Highgate, a noted suburb of London, 5 m. N. of the General Post-Office; the burial-place of Coleridge, George Eliot, and Faraday. Dick Whittington's Stone is at the foot of Highgate Hill.

HIGHGATE. Sworn at Highgate--a ridiculous custom formerly
prevailed at the public-houses in Highgate, to administer
a ludicrous oath to all travellers of the middling
rank who stopped there. The party was sworn on a pair
of horns, fastened on a stick: the substance of the oath
was, never to kiss the maid when he could kiss the mistress,
never to drink small beer when he could get strong, with
many other injunctions of the like kind; to all which was
added the saving cause of "unless you like it best." The
person administering the oath was always to be called
father by the juror; and he, in return, was to style him
son, under the penalty of a bottle.