularly at hand for London working people, the only one, in truth, for which they show any real capacity.