Alderman Exshaw, accompanied by Archdeacon Hastings, is walking in Merrion Square, Dublin, when they encounter a large crowd of people engaged in lively activity — leaping, wrestling, shouting, and other forms of public revelry. The scene reflects the spirited nature of Dublin’s public spaces in the 18th or early 19th century, where communal gatherings, athletic contests, and spontaneous festivities were a regular part of urban life.