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| committer | www-data <www-data@mail.pglaf.org> | 2026-03-11 04:28:54 -0700 |
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diff --git a/78172-h/78172-h.htm b/78172-h/78172-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6c8b0a0 --- /dev/null +++ b/78172-h/78172-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3816 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> + <head> + <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <title>Household Words, No. 7, May 11, 1850: a Weekly Journal | Project Gutenberg</title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + <style> + body { margin-left: 8%; margin-right: 10%; } + h1 { text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-size: xx-large; } + h2 { text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-size: x-large; } + h3 { text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-size: large; } + .pageno { right: 1%; font-size: x-small; background-color: inherit; color: silver; + text-indent: 0em; text-align: right; position: absolute; + border: thin solid silver; padding: .1em .2em; font-style: normal; + font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; } + p { text-indent: 0; 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+ border:thin solid silver; margin:2em 10% 0 10%; font-family: Georgia, serif; + clear: both; } + .covernote { visibility: hidden; display: none; } + div.tnotes p { text-align: justify; } + .x-ebookmaker .covernote { visibility: visible; display: block; } + h1 {line-height: 150%; } + .footnote {font-size: .9em; } + div.footnote p {text-indent: 2em; margin-bottom: .5em; } + .chapter { clear: both; page-break-before: always; } + body {font-family: Garamond, Georgia, serif; text-align: justify; } + table {font-size: .9em; padding: 1.5em .5em 1em; page-break-inside: avoid; + clear: both; } + div.titlepage {text-align: center; page-break-before: always; + page-break-after: always; } + div.titlepage p {text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; font-weight: bold; + line-height: 1.5; margin-top: 3em; } + .ph2 { text-indent: 0em; font-weight: bold; font-size: x-large; margin: .75em auto; + page-break-before: always; } + .x-ebookmaker p.dropcap:first-letter { float: left; } + </style> + </head> + <body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78172 ***</div> + +<div class='tnotes covernote'> + +<p class='c000'><strong>Transcriber’s Note:</strong></p> + +<p class='c000'>New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the public domain.</p> + +</div> + +<div class='titlepage'> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> +<div class='nf-center c001'> + <div>“<i>Familiar in their Mouths as HOUSEHOLD WORDS.</i>”—<span class='sc'>Shakespeare.</span></div> + </div> +</div> + +<div> + <span class='pageno' id='Page_145'>145</span> + <h1 class='c002'>HOUSEHOLD WORDS.<br> <span class='xlarge'>A WEEKLY JOURNAL.</span></h1> +</div> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> +<div class='nf-center c001'> + <div><span class='large'>CONDUCTED BY CHARLES DICKENS.</span></div> + <div class='c003'>N<sup>o.</sup> 7.]      SATURDAY, MAY 11, 1850.      [<span class='sc'>Price</span> 2<i>d.</i></div> + </div> +</div> + +</div> + +<div class='chapter'> + <h2 class='c004'>THE FIRE BRIGADE OF LONDON.</h2> +</div> + +<p class='c005'>Earth, Air, and Water are necessary conditions +of human life; but Fire is the first +great element of civilisation. Fire, the first +medium between the ‘cooking animal’ and +the wild root and raw-flesh-devouring savage; +fire, the best, because the most useful of +servants, and, according to the old proverb, +the worst, because the most tyrannical of +masters; fire, the chief friend of man in +creations of nature and of industrial art, yet +the most potent of all enemies in destruction; +fire, the most brilliant and magnificent object +on the earth, yet the most frightful and appalling +when once it obtains dominion over +man and man’s abodes;—to subdue, and +render docile to all needs, this devouring +dragon, and bend his splendid crests, not only +to ‘boil the pot’ but to lick the dust before +the feet of Science, this is one of the greatest +triumphs of mankind, the results of which are +every year more and more stupendous.</p> + +<p class='c006'>But, amidst all our mastery, we are never +permitted to forget that this illustrious slave +has neither abandoned nor abated one jot of +his original nature. Of this we are but too +constantly reminded. Not to speak of lightning +and volcanic eruptions, the weekly record +of colliery and other mine explosions, of steamboat +explosions, the burning of ships, and the +dismal transformation to a heap of ashes of +valuable warehouses, costly public edifices, or +private houses, with ‘dreadful loss of life,’ +need but the slightest mention to excite a +thrill of alarm, or some passing thought of +caution in the mind of every person holding +the smallest stake in the social community.</p> + +<p class='c006'>To meet this sudden emergency, therefore, +and to restore the balance of power, or, rather, +to put down the mutiny of this powerful slave, +and reduce him to his habitual subserviency, +we have the Fire Brigade, divided into four +sections, and having nineteen stations in the +most central quarters of the metropolis. This +includes two ‘mighty engines’ floating on the +Thames.</p> + +<p class='c007'>‘Of all the rallying words,’ says a writer in +Charles Knight’s “London,” ‘whereby multitudes +are gathered together, and their energies impelled +forcibly to one point, that of “<i>Fire!</i>” is, perhaps, +the most startling and the most irresistible. It +levels all distinctions; it sets at nought sleep, and +meals, and occupations, and amusements; it turns +night into day, and Sunday into a “working-day;” +it gives double strength to those who are blessed +with any energy, and paralyses those who have +none; it brings into prominent notice, and converts +into objects of sympathy, those who were +before little thought of, or who were, perhaps, +despised; it gives to the dwellers in a whole huge +neighbourhood the unity of one family.’</p> + +<p class='c006'>But even while we are trimming our midnight +lamp to write this paper, the cry of +‘Fire!’ suddenly resounds from a distant +street. The heavy boots of a policeman clatter +along beneath our window. The cry is repeated +by several voices, and more feet are +heard hurrying along. The fire is in a squalid +court, leading into a mews which runs close +to the backs of the houses of one side of a +great square. We hastily struggle into an +overcoat, snatch up a hat, and issue forth to +follow the alarming cry.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The tumult sounds in the court; the cry of +‘Fire!’ is wildly repeated in a woman’s voice +from one of the windows of the mews; now +from another window!—now from several. +‘Fire! fire!’ cry voices of many passengers in +streets, and away scamper the policemen to +the nearest stations of the Fire Brigade, passing +the word to other policemen as they run, +till all the police force in the neighbourhood +are clattering along the pavement, some +towards the scene of the fire, but most of them +either towards an engine-station, to one of the +Fire-escapes of the Royal Society, or to pass +the word to the policeman whose duty it will +be to run to the engine-station next beyond. +By this means of passing the word, somebody +arrives at the gates of the Chief Office of the +Fire Brigade, in Watling Street, and, seizing +the handle of the night-bell, pulls away at it +with the vigour which such events always call +forth.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The fireman on duty for the night, immediately +opens the gate, and receives the intelligence, +cutting short all loquacity as much as +possible, and eliciting the spot where the fire +has broken out, and the extent to which it was +raging when the person left. The fireman +then runs to a bell-handle, which he pulls; +and applying his ear to the mouth-piece of a +pipe, hears a voice ask, ‘What is it?’ (The +fireman hears his own voice sound as if at a +great distance; while the voice actually remote +<span class='pageno' id='Page_146'>146</span>sounds close in the mouth-piece, with a +strange preternatural effect.) The bell-wire +reaches up to the Superintendent’s bedside; +and the bell being rung, Mr. Braidwood raises +himself on one elbow, and applying his mouth +to the other end of the tube, answers, and +gives orders. A few words of dialogue conducted +in this way, suffice. Up jumps Mr. +Braidwood—crosses the passage to his dressing-room +(armoury, we ought rather to call +it), and in three minutes is attired in the thick +cloth frock-coat, boots, and helmet of the +Fire Brigade, fixing buttons and straps as he +descends the stairs.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Meanwhile all the men have been equally +active below. No sooner has the fireman +aroused Mr. Braidwood, than he rings the +bell of the foreman, the engineer, and the +‘singlemen’s bell’—which means the bell of +the division where the four unmarried men +sleep. He then runs out to the stables, calling +the ‘charioteer’ by the way, and two +other firemen lodging close by; after which +he returns to assist in harnessing the horses.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Owing to this simultaneous action, each +according to his special and general duties, by +the time Mr. Braidwood reaches the bottom +of the stairs, the engine has been got out, +and put in working order. All its usual +furniture, implements, and tools are placed +within, or packed about it. Short scaling-ladders, +made to fit into each other, are attached +to the sides; six lengths of hose; branch-pipes, +director-pipes, spare nozzle, suction-pipes, +goose-neck, dogs’-tails (the first to deliver +water into the engine; the second are iron +wrenches), canvas sheet, with rope handles +round the edge (to catch people who will +boldly jump out of window), dam-board (to +prevent water from plug flowing madly away), +portable cistern, strips of sheep-skin (to mend +bursting hose), balls of cord, flat <a id='t146'></a>hose, escape-chain, +escape-ropes, mattock, saw, shovel, pole-axe, +boat-hook, crow-bar (<i>such</i> a fellow!) to +burst through doors or walls, or break up +pavement; instruments for opening fire-plugs, +and keys for turning stop-cocks of water-mains, +&c.</p> + +<p class='c006'>All being ready, the Superintendent mounts +the engine to the right of the driver, and the +engineer, foreman, and firemen mount also, +and range themselves on each side of the long +red chest at the top, which contains the multifarious +articles just enumerated. Off they +start—brisk trot—canter—gallop! A bright +red gleam overspreads the sky to the westward. +The Superintendent knows that the fire in +the court has reached the mews, and the +stables are in flames. Full gallop!</p> + +<p class='c006'>Along the midnight streets, which are now +all alive with excited people—some having left +the theatres, others wending homeward from +supper at a friend’s, from dances, or perhaps +late hours of business in various trades,—all +are running in the direction of the fire! As the +engine thunders by them, the gas-lamps +gleaming on the helmets of the firemen and +the eager heads of the horses, the people send +up a loud shout of ‘Fi-ire!’ and follow pell-mell +in its wake.