Note 43 — THE HISTORY OF SLANG, OR THE VULGAR LANGUAGE OF FAST LIFE.

North, in his Examen, p. 574, says, “I may note that the rabble first changed their title, and were called the mob in the assemblies of this [Green Ribbon] club. It was their beast of burden, and called first mobile vulgus, but fell naturally into the contraction of one syllable, and ever since is become proper English.” In the same work, p. 231, the disgraceful origin of SHAM is given.