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Arriving at the mews, the Superintendent +sees exactly all that has happened—all that +must happen—all that may happen—and all +that may be prevented. The court is doomed +to utter ruin and ashes; so is the mews. Two +of the larger stables are on fire, and the +flames are now devouring a loft full of hay +and straw. But in doing this, their luminous +tongues stretch far beyond, seeking fresh food +when this is gone. The wind too!—the fatal +wind, sets in the direction of the square! +The flames are struggling, and leaping, and +striving with all their might to reach the +back premises of the houses on this side of +the square; and reach it they will, if this +wind continues!</p> + +<p class='c006'>Meanwhile, two of the Fire Brigade +engines from stations nearer at hand than +that of the Chief Office, are already here, and +hard at work. A fourth engine arrives from +the Chief Office close upon the wheels of the +first—and now a fifth comes thundering up +the mews. The Superintendent taking command +of the whole, and having ascertained +that all the inmates of the court and mews +have been got out, gives orders for three of +the engines to continue their efforts to overcome +the fire, and at any rate to prevent it +spreading to the houses in the square on each +side of the one which is now so imminently +threatened. He then directs his own engine +and one other to be driven round to the +front of the house in the square, so as to +attack the enemy both in front and rear at +the same time. The flames have just reached +it—not a moment is to be lost! As he drives +off, innumerable cries and exhortations seek +to arrest his progress, and to make him alter +his intentions. Several voices, louder and +more excited than all the rest,—vociferating +something about ‘saving her life’—cause +him to pause, and prepare to turn, till, +amidst the confusion, he contrives to elicit +the fact that a stable cat has been unable to +escape, and has darted out upon the burning +roof of a loft—and, also, that Mrs. Jessikin’s +laundry—but he listens no further, and +gallops his engine round to the front of the +house in the square, followed by shouts of +excitement and several yells.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The Fire-escape ladders of the Royal +Society have already arrived here in front. +All the inmates have been got out by the +door—at least it is <i>said</i> that all are out, by +those white figures with faces as white, who, +looking round them, really see nothing distinctly +and know nothing as it is—having +been awoke by the cries of ‘Fire,’ and not +being quite sure if all this mad hubbub of +people, flames, voices, and water-spouts, may +not be some horrible nightmare vision.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The water-plugs have been drawn, and the +gutters are all flooded. The gully-hole is +covered—a dam-board arrests the stream and +<span class='pageno' id='Page_147'>147</span>gives depth—the portable cistern is quickly +filled—the suction-pipes of the engines, being +placed in it, both of them are got into position. +The flames have reached the back of the +house; their points are just seen rising above +the roof! A rush of people seize on the +long pump-levers, all mad to work the +engines. The foreman rapidly selects ten +for each side—sets them to work—and then, +one at a time, takes down their names in a +book for the purpose, so that they may be +paid a shilling an hour—those who choose to +accept it. But a hundred volunteer to work—they +don’t want the shilling—they want to +pump. ‘Let <i>me</i> pump!’ ‘<i>I’m</i> the one to +pump!’ ‘Do you want any more to pump?’ +resound on all sides from men of all classes, +while the crowd press forward, and can +scarcely be got to leave room enough for the +engines to be worked—and they would not, +but for the man with the director-pipe, who +soon makes a watery circle around him. The +fortunate volunteers at the levers now begin +to pump away with a fury that seems perfectly +frantic. The Superintendent, who has +had many a fine-engine disabled during the +first five minutes of this popular furor, insists +upon their ardour being restrained; and with +no little difficulty succeeds in getting his +pumping done a degree less madly. Who, +that did not know them, would believe that +these outrageous pumpers were the very +same people who stood with lack-lustre eyes +at some tedious operation in trade or workshop, +all day long; or, who sat stolidly +opposite each other in an omnibus, without +a word to say, and seeming too dull for either +thought or action? Look at them now!</p> + +<p class='c006'>The wind still blows strongly from the +blazing stables—the flames are rapidly eating +their way through the house from the back! +The two upper stories are already on fire. A +figure appears at one of the windows, and +makes signs. All the inmates had <span class='fss'>NOT</span> been got +out! An aged woman—a very old and faithful +servant of the family—had lingered behind, +vainly endeavouring to pack up some of +her dear young mistress’s clothes and trinkets. +A prolonged cry bursts from the crowd, +followed with innumerable pieces of advice—bawled, +hoarsely shouted, or rapidly screamed +to the Superintendent, and the firemen directing +the nozzle of the hose.</p> + +<p class='c006'>‘Point the nozzle up to the <i>window</i>!’</p> + +<p class='c006'>‘Up to the <i>roof</i> of that room!’</p> + +<p class='c006'>‘<i>Smash</i> the windows!’</p> + +<p class='c006'>‘The <i>Fire-escape</i>, Mr. Braidwood!’</p> + +<p class='c006'>‘Bring the ropes for her!—<i>throw up</i> the +ropes to her!’</p> + +<p class='c006'>‘Don’t smash the windows; you’ll <i>cut</i> her!’</p> + +<p class='c006'>‘She’s gone to <i>jump out</i> at the back!’</p> + +<p class='c006'>‘She is lying on the <i>floor</i>!’</p> + +<p class='c006'>‘She’s <i>suffocated</i>, Mr. Braidwood!’</p> + +<p class='c006'>‘Send up the <i>water</i>, to bring her to her +senses!’</p> + +<p class='c006'>‘She’s burnt to <i>ashes</i>, Mr. Braidwood—I +see her lying <i>all of a red tinder</i>!’</p> + +<p class='c006'>Amidst these vociferations, the Superintendent, +having a well-practised deaf ear +for such pieces of advice, has despatched two +firemen to ascend the stairs (no fireman is +allowed to enter a burning house alone) while +two others enter below, and a lengthened +hose is handed up to them with a boat-hook +through the front drawing-room window, in +order to combat the fire at close quarters, +each one being accompanied by another fireman, +in case of one fainting from heat or +smoke, and meantime to assist in getting out +furniture from the rooms not yet touched by +the flames.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The two foremost firemen have now ascended +the stairs. One remains on the second-floor +landing, to watch, and give notice if their +retreat is likely to be cut off, while the other +ascends to the upper room where the poor +old servant had been last seen. The room is +quite full of smoke. He therefore drops +down directly with his face almost touching +the floor (because, as the smoke ascends, he +thus gets ten or twelve inches of clear space +and air), and in this way creeps and drags +himself along till he sees a bundle of something +struggling about, which he at once +recognises, seizes, and drags off as quickly as +possible. Almost exhausted, he meets his +comrade on the stairs, who instantly giving +aid, they bring down a little white, smutty, +huddled-up bundle, with a nightcap and arms +to it; and as they emerge from the door, are +greeted with shouts of applause, and roars +and screams of ‘Bravo! Bravo! God bless +’em! Bravo!’ from voices of men, and women, +and boys.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The old woman presently comes to herself. +She holds something in one hand, which she +had never loosed throughout, though she +really does not know what it is. ‘At all +events,’ says she, ‘I’ve saved <i>this</i>!’</p> + +<p class='c006'>It is a hearth-broom.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The two firemen, each bearing a hose, have +now got a position inside the house—one +standing on the landing-place of the second-floor +within ten or twelve feet of the flames, +the other planted in the back drawing-room. +The first directs his nozzle so that the water +strikes with the utmost force upon the fire, +almost in a straight line, dashing it out into +black spots, and flaws, and steam, as much by +the violence of the concussion as the antagonistic +element. The other fireman directs +his jet of water to oppose the advances of the +flames from the rafters of the stables behind, +and the wood-work of the back premises. +Both the men are enveloped in a cloud of hot +steam, so hot as scarcely to be endurable, and +causing the perspiration to pour down their +faces as fast as the water runs down the walls +from the vigorous ‘playing of their pipes.’</p> + +<p class='c006'>But next door—to the right—what a long +succession of drawing-room and dining-room +chairs issue forth, varied now and then with +a dripping hamper of choice wine, and the +sound of cracking bottles; now, with a +<span class='pageno' id='Page_148'>148</span>flattened cradle, now a tea-tray of richly-bound +books; now, a turbot-kettle, and then +more chairs!</p> + +<p class='c006'>In the door-way of the house on the left, +there is a dreadful jam. An abominable, huge +mahogany table has fixed one of its corners +into the wall, on one side, and the brass castor +of one leg into a broken plank of the flooring, +on the other, just as a Broadwood horizontal-grand +was coming down the stairs in the +most massive manner (like a piano conscious +of Beethoven), with its five bearers. These +five men with the piano-forte, receiving a +check in the passage from three men bearing +boxes and a large clothes-horse, who had themselves +received a check by the jam of the +huge mahogany and its eight or nine excited +blockheads, the stoppage became perfect, and +the confusion sheer madness. Some of the +inmates of this house, who had been wildly +helping and handing down all sorts of things, +observing that a stoppage had occurred below, +and believing they had no more time to spare +before the flames would penetrate their walls, +brought baskets to the window, and with +great energy threw out a quantity of beautiful +china, glass, and choice chimney ornaments +down upon the stones below, to be taken care +of; also an empty hat-box.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Above all the tumult, and adding in no +small degree to the wildness and abrupt +energies of the scene, a violent knocking at +doors in the square is frequently heard, sometimes +by policemen, at other times by excited +relations suddenly arriving, desperate to give +their advice, and see it attended to. The bedroom +windows, in rows on either side, are alive +with heads, many of them in night-caps, while +the upper windows of several, apparently ‘the +nurseries,’ are crowded with white dolls, +whose round white nobs are eagerly thrust +forth. In the windows of the houses, lights +are seen to move about rapidly from room to +room, and windows are continually thrown +up; a figure looks out wildly—then suddenly +disappears.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The two firemen who had gained positions +inside the house, each with his long hose +supplied from the engine below, had hitherto +maintained their posts; the one on the second-floor +landing having very successfully repelled +the advance of the fire, the other in the +back drawing-room having fairly obtained a +mastery. But a strong gust of wind rising +again, sets all their previous success at +nought. The flames again advance; and all +their work has to be done over again.</p> + +<p class='c006'>By this time the two men are nearly exhausted; +two other firemen are, however, +close at hand to relieve them. They take +their places. As the flames advance, the +engines below are worked with redoubled +energy by the people, who also relieve each +other; but no one will relinquish his place at +the pump-lever, so long as he is able to stand, +or have one heave up, or one bang down, +more. Still the flames advance!—they enter +the house!—the front drawing-room is suddenly +illuminated!—a glare of light is reflected +from a great looking-glass on one of +the walls! A loud shout of excitement resounds +from the crowd—while bang! bang! +go the engine-pumps.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The fireman, who is surrounded by so +strong a glare of light that he appears all on +fire, is seen to retreat a few paces towards +the door. He is presently joined by another +fireman, who runs to the front drawing-room +window, out of which he suspends an iron +chain to secure their escape, in case of need, +and then returns to his comrade. They rally, +and each with his brass director-pipe advances +again within half-a-dozen paces of the blazing +walls. They are, foot by foot, driven back +into the front drawing-room. The flames +follow them, and soon are very close to the +or molu frame-work of the great looking-glass.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Bang! bang! go the engines.</p> + +<p class='c006'>‘Save the glass!’ shout numbers of voices.</p> + +<p class='c006'>‘The ceiling! the ceiling’s bursting down!’ +cry others.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Bang! bang! go the engines.</p> + +<p class='c006'>‘Save the pieces!’</p> + +<p class='c006'>‘The door-post’s on fire!’</p> + +<p class='c006'>‘Look behind you!’</p> + +<p class='c006'>‘The glass!—the glass!’</p> + +<p class='c006'>‘Save yourselves!’</p> + +<p class='c006'>Bang! bang! go the engines.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The Superintendent has sent orders to the +firemen to give no more attention to the interior +of this house, except with a view to +prevent the fire spreading to the adjoining +houses. Consequently, the streams of water +are now directed to drenching the walls, and +beating back the flames on either side. The +great looking-glass, no longer an object of +special protection, is presently reached by the +flames; they coil and cluster round the frame-work, +which, breaking out into jets of coloured +fire, gives a splendid magnificence to the design +of the carving. The crowd jump up and down +to see, and also from excitement. The flames +flap about, and point their long luminous +tongues across the broad plate of the glass, +which for a moment reflects every object in +the room,—the falling ceiling—the firemen in +their helmets—the blazing ruin around;—and +then, crack!—clash! clash!—the whole falls, +a wreck of sharp angles.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Again a loud shout from the crowd below!—not +so much of regret as a kind of wild purposeless +joy, which causes them again to leap +up and down, expecting and (without knowing +it) hoping the same thing will happen to some +other glass in the room. Melted lead from the +roof now runs gleaming down—spurting upon +the helmet of one of the firemen, and then +running in straggling lines down his thick +coat; while a slate falling, as usual, edgeways, +sticks across the centre-piece of his comrade’s +helmet. Now, with a rattling and loud rumble, +falls the partition between the front and back +drawing-rooms, and with it a great part of the +<span class='pageno' id='Page_149'>149</span>ceiling! A terrific shout of alarm bursts from +the crowd. The two firemen are buried in the +ruins. The whole space is filled with the dense +smoke and with piles of lath and plaster, and +brick and blazing wood.</p> + +<p class='c006'>But see!—a helmet, white with mortar, rises +from the floor near the window-sill—and now +another! One after the other, the exhausted +firemen descend the iron chain, and are caught +in the arms of the Superintendent and two of +their comrades below, while loud shouts and +vociferations of applause burst from the crowd.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The stable cat, too, from the mews! See! +she has crossed between the burning rafters, +and leaped into the balcony of the next house, +with smoking tail and ears.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The flames have been smothered for a time +by this fall of the ceiling and partition-wall; +the Superintendent has now got seven engines +round to the front; he takes advantage of the +fortunate accident; the wind, too, has shifted; +the seven engines pour torrents of water upon +the smoking mass and against the walls, and +thus continue till the most frightful of all +enemies is thoroughly subdued and reduced +to blackness and quietude. Most dismal is +the scene of devastation; but the enemy is +at all events laid prostrate and rendered incapable +of further mischief.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Drenched to the skin with cold water, and +reeking at the same time with perspiration, +the gallant men of the Fire Brigade return +to their several quarters. Two of them, however, +remain on watch with an engine all +night, a change of clothes and ‘a dram’ being +sent them from the station.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The present efficient condition of fire-engines, +as may easily be supposed, has only been the +result of many years of skilful experiment and +practical experience. Our ancestors (notwithstanding +their wisdom) were by no means +furnished with such means of extinguishing +fire, although, from the great number of +wooden buildings, and greater quantity of +wooden materials employed, to say nothing of +thatch, they had greater need of them. On +the other hand, they had not so many scientific +combustibles among them. Still, the want of +a proper engine is manifest from what we +know of their attempts in that way. They +used squirts,—actually nothing but squirts. +Every alderman was obliged to provide one. +It will be understood that the squirt was not +of schoolboy dimensions, but so large as to +require two men, holding it in their arms between +them, like a sort of mummy, to dip its +nose into a bucket, and then, raising it to the +proper angle, discharge the contents at the +building on fire.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The first construction of the fire engine, +properly so called, is attributable to a +German named Hautsch, in 1657, which was +afterwards improved by the brothers Van +der Heyden, in 1672. But, though the +merit of the invention confers all due honour +on the engineering mind of Germans, it may +be questioned whether the character of the +people was ever of a kind to induce the +working of them with promptitude or efficiency. +So recently as a few years ago, when +the writer was staying in the town of Bonn, +intelligence was brought of a fire at Popplesdorf, +a village about a mile and a quarter +distant. The town engine was got out by a +couple of men, with pipes in their mouths, +and the horse—one horse—being put to, it +was trotted off in the most deliberate manner. +Outside the town gates we overtook a +number of students and other gentlemen, +all leisurely sauntering with their pipes +towards Popplesdorf, never doubting but +they would be in ample time before the +engine had extinguished the fire. And so +they were, for it was burning nearly half +the day. Nevertheless, the Prussian Government +have been the first to purchase the +invention of the Steam Fire Engine. Their +theories in the matter seem perfect; but to +put out a fire with promptitude cannot be +done even by a Steam Fire Engine without +a little human activity.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The contrast of our vivacity in these +matters is very striking, and in no case +more so than when some mischievous idiot +gives a false alarm (an atrocity which we +believe is not often committed), or when +some extraordinary meteorological phenomenon +induces the mistake. We find two +extraordinary instances of this recorded in +Knight’s ‘London.’</p> + +<p class='c007'>‘On the first of these, <i>twelve</i> engines and <i>seventy-four</i> +brigade men were kept in constant motion +from <i>eleven in the evening till six the next morning</i>, +in endeavouring to search out what appeared to +be a large conflagration; some of the engines +reached Hampstead, and others Kilburn, before it +was found that the glare was the effect of the +“northern lights.” On the other occasion, a +crimson glare of light arose at the north-east part +of the horizon, at about eight o’clock in the +evening, seemingly caused by a fierce conflagration; +and the resemblance was increased by what +appeared to be clouds of smoke rising up after +the glare, and breaking and rolling away beneath +it. <i>Thirteen</i> engines and a large body of men +went in search of the supposed fire, and did not +detect their error till they had proceeded far to +the north-east.’</p> + +<p class='c006'>The statistics of London fires are very +interesting, and much may be learned from +them, not only as matter of anxious information, +but of salutary warning.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The total number of fires in London in the +past year, was 838. Of these, 28 were utterly +destructive fires; the number of lives lost +being 26. Seriously damaged, 228; slightly +damaged, 582.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Of chimneys on fire there were 89; and +there were 76 false alarms—not mischievous, +but from error or panic.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The number of calls on the fire-office and +other aids amounted to 1003.</p> + +<p class='c006'>In the above 838 fires, the number of insurances +(ascertained) were 368; those +<span class='pageno' id='Page_150'>150</span>which insured on the building only, were +163; those which insured on the contents +only, were 72; and the number of uninsured +was 235.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Of the 26 lives lost, 13 were from the ignition +of bed-furniture or wearing apparel; +explosion of fire-works, 5; and 8 from +inability to escape out of burning houses.</p> + +<p class='c006'>An examination of the statistics of fires in +the Metropolis during sixteen years, <i>i.e.</i> from +1833 to 1848 (which document was obligingly +laid before us by Mr. Braidwood), has put us +in possession of a great mass of very curious +and instructive information, from which we +extract the following:——</p> + +<table class='table0'> +<colgroup> +<col class='colwidth93'> +<col class='colwidth6'> +</colgroup> + <tr> + <td class='c008'>Apothecaries and dealers in drugs</td> + <td class='c009'>36</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='c008'>Bakers</td> + <td class='c009'>244</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='c008'>Booksellers, binders, and stationers</td> + <td class='c009'>137</td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p class='c006'>Of these latter, 96 burnt gas; and the fires +caused by gas amounted to 28.</p> + +<table class='table0'> +<colgroup> +<col class='colwidth93'> +<col class='colwidth6'> +</colgroup> + <tr> + <td class='c008'>Cabinet-makers</td> + <td class='c009'>156</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='c008'>Carpenters and workers in wood</td> + <td class='c009'>434</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='c008'>Churches</td> + <td class='c009'>33</td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p class='c006'>Of these last-named, 3 were totally destroyed, +and 10 much damaged; the rest +slightly, or mere alarms. Of the cause of the +fires, 8 were from the stoves, flues, &c., and 2 +from lightning.</p> + +<table class='table0'> +<colgroup> +<col class='colwidth93'> +<col class='colwidth6'> +</colgroup> + <tr> + <td class='c008'>Drapers, woollen and linen</td> + <td class='c009'>254</td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p class='c006'>Of these, 105 were much damaged; 239 +burnt gas; and the cause of 140 of these fires +was carelessness or accident with the gas.</p> + +<table class='table0'> +<colgroup> +<col class='colwidth93'> +<col class='colwidth6'> +</colgroup> + <tr> + <td class='c008'>Fire-Preventive Company</td> + <td class='c009'>1</td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p class='c006'>The cause of this was an experiment with +some ‘fire-proof plaster,’ which ignited in a +most unexpected and insubordinate manner, +and caused great damage.</p> + +<table class='table0'> +<colgroup> +<col class='colwidth93'> +<col class='colwidth6'> +</colgroup> + <tr> + <td class='c008'>Fire-work Makers</td> + <td class='c009'>49</td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p class='c006'>The cause of these fires, all of which did +great damage, was from the nature of the +trade; from the smoking of tobacco; from +boys playing with fire; and from the reckless +trick of a lighted squib or cracker being +thrown into the shop-window.</p> + +<table class='table0'> +<colgroup> +<col class='colwidth93'> +<col class='colwidth6'> +</colgroup> + <tr> + <td class='c008'>Gas-works</td> + <td class='c009'>37</td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p class='c006'>From the great care taken, and ready +means of prevention, only 9 of these were +much injured, and none totally destroyed.</p> + +<table class='table0'> +<colgroup> +<col class='colwidth93'> +<col class='colwidth6'> +</colgroup> + <tr> + <td class='c008'>Grocers</td> + <td class='c009'>120</td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p class='c006'>Of these, 109 burnt gas; and 26 of the +fires are attributable to carelessness or accident +with the gas.</p> + +<table class='table0'> +<colgroup> +<col class='colwidth93'> +<col class='colwidth6'> +</colgroup> + <tr> + <td class='c008'>Gunpowder-sellers</td> + <td class='c009'>1</td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p class='c006'>Notice the result of a full consciousness of +the danger, and proportionate care. Only +one fire!</p> + +<table class='table0'> +<colgroup> +<col class='colwidth93'> +<col class='colwidth6'> +</colgroup> + <tr> + <td class='c008'>Lodgings</td> + <td class='c009'>868</td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p class='c006'>Of the above number, 368 were found to +have been caused by the taking fire of +curtains, linen airing, &c. Some of the rest +were caused by hunting fleas, &c.</p> + +<table class='table0'> +<colgroup> +<col class='colwidth93'> +<col class='colwidth6'> +</colgroup> + <tr> + <td class='c008'>Lucifer-match-makers</td> + <td class='c009'>101</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='c008'>Lunatic asylums</td> + <td class='c009'>2</td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p class='c006'>Observe the great care in these asylums. +All the asylums for lunatics furnishing only +two fires in sixteen years!</p> + +<table class='table0'> +<colgroup> +<col class='colwidth93'> +<col class='colwidth6'> +</colgroup> + <tr> + <td class='c008'>Printers and Engravers</td> + <td class='c009'>72</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='c008'>Private houses</td> + <td class='c009'>3352</td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p class='c006'>Of the above, the immense number of 1302 +were discovered to have been caused by the +taking fire of curtains, dresses, airing linen, &c.</p> + +<table class='table0'> +<colgroup> +<col class='colwidth93'> +<col class='colwidth6'> +</colgroup> + <tr> + <td class='c008'>Sale-shops and offices</td> + <td class='c009'>526</td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p class='c006'>Of these, 379 burnt gas; and the fires +caused by gas were 129.</p> + +<table class='table0'> +<colgroup> +<col class='colwidth93'> +<col class='colwidth6'> +</colgroup> + <tr> + <td class='c008'>Ships</td> + <td class='c009'>82</td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p class='c006'>Caused by stores, flues, cooking, igniting of +cargo, smoking tobacco, &c.</p> + +<table class='table0'> +<colgroup> +<col class='colwidth93'> +<col class='colwidth6'> +</colgroup> + <tr> + <td class='c008'>Stables</td> + <td class='c009'>192</td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p class='c006'>Caused by candles, lucifers, smoking tobacco, +intoxication, &c.</p> + +<table class='table0'> +<colgroup> +<col class='colwidth93'> +<col class='colwidth6'> +</colgroup> + <tr> + <td class='c008'>Tailors</td> + <td class='c009'>81</td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p class='c006'>Seventeen of the above were caused by +gas; 13 by candles; and some by smoking +tobacco.</p> + +<table class='table0'> +<colgroup> +<col class='colwidth93'> +<col class='colwidth6'> +</colgroup> + <tr> + <td class='c008'>Theatres</td> + <td class='c009'>20</td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p class='c006'>Of the above number, 8 were caused by +gas; some others by smoking tobacco, and +the taking fire of curtains, dresses, &c.</p> + +<table class='table0'> +<colgroup> +<col class='colwidth93'> +<col class='colwidth6'> +</colgroup> + <tr> + <td class='c008'>Tobacconists</td> + <td class='c009'>43</td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p class='c006'>Of the above, 6 were caused by gas; 6 by +lucifer-matches; others by curtains, smoking +tobacco, by a <i>cat</i>, and by <i>rats</i>. A word more +of these incendiaries presently.</p> + +<table class='table0'> +<colgroup> +<col class='colwidth93'> +<col class='colwidth6'> +</colgroup> + <tr> + <td class='c008'>Victuallers</td> + <td class='c009'>542</td> + </tr> +</table> + +<p class='c006'>Of the above, there were 21 totally destroyed; +167 much damaged, and 354 slightly. +Of the causes, 83 were from the flues; 73, +curtains, dresses, &c.; 65, gas; 36, smoking +tobacco; 35, a candle. The remainder comes +under the various heads of lucifers, hot +cinders, intoxication, children playing with +fire, a spark, and a monkey.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Besides this ‘monkey,’ we have had occasion +to mention several other ‘sparks,’ concerning +whom some passing explanation may be +needed. Having noticed the word ‘cat,’ +occurring several times in the list of annual +causes of fire,—‘Yes,’ replied Mr. Braidwood, +‘we often have a cat.’ It appears that the cat +sometimes upsets the clothes-horse with things +airing; or, perhaps, in creeping under the +clothes to get inside the fender, drags some of +them with her on her back. The fire caused +by the monkey was attributable to some +prank of his—meaning no harm, perhaps, but +not much caring about that. The incendiarism +of the rats was undoubtedly effected +innocently by their investigation of a box of +lucifers, which included a trial if the matches +were good to eat. Their teeth exploded them—a +feat very easily performed.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Of carelessness with gas in shops and +warehouses, or with candles near bedroom +<span class='pageno' id='Page_151'>151</span>curtains, muslin dresses, or linen airing before +the fire, we need not speak, as the dangers are +too obvious by the results; nor of carelessness +with lucifer-matches; nor the very common +practice of raking out the fire at night from +the grate (where it would be safe) down upon +the hearth, and leaving the hot embers, which +perhaps ignite by the air of the closing door, +as the careful person retires to bed. Carelessness +with a cigar or pipe is also an obvious +cause. Working men often put their pipes, +half-extinguished, or alive at the bottom of +the bowl, into their jacket-pocket at night; +and then hang up the jacket, and go to bed. +Children, also, being left alone, near a fire, +may generally be expected to play with fire, +either because it is beautiful, or because the +play is interdicted.</p> + +<p class='c006'>With respect to ‘sparks,’ that a house +should take fire, had always been regarded by +us with no small degree of scepticism. A +gentleman of our acquaintance carried his +disbelief much further. Sitting with a party +of sporting friends round a winter’s fire, and +these dangers being the subject of conversation, +he offered to empty the whole contents +of the grate on the carpet in the middle of +the room—<i>he</i> to pay all expenses if the house +took fire; his opponent simply to pay for the +carpet and the charred floor. They were all +to sit round, and watch the result. It was +agreed. ‘Now,’ said a friend, ‘I will bet you +<i>ten</i> to one this house will take fire, provided +we all go out of the room, lock the door, and +leave the house.’ The other would not venture +on this.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Mr. Braidwood’s speculation on the question +of sparks, in reply to our doubts, is very +curious and practical. He estimated the +number of houses in London at 300,000. +Allowing two <i>domestic</i> fires to each house, we +have 600,000 in the day; and these multiplied +by 7, give 4,200,000 in a week. That one +spark, therefore, from 4,200,000 fires should +fly out upon some materials easy to ignite, +once in a week, is far from difficult to credit; +and this would fully bear out the number on +the list that are declared to have occurred +from this cause.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The number of fires and alarms of fire +that occurred in London during the fifteen +years ending in 1847, present a continual +<i>increase</i>. In 1833 they amounted to 458; in +1834, to 482; and so on, down to 1847, when +they amounted to 836. This gives a total of +9662 fires during the fifteen years. The +average of this is 644. We next find that +in 1848 the number of fires amounted to 805; +showing an <i>increase</i> beyond the previous +year of 161. In 1849 the number amounted +to 838, being an increase of 33 beyond the previous +year.</p> + +<p class='c006'>How are we to reconcile this increase with +the extraordinary efficiency of the Fire Brigade, +and the improvements in measures +of precaution? Partly by the regular increase +in the numbers of houses. But Mr. +Braidwood frankly declares that this does +not meet the increase of fires and alarms of +fire that reach the Office. We can only +account for it, therefore, by the great increase +of scientific combustibles, not merely +in our shops, but in our domestic arrangements—especially +gas, and lucifer-matches—and +yet more to the fact that, in former years, +many slight fires caused no alarm to be given, +while now the arrangements are so complete, +that probably almost every slight alarm of fire +that occurs is carried to the Office, and duly +recorded.</p> + +<p class='c006'>With respect to Fire-Escapes; precautions +against fire, that should be adopted in houses; +arrangements to meet the accident; and +the best means of extinguishing fires (particularly +with reference to Mr. Phillips’ Fire-Annihilator, +which possesses an undoubted +power over <i>flames</i>), we cannot now afford the +space their importance merits; but we shall +bear them in mind for a future number.</p> + +<div class='chapter'> + <h2 class='c004'>POETRY IN THE BYE-WAYS.</h2> +</div> + +<p class='c005'>Every book-hunter, whose connection with +paper and print has more of individuality +than of fashion in it—must in his time +have met with scores of small volumes of +rhyme forced out with a care and pains of +which the heart aches to think, prefaced +with the bad taste of immoderate deprecation +on the part of the author,—or with the worse +appeal of extravagant commendation on the +part of the patron—none of which shall merit +a place on the shelf by the side of Crabbe, or +Wordsworth, or Burns—none of which can +be denied the possession of some sparks and +breathings of true poetry.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Sometimes, however, it must be owned, +that the difficulties under which the rhymester +has laboured, are the best—nay the sole—evidences +of his genius. In the verses of +Phillis Wheatly, the negro girl, for instance, +there is not a line that is not the stalest of +the stale—not an image that is not the most +second-hand of the second-hand. Yet, that +sixty years since, a woman of her condemned +colour and oppressed race—in America, too,—should +find spirits to sing, and power to +attract an audience,—in that fact was a +poem of no common order.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Years ago, there passed through the writer’s +hand a small collection of verse—if verse it +might be called—in quality, the most dreary +and antipathetic, possible—sectarian hymns, +full of phrases, the intimate sense of which can +never have pierced to the mind of their +maker. This was a poor creature in a hospital, +who had been found on a harsh +January night, frozen into the kennel where +she had fallen, and who paid for that night’s +lodging with a lingering death of cruelly long +duration. Her vital powers gradually retired +one by one. For many years she was +unable to move a limb; latterly could scarcely +speak audibly, or take barely sufficient food +<span class='pageno' id='Page_152'>152</span>to keep life in the half-dead body. But +these dismal hymns were her receipt for +occupation and cheerfulness. ‘When I cannot +sleep,’ she would say, in a dialect of her +own peculiar pattern, ‘I <i>mew</i>.’—There was +poetry in the origin of these ‘<i>mewings</i>,’ though +none in the dark and narrow stanzas themselves.</p> + +<p class='c006'>From the above illustrations it may be +gathered that much of the bye-way poetry +with which we shall deal, has never been +promoted to the honours and heartaches of +paper and print—nor even taken the manuscript +forms of ‘longs and shorts’ as decidedly +as did the imaginative instincts of Black +Phillis, or the long-tried patience of the +sufferer in the —— Ward. We may—and shall—have +to do with authorship in humble life,—but +less, perchance, than those will expect, +who have considered our subject merely +from the outside of the bookseller’s window, +or from the sum total of a rhymester’s subscription +list—drawing thence the charming +inference that A., B. or C. is a poet, because he +has found a publisher and extorted a public!—Too +seldom has a Capel Lofft, or a Southey, +or a More, while trying to bring forward a +Bloomfield, or a Mary Colling, or an ungrateful +Bristol Milkwoman, whose facility in +versifying has arrested them,—considered how +wide is the distance betwixt what may be +called the unconscious Poetry of the People—and +that meagre and second-hand manufacture, +produced with a desire for fame, or under +hopes of gain, which challenges competition +with the efforts of men more favourably circumstanced, +and which goes forth as virtually +a solicitation for alms.—On the one side (to +take the first instance which occurs) we shall +find something like the Gondolier songs of +Venice, patched up—St. Mark and the Moon +know how!—out of bits of plays and bits of +verses and bits of opera-tunes, by old men and +girls and boys, while a sprightly people ply +their picturesque trade under an Italian sky, +with every image round them to inspire and +encourage a sense of tune,—and which, after +a while, get so rubbed into shape—so rounded +and changed,—so decked with canal-wit,—so +filled with local names and local words,—that +a College of Anatomists should be puzzled to +‘resolve them into their primary elements.’—On +the other side, we may cite as example any +of the myriad verses anxiously strung together +by the hectic and over-wrought operative, by +the light of his candle, whose very burning +would be reprehensible as an extravagance, +could not the ware fabricated at midnight find +an immediate market. The first is an utterance—the +second a manufacture. The first speaks +with the breath of a peculiar life, and wears +the colour of a peculiar scenery—the second is +an exercise produced under circumstances, +which, however stimulating to energy, are but +discouraging to Fancy. We may be told, it is +true, that many of our dearest ‘household +words’ have been wrung from our greatest +men, by the pressure of the cruellest exigency. +One poet, to pay for his mother’s funeral, must +needs write a ‘Rasselas’—another, under constraint +less instant, but perhaps not less harassing, +shall gladden England for ever, by calling +up <i>Olivia</i> and <i>Sophia</i> in the hayfield, and +<i>Farmer Flamborough’s</i> Christmas party, and +the Vicar slyly making an end of ‘the wash +for the face,’ which his innocently-worldly +daughters were brewing. But evidence like +this does nothing to contradict our wisdom. +Had Johnson been compelled to compose +his superb style, at a moment’s warning +by the coffin-side; had Goldsmith possessed +no treasury of adventure and experience +to draw upon, no power to handle the +pen already learned—neither <i>Imlac</i> nor <i>Mrs. +Primrose</i> would have been alive at this +day. Without preparation, training, craftsmanship, +there is little literature—there +is no art. Ballads may grow up—but not +epics be produced, nor five-act plays be +constructed, nor tales be woven, nor even +a complete lyric be finished. It has fallen to +the lot of every one of us too often and again, +to see hearts fevered, hopes wrecked, life embittered, +and Death (or Madness) courted, +because men cannot—and their friends <i>will +not</i>—sufficiently fix their minds on this plain +truth; because inclinations are perpetually +mistaken for powers; because, bewildered by +some faëry dream that the world in which a +Scott is king or a Siddons is queen, is paved +with gold—every boy who can cut paragraphs +into lengths fancies that he is a Scott—and +every girl with a strong voice who loves playgoing, +that she is a <i>Lady Macbeth</i>, a <i>Cleopatra</i>, +a <i>Queen Constance</i>, who can shake ‘the playhouse +down.’</p> + +<p class='c006'>At all events, in such mistakes as the +above, followed by their sure consequence +of misery, lives not the Poetry which we are +seeking. In its place we too often encounter +a dismal wax-work show—a creature with +glassy eyes and hot red cheeks, and a stiff +arm, in a noble attitude perhaps, but always +beckoning in one and the same direction,—not +the living, breathing, hoping, fearing being, +human like ourselves, yet better than ourselves, +with whom we can sit down at meat, +and kneel down at prayer—not the fragment of +Heaven upon Earth to encounter and make +acquaintance with, which redeems us from +utter heartlessness or discomfort. The Poetry +of appreciation when creation is impossible—the +Poetry of daily life, as sung in deeds of +unselfishness, delicacy, triumph over temptations—consideration +of the weak (let the +brute-force theorists ‘sound their trumpets +and beat their drums’ as loudly as if upon +themselves devolved the whole orchestral and +choral noise of ‘Judas Maccabeus’) and companionship +with the humble—the Poetry of +a healthy, not a maudlin love for Nature—these +are to be sought out and gathered up. +In turn we may sit on the bleak hill-sides of +Scotland with the shepherd-rhymesters of +the north—or wander down the alleys of +<span class='pageno' id='Page_153'>153</span>English manufacturing towns, to see what +fairly-patterned verse may have been woven +there. Or in a green lane we may open such a +book as good Mr. Barnes has published in the +Dorsetshire dialect, to show how ingeniously +music may be got out of a corrupt local English +phraseology. Or we may cross the Channel +to hear Jasmin, the Provençal hairdresser, recite; +or to see Reboul, the Nismes baker, +bring out an ode hot from his oven.—But +our business will be more with deeds than +with words, more with genuine thoughts and +impulses in action, than with second-hand +fancies, faded as the coarse artificial flowers +of a milliner’s shop in Leicester Square, when +the season is over, which no passer-by, ‘gentle +or simple,’ can think of taking home.</p> + +<p class='c006'>We may have to do, moreover, with the +poetry of association as conveyed in those festivals +of joy or of sorrow which mark the progress +of life and the peculiarity of manners. +The nasal, droning burial psalm that may still +be heard in remote places of England, winding +up a hollow lane or across the corner of a +moor,—as some little congregation of friends +or neighbours bears a dead body home,—the +twilight vesper service (intrinsically tuneless +and unmusical) of the Sisters of Charity, who +come back to their <i>Beguinage</i> after a long day +of hard work, hard prayers, hard consolation, +and hard gossip among the poor;—do these +things say nothing to us? Is nothing told us +by the cry of sailors as they warp the ship +into dock at the close of a wild and wintry +voyage? by the serenade-music with which +the impulsive people of a German town welcome +some favourite poet or artist?—Are +these not all, more or less, poems conveying +to us something of feeling, and life, and +youth, be we ever so soured, ever so seared +by perpetual contact with coarser and harsher +contemplations and employments? May we +not call up such pictures,—may we not soothe +ourselves with such harmonies,—may we not +lay them to our souls as evidences? We +must not use them by way of unction flattering +us into the sentimental Waiting Gentlewoman’s +notion that crime is to disappear +like a scene in a pantomime, and thieves all +of a sudden to grow as orderly as beadles; +but we may apply them as alteratives when we +are in danger of being wearied into doggedness, +by the man who enacts fits at the street +corner—or by the begging-letter Impostor +who wrings crowns out of kind-hearted and +economical souls, who must for their credulity’s +sake forego their holiday—or by the +Pole with his anti-Russian pamphlet, who +makes his way in, to abase himself by fawning +and genteel mendicity, under pretext of +being a friend’s friend—or by the sight of such +a pillar of stone as the woman who went into +the confectioner’s shop to buy gingerbread, +‘because they were going to see our Sally +hanged, and should be hungry!’</p> + +<p class='c006'>Yes: if sights and provocations and discouragements +like these—of the earth, earthy—force +themselves into our highways, all the +more need is it that all celestial appearances +and sounds in our bye-ways, be they ever so few, +faint, and far, should be collected, and set down. +Be they ever so rich, they will not be rich +enough to justify an over-complacent or supine +spirit—still less to tempt the healthily-minded +to confound dross with pure gold: be they ever +so meagre, they ought to keep alive in us the +faith, that no portion of the earth is so barren, +that Truth or Beauty, and Love, and Patience, +and Honour, cannot grow therein.</p> + +<div class='chapter'> + <h2 class='c004'>THE MINER’S DAUGHTERS.—A TALE OF THE PEAK.</h2> +</div> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> +<div class='nf-center c001'> + <div>IN THREE CHAPTERS.</div> + </div> +</div> + +<h3 class='c010'>CHAPTER II.—MILL LIFE.</h3> + +<p class='c011'>We must pass over the painful and dreadful +particulars of that night, and of a long time to +come; the maniacal rage of the father, the +shattered heart and feelings of the mother, +the dreadful state of the two remaining +children, to whom their brother was one of +the most precious objects in a world which, +like theirs, contained so few. One moment to +have seen him full of life, and fun, and bravado, +and almost the next a lifeless and battered +corpse, was something too strange and terrible +to be soon surmounted. But this was wofully +aggravated by the cruel anger of their father, +who continued to regard them as guilty of +the death of his favourite boy. He seemed +to take no pleasure in them. He never spoke +to them but to scold them. He drank more +deeply than ever, and came home later; and +when there, was sullen and morose. When +their mother, who suffered severely, but still +plodded on with all her duties, said, ‘David, +they are thy children too;’ he would reply +savagely, ‘Hod thy tongue! What’s a pack +o’ wenches to my lad?’</p> + +<p class='c006'>What tended to render the miner more +hard towards the two girls was a circumstance +which would have awakened a better feeling +in a softer father’s heart. Nancy, the +younger girl, since the dreadful catastrophe, +had seemed to grow gradually dull and defective +in her intellect, she had a slow and +somewhat idiotic air and manner. Her +mother perceived it, and was struck with consternation +by it. She tried to rouse her, but +in vain. She could not perform her ordinary +reading and spelling lessons. She seemed to +have forgotten what was already learned. +She appeared to have a difficulty in moving +her legs, and carried her hands as if she had +suffered a partial paralysis. Jane, her sister, +was dreadfully distressed at it, and she and +her mother wept many bitter tears over her. +One day, in the following spring, they took +her with them to Ashford, and consulted the +doctor there. On examining her, and hearing +fully what had taken place at the time of the +brother’s death—the fact of which he well +knew, for it, of course, was known to the +<span class='pageno' id='Page_154'>154</span>whole country round—he shook his head, and +said he was afraid they must make up their +minds to a sad case; that the terrors of that +night had affected her brain, and that, through +it, the whole nervous system had suffered, and +was continuing to suffer the most melancholy +effects. The only thing, he thought, in her +favour was her youth; and added, that it +might have a good effect if they could leave +the place where she had undergone such a +terrible shock. But whether they did or not, +kindness and soothing attentions to her would +do more than anything else.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Mrs. Dunster and little Jane returned home +with heavy hearts. The doctor’s opinion had +only confirmed their fears; for Jane, though +but a child, had quickness and affection for +her sister enough to make her comprehend +the awful nature of poor Nancy’s condition. +Mrs. Dunster told her husband the doctor’s +words, for she thought they would awaken +some tenderness in him towards the unfortunate +child. But he said, ‘That’s just what I +expected. Hou’ll grow soft, and then who’s +to maintain her? Hou mun goo to th’ workhouse.’</p> + +<p class='c006'>With that he took his maundrel and went +off to his work. Instead of softening his +nature, this intelligence seemed only to harden +and brutalise it. He drank now more and +more. But all that summer the mother and +Jane did all that they could think of to +restore the health and mind of poor Nancy. +Every morning, when the father was gone to +work, Jane went to a spring up in the opposite +wood, famed for the coldness and sweetness +of its waters. On this account the proprietors +of the mills at Cressbrook had put +down a large trough there under the spreading +trees, and the people fetched the water even +from the village. Hence Jane brought, at +many journeys, this cold, delicious water to +bathe her sister in; they then rubbed her +warm with cloths, and gave her new milk for +her breakfast. Her lessons were not left off, +lest the mind should sink into fatuity, but +were made as easy as possible. Jane continued +to talk to her, and laugh with her, as if nothing +was amiss, though she did it with a heavy +heart, and she engaged her to weed and hoe +with her in their little garden. She did not +dare to lead her far out into the valley, lest it +might excite her memory of the past fearful +time, but she gathered her flowers, and continued +to play with her at all their accustomed +sports, of building houses with pieces of pots +and stones, and imagining gardens and parks. +The anxious mother, when some weeks were +gone by, fancied that there was really some +improvement. The cold-bathing seemed to +have strengthened the system: the poor child +walked, and bore herself with more freedom +and firmness. She became ardently fond of +being with her sister, and attentive to her +directions. But there was a dull cloud over +her intellect, and a vacancy in her eyes and +features. She was quiet, easily pleased, but +seemed to have little volition of her own. +Mrs. Dunster thought if they could but get +her away from that spot, it might rouse her +mind from its sleep. But perhaps the sleep +was better than the awaking might be; however, +the removal came, though in a more +awful way than was looked for. The miner, +who had continued to drink more and more, +and seemed to have almost estranged himself +from his home, staying away in his drinking +bouts for a week or more together, was one day +blasting a rock in the mine, and being half-stupified +with beer, did not take care to get +out of the way of the explosion, was struck +with a piece of the flying stone, and killed on +the spot.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The poor widow and her children were now +obliged to remove from under Wardlow-Cop. +The place had been a sad one to her: the +death of her husband, though he had been +latterly far from a good one, and had left her +with the children in deep poverty, was a fresh +source of severe grief to her. Her religious +mind was struck down with a weight of +melancholy by the reflection of the life he +had led, and the sudden way in which he had +been summoned into eternity. When she +looked forward, what a prospect was there for +her children! it was impossible for her to +maintain them from her small earnings, and +as to Nancy, would she ever be able to earn +her own bread, and protect herself in the +world?</p> + +<p class='c006'>It was amid such reflections that Mrs. +Dunster quitted this deep, solitary, and, to +her, fatal valley, and took up her abode in the +village of Cressbrook. Here she had one +small room, and by her own labours, and +some aid from the parish, she managed to +support herself and the children. For seven +years she continued her laborious life, assisted +by the labour of the two daughters, who also +seamed stockings, and in the evenings were +instructed by her. Her girls were now +thirteen and fifteen years of age: Jane was a +tall and very pretty girl of her years; she was +active, industrious, and sweet-tempered: her +constant affection for poor Nancy was something +as admirable as it was singular. Nancy +had now confirmed good health, but it had +affected her mother to perceive that, since the +catastrophe of her brother’s death, and the +cruel treatment of her father at that time, she +had never grown in any degree as she ought; +she was short, stout, and of a pale and very +plain countenance. It could not be now said +that she was deficient in mind, but she was +slow in its operations. She displayed, indeed, +a more than ordinary depth of reflection, +and a shrewdness of observation, but the +evidences of this came forth in a very quiet +way, and were observable only to her mother +and sister. To all besides she was extremely +reserved: she was timid to excess, and shrunk +from public notice into the society of her +mother and sister. There was a feeling +abroad in the neighbourhood that she was +<span class='pageno' id='Page_155'>155</span>‘not quite right,’ but the few who were more +discerning, shook their heads, and observed, +‘Right she was not, poor thing, but it was +not want of sense; she had more of that than +most.’</p> + +<p class='c006'>And such was the opinion of her mother +and sister. They perceived that Nancy had +received a shock of which she must bear the +effects through life. Circumstances might +bring her feeble but sensitive nerves much +misery. She required to be guarded and +sheltered from the rudenesses of the world, +and the mother trembled to think how much +she might be exposed to them. But in everything +that related to sound judgment, they +knew that she surpassed not only them, but +any of their acquaintance. If any difficulty +had to be decided, it was Nancy who pondered +on it, and perhaps at some moment when least +expected, pronounced an opinion that might +be taken as confidently as an oracle.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The affection of the two sisters was something +beyond the ties of this world. Jane had +watched and attended to her from the time of +her constitutional injury with a love that +never seemed to know a moment’s weariness +or change; and the affection which Nancy +evinced for her was equally intense and affecting. +She seemed to hang on her society for +her very life. Jane felt this, and vowed that +they would never quit one another. The +mother sighed. How many things, she thought, +might tear asunder that beautiful resolve.</p> + +<p class='c006'>But now they were of an age to obtain work +in the mill. Indeed, Jane could have had +employment there long before, but she would +not quit her sister till she could go with her,—and +now there they went. The proprietor, +who knew the case familiarly, so ordered it +that the two sisters should work near each +other; and that poor Nancy should be as +little exposed to the rudeness of the workpeople +as possible. But at first so slow and +awkward were Nancy’s endeavours, and such +an effect had it on her frame, that it was +feared she must give it up. This would have +been a terrible calamity; and the tears of the +two sisters, and the benevolence of the employer +enabled Nancy to pass through this +severe ordeal. In a while she acquired sufficient +dexterity, and thenceforward went +through her work with great accuracy and +perseverance. As far as any intercourse with +the workpeople was concerned, she might be +said to be dumb. Scarcely ever did she exchange +a word with any one, but she returned +kind nods and smiles; and every morning and +evening, and at dinner-time, the two sisters +might be seen going to and fro, side by side,—Jane +often talking with some of them; the +little, odd-looking sister walking silent and +listening.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Five more years and Jane was a young woman. +Amid her companions, who were few of them +above the middle size, she had a tall and +striking appearance. Her father had been a +remarkably tall and strong man, and she possessed +something of his stature, though none +of his irritable disposition. She was extremely +pretty, of a blooming fresh complexion, and +graceful form. She was remarkable for the +sweetness of her expression, which was the +index of her disposition. By her side still +went that odd, broad-built, but still pale and +little sister. Jane was extremely admired by +the young men of the neighbourhood, and had +already many offers, but she listened to none. +‘Where I go must Nancy go,’ she said to herself, +‘and of whom can I be sure?’</p> + +<p class='c006'>Of Nancy no one took notice. Her pale, +somewhat large features, her thoughtful silent +look, and her short, stout figure, gave you +an idea of a dwarf, though she could not +strictly be called one. No one would think of +Nancy as a wife,—where Jane went she must +go; the two clung together with one heart +and soul. The blow which deprived them of +their brother seemed to bind them inseparably +together.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Mrs. Dunster, besides her seaming, at which, +in truth, she earned a miserable sum, had now +for some years been the post-woman from the +village to the Bull’s Head, where the mail, +going on to Tideswell, left the letter-bag. +Thither and back, wet or dry, summer or +winter, she went every day, the year round. +With her earnings, and those of the girls’, she +went well with them, as the world kept a neat, +small cottage; and the world goes on the average +with the poor. Cramps and rheumatisms +she began to feel sensibly from so much exposure +to rain and cold; but the never-varying +and firm affection of her two children was a +balm in her cup which made her contented +with everything else.</p> + +<p class='c006'>When Jane was about two-and-twenty, poor +Mrs. Dunster, seized with rheumatic fever, +died. On her death-bed she said to Jane, +‘Thou will never desert poor Nancy; and +that’s my comfort. God has been good to me. +After all my trouble, he has given me this +faith, that come weal come woe, so long as +thou has a home, Nancy will never want one. +God bless thee for it! God bless you both; +and he will bless you!’ So saying, Betty +Dunster breathed her last.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The events immediately following her death +did not seem to bear out her dying faith; for +the two poor girls were obliged to give up +their cottage. There was a want of cottages. +Not half of the workpeople could be entertained +in this village; they went to and fro +for many miles. Jane and Nancy were now +obliged to do the same. Their cottage was +wanted for an overlooker,—and they removed +to Tideswell, three miles off. They had thus +six miles a-day to walk, besides standing at +their work; but they were young, and had +companions. In Tideswell they were more +cheerful. They had a snug little cottage; were +near a Meeting; and found friends. They did +not complain. Here, again, Jane Dunster +attracted great attention, and a young, thriving +grocer paid his addresses to her. It was an +<span class='pageno' id='Page_156'>156</span>offer that made Jane take time to reflect. +Every one said it was an opportunity not to +be neglected: but Jane weighed in her mind, +‘Will he keep faith in my compact with +Nancy?’ Though her admirer made every +vow on the subject, Jane paused and determined +to take the opinion of Nancy. Nancy +thought for a day, and then said, ‘Dearest +sister, I don’t feel easy; I fear that from +some cause it would not do in the end.’</p> + +<p class='c006'>Jane from that moment gave up the idea of +the connection. There might be those who +would suspect Nancy of a selfish bias in the +advice she gave; but Jane knew that no +such feeling influenced her pure soul. For +one long year the two sisters traversed +the hills between Cressbrook and Tideswell. +But they had companions, and it was pleasant +in the summer months. But winter came, +and then it was a severe trial. To rise in the +dark, and traverse those wild and bleak hills; +to go through snow and drizzle, and face the +sharpest winds in winter, was no trifling matter. +Before winter was over, the two young +women began seriously to revolve the chances +of a nearer residence, or a change of employ. +There were no few who blamed Jane excessively +for the folly of refusing the last good +offer. There were even more than one who, +in the hearing of Nancy, blamed her. Nancy +was thoughtful, agitated, and wept. ‘If I can, +dear sister,’ she said, ‘have advised you to +your injury, how shall I forgive myself? What +<i>shall</i> become of me?’</p> + +<p class='c006'>But Jane clasped her sister to her heart, +and said, ‘No! no! dearest sister, you are not +to blame. I feel you are right; let us wait, +and we shall see!’</p> + +<div class='chapter'> + <h2 class='c004'>THE USES OF SORROW.</h2> +</div> + +<div class='lg-container-b c012'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>Oh, grieve not for the early dead,</div> + <div class='line in2'>Whom God himself hath taken;</div> + <div class='line'>But deck with flowers each holy bed—</div> + <div class='line in2'>Nor deem thyself forsaken,</div> + <div class='line'>When, one by one, they fall away,</div> + <div class='line'>Who were to thee as summer day.</div> + </div> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>Weep for the babes of guilt, who sleep</div> + <div class='line in2'>With scanty rags stretch’d o’er them,</div> + <div class='line'>On the dark road, the downward steep</div> + <div class='line in2'>Of misery; while before them</div> + <div class='line'>Looms out afar the dreadful tree,</div> + <div class='line'>And solemn, sad Eternity!</div> + </div> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>Nor weep alone; but when to Heaven</div> + <div class='line in2'>The cords of sorrow bind thee,</div> + <div class='line'>Let kindest help to such be given,</div> + <div class='line in2'>As God shall teach to find thee;</div> + <div class='line'>And, for the sake of those above,</div> + <div class='line'>Do deeds of Wisdom, Mercy, Love.</div> + </div> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>The child that sicken’d on thy knee,</div> + <div class='line in2'>Thou weeping Christian mother,</div> + <div class='line'>Had learn’d in this world, lispingly,</div> + <div class='line in2'>Words suited for another.</div> + <div class='line'>Oh, dost thou think, with pitying mind,</div> + <div class='line'>On untaught infants left behind?</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<div class='chapter'> + <h2 class='c004'>FROM THE RAVEN IN THE HAPPY FAMILY.</h2> +</div> + +<p class='c005'>I won’t bear it, and I don’t see why I +should.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Having begun to commit my grievances to +writing, I have made up my mind to go on. +You men have a saying, ‘I may as well be +hung for a sheep as a lamb.’ Very good. +<i>I</i> may as well get into a false position with +our proprietor for a ream of manuscript as a +quire. Here goes!</p> + +<p class='c006'>I want to know who <span class='sc'>Buffon</span> was. I’ll +take my oath he wasn’t a bird. Then what +did <i>he</i> know about birds—especially about +Ravens? He pretends to know all about +Ravens. Who told him? Was his authority +a Raven? I should think not. There never +was a Raven yet, who committed himself, +you’ll find, if you look into the precedents.</p> + +<p class='c006'>There’s a schoolmaster in dusty black +knee-breeches and stockings, who comes and +stares at our establishment every Saturday, +and brings a lot of boys with him. He is +always bothering the boys about <span class='sc'>Buffon</span>. +That’s the way I know what <span class='sc'>Buffon</span> says. +He is a nice man, <span class='sc'>Buffon</span>; and you’re all nice +men together, ain’t you?</p> + +<p class='c006'>What do you mean by saying that I am inquisitive +and impudent, that I go everywhere, +that I affront and drive off the dogs, that +I play pranks on the poultry, and that I am +particularly assiduous in cultivating the good-will +of the cook? That’s what your friend +<span class='sc'>Buffon</span> says, and you adopt him it appears. +And what do you mean by calling me ‘a +glutton by nature, and a thief by habit?’ +Why, the identical boy who was being told +this, on the strength of <span class='sc'>Buffon</span>, as he looked +through our wires last Saturday, was almost +out of his mind with pudding, and had got +another boy’s top in his pocket!</p> + +<p class='c006'>I tell you what. I like the idea of you +men, writing histories of <i>us</i>, and settling what +we are, and what we are not, and calling us +any names you like best. What colors do +you think you would show in, yourselves, if +some of us were to take it into our heads to +write histories of <i>you</i>? I know something +of Astley’s Theatre, I hope; I was about +the stables there, a few years. Ecod! if you +heard the observations of the Horses after the +performance, you’d have some of the conceit +taken out of you!</p> + +<p class='c006'>I don’t mean to say that I admire the Cat. +I <i>don’t</i> admire her. On the whole, I have a +personal animosity towards her. But, being +obliged to lead this life, I condescend to hold +communication with her, and I have asked her +what <i>her</i> opinion is. She lived with an old +lady of property before she came here, who +had a number of nephews and nieces. She +says she could show you up to that extent, +after her experience in that situation, that even +you would be hardly brazen enough to talk of +cats being sly and selfish any more.</p> + +<p class='c006'>I am particularly assiduous in cultivating +<span class='pageno' id='Page_157'>157</span>the good-will of the cook, am I? Oh! I suppose +you never do anything of this sort, yourselves? +No politician among you was ever +particularly assiduous in cultivating the +good-will of a minister, eh? No clergyman +in cultivating the good-will of a bishop, +humph? No fortune-seeker in cultivating +the good-will of a patron, hah? You have +no toad-eating, no time-serving, no place-hunting, +no lacqueyship of gold and silver sticks, or +anything of that sort, I suppose? You haven’t +too many cooks, in short, whom you are all +assiduously cultivating, till you spoil the +general broth? Not you. You leave that to +the Ravens.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Your friend <span class='sc'>Buffon</span>, and some more of +you, are mighty ready, it seems, to give <i>us</i> +characters. Would you like to hear about +your own temper and forbearance? Ask the +Dog. About your never overloading or ill-using +a willing creature? Ask my brother-in-law’s +friend, the Camel, up in the Zoological. +About your gratitude to, and your provision +for, old servants? I wish I could refer you to +the last Horse I dined off (he was very tough), +up at a knacker’s yard in Battle Bridge. +About your mildness, and your abstinence +from blows and cudgels? Wait till the +Donkey’s book comes out!</p> + +<p class='c006'>You are very fond of laughing at the parrot, +I observe. Now, I don’t care for the parrot. +I don’t admire the parrot’s voice—it wants +hoarseness. And I despise the parrot’s livery—considering +black the only true wear. I +would as soon stick my bill into the parrot’s +breast as look at him. Sooner. But if you +come to that, and you laugh at the parrot +because the parrot says the same thing over +and over again, don’t you think you could get +up a laugh at yourselves? Did you ever know +a Cabinet Minister say of a flagrant job or +great abuse, perfectly notorious to the whole +country, that he had never heard a word of +it himself, but could assure the honourable +gentleman that every enquiry should be +made? Did you ever hear a Justice remark, +of any extreme example of ignorance, that it +was a most extraordinary case, and he couldn’t +have believed in the possibility of such a case—when +there had been, all through his life, +ten thousand such within sight of his chimney-pots? +Did you ever hear, among yourselves, +anything approaching to a parrot repetition +of the words, Constitution, Country, Public +Service, Self-Government, Centralisation, Un-English, +Capital, Balance of Power, Vested +Interests, Corn, Rights of Labor, Wages, or +so forth? <i>Did</i> you ever? No! Of course, +you never!</p> + +<p class='c006'>But to come back to that fellow <span class='sc'>Buffon</span>. +He finds us Ravens to be most extraordinary +creatures. We have properties so remarkable, +that you’d hardly believe it. ‘A piece +of money, a teaspoon, or a ring,’ he says, ‘are +always tempting baits to our avarice. These +we will slily seize upon; and, if not watched, +carry to our favorite hole.’ How odd!</p> + +<p class='c006'>Did you ever hear of a place called California? +<i>I</i> have. I understand there are a +number of animals over there, from all parts of +the world, turning up the ground with their +bills, grubbing under the water, sickening, +moulting, living in want and fear, starving, +dying, tumbling over on their backs, murdering +one another, and all for what? Pieces +of money that they want to carry to their +favourite holes. Ravens every one of ’em! +Not a man among ’em, bless you!</p> + +<p class='c006'>Did you ever hear of Railway Scrip? <i>I</i> +have. We made a pretty exhibition of ourselves +about that, we feathered creatures! +Lord, how we went on about that Railway +Scrip! How we fell down, to a bird, from +the Eagle to the Sparrow, before a scarecrow, +and worshipped it for the love of the bits of +rag and paper fluttering from its dirty +pockets! If it hadn’t tumbled down in its +rottenness, we should have clapped a title on +it within ten years, I’ll be sworn!—Go along +with you, and your <span class='sc'>Buffon</span>, and don’t talk +to me!</p> + +<p class='c006'>‘The Raven don’t confine himself to petty +depredations on the pantry or the larder’—here +you are with your <span class='sc'>Buffon</span> again—‘but +he soars at more magnificent plunder, that he +can neither exhibit nor enjoy.’ This must be +very strange to you men—more than it is to +the Cat who lived with that old lady, though!</p> + +<p class='c006'>Now, I am not going to stand this. You +shall not have it all your own way. I am +resolved that I won’t have Ravens written +about by men, without having men written +about by Ravens—at all events by one Raven, +and that’s me. I shall put down my opinions +about you. As leisure and opportunity serve, +I shall collect a natural history of you. You +are a good deal given to talk about <i>your</i> +missions. That’s my mission. How do you +like it?</p> + +<p class='c006'>I am open to contributions from any animal +except one of your set; bird, beast, or fish, +may assist me in my mission, if he will. I +have mentioned it to the Cat, intimated it to +the Mouse, and proposed it to the Dog. The +Owl shakes his head when I confide it to him, +and says he doubts. He always did shake his +head, and doubt. Whenever he brings himself +before the public, he never does anything +except shake his head and doubt. I should +have thought he had got himself into a sufficient +mess by doing that, when he roosted for +a long time in the Court of Chancery. But he +can’t leave off. He’s always at it.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Talking of missions, here’s our Proprietor’s +Wife with a mission now! She has found out +that she ought to go and vote at elections; +ought to be competent to sit in Parliament; +ought to be able to enter the learned professions—the +army and navy, too, I believe. +She has made the discovery that she has no +business to be the comfort of our Proprietor’s +life, and to have the hold upon him of not +being mixed up in all the janglings and wranglings +of men, but is quite ill-used in being +<span class='pageno' id='Page_158'>158</span>the solace of his home, and wants to go out +speechifying. That’s our Proprietor’s Wife’s +new mission. Why, you never heard the +Dove go on in that ridiculous way. She +knows her true strength better.</p> + +<p class='c006'>You are mighty proud about your language; +but it seems to me that you don’t deserve to +have words, if you can’t make a better use of +’em. You know you are always fighting about +’em. Do you never mean to leave that off, +and come to things a little? I thought you +had high authority for <i>not</i> tearing each other’s +eyes out, about words. You respect it, don’t +you?</p> + +<p class='c006'>I declare I am stunned with words, on my +perch in the Happy Family. I used to think +the cry of a Peacock bad enough, when I was +on sale in a menagerie, but I had rather live +in the midst of twenty peacocks, than one +Gorham and a Privy Council. In the midst +of your wordy squabbling, you don’t think of +the lookers-on. But if you heard what <i>I</i> hear +in my public thoroughfare, you’d stop a little +of that noise, and leave the great bulk of the +people something to believe in peace. You +are overdoing it, I assure you.</p> + +<p class='c006'>I don’t wonder at the Parrot picking words +up and occupying herself with them. She +has nothing else to do. There are no destitute +parrots, no uneducated parrots, no foreign +parrots in a contagious state of distraction, +no parrots in danger of pestilence, no festering +heaps of miserable parrots, no parrots crying +to be sent away beyond the sea for dear life. +But among you!—</p> + +<p class='c006'>Well! I repeat, I am not going to stand +it. Tame submission to injustice is unworthy +of a Raven. I croak the croak of revolt, and +call upon the Happy Family to rally round +me. You men have had it all your own way +for a long time. <i>Now</i>, you shall hear a sentiment +or two about yourselves.</p> + +<p class='c006'>I find my last communication gone from +the corner where I hid it. I rather suspect +the magpie, but he says, ‘Upon his honor.’ +If Mr. Rowland Hill has got it, he will do me +justice—more justice than you have done him +lately, or I am mistaken in my man.</p> + +<div class='chapter'> + <h2 class='c004'>ILLUSTRATIONS OF CHEAPNESS.</h2> +</div> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> +<div class='nf-center c001'> + <div>EGGS.</div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='c005'>There is a curious illustration of the mode +in which kings and legislators thought to +make things cheap, in an Ordinance of +Edward the Second, of the year 1314, in +which it is set forth that there is ‘an intolerable +dearth, in these days, of oxen, cows, +sheep, hogs, geese, capons, hens, chickens, +pigeons, and eggs;’ and therefore, amongst +other regulations, it is prescribed that twenty +eggs shall be sold for a penny, and that the +eggs should be forfeited if the salesman would +not take that price. Some years before (1274), +the Lord Mayor of London, in a similar proclamation, +shows us how the commerce of +food was conducted, by ordaining that no +huckster of fowl should go out of the city to +meet the country people coming in with +their commodities, but buy in the city after +three o’clock, when the great men and citizens +had supplied themselves at the first hand. +Of course, these regulations did produce ‘an +intolerable dearth;’ and Edward the Second +had the candour to acknowledge this by a +proclamation of 1315, in which he says, ‘we +have understood that such a proclamation, +which at that time we believed would be for +the profit of the people of our realm, redounds +to their greater damage than profit.’ +Nevertheless, two centuries and a half later, +the civic wisdom discovered that ‘through the +grievous covetousness of poulterers, the prices +of all poultry wares are grown to be excessive +and unreasonable;’ and therefore the Lord +Mayor decrees the prices of geese and chickens, +and commands that eggs shall be five a penny. +(Stow.) In 1597 we learn, that even an +attorney-general could not have the benefit +of such an enforced cheapness; for the +household book of Sir Edward Coke shows +us that his steward expended 4<i>s.</i> 8<i>d.</i> in one +week of May, for his master’s family in +Holborn, by daily purchases of eggs at ten +for a groat; while at his country house at +Godwicke, in Norfolk, in the same year, he +daily bought eggs at twenty a groat in +July.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The fact that in 1597 eggs were double the +price in Holborn as compared with the eggs +of Godwicke, is one of the incidental proofs of +an almost self-evident principle, that commercial +intercourse, produced by facilities of +communication, is one of the great causes of +cheapness arising out of equalisation of prices. +But such facilities further lower prices, by +stimulating production. It is to be noted, +that while the Attorney-General, when in the +country, killed his own bullocks and sheep, +and had green geese, capons, and chickens in +profusion out of his own poultry-yard, he +bought his eggs. We have no doubt that his +occasional presence at Godwicke encouraged +the cottagers in the provision of eggs for the +great man’s use. He did not produce them +himself, for the carriage to London would +have been most costly. But his purchases +were irregular. When the family went to +Holborn, the eggs had to seek an inferior +market. If no one was at hand, the production +declined. They did not go to London, +to lower the price there, by increasing the +supply.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Eggs at ten a groat, even, sound cheap. +But while Coke bought his eggs at ten a groat, +he only paid two shillings a stone for his beef. +Ten eggs were, therefore, equivalent to about +two pounds of beef. In this month of April, +1850, good eggs may be bought in London at +sixteen for a shilling, which shilling would +purchase two pounds of beef. Eggs are, +therefore, more than one half cheaper in London +now than two centuries and a half ago, by +comparison with meat. They are far cheaper +<span class='pageno' id='Page_159'>159</span>when we regard the altered value of money. +In the days of Queen Elizabeth eggs were a +common article of food. We learn from no +less an authority than the Chamberlain of a +renowned inn in Kent, that the company who +travelled with the carriers used eggs plentifully +and luxuriously. ‘They are up already, +and call for eggs and butter.’ (Henry IV. +pt. 1.) But if we infer that the population of +London, in those days of supposed cheapness, +could obtain eggs with the facility with which +we now obtain them, and that the estimated two +hundred thousand of that population could call +for them as freely as the pack-horse travellers +at Rochester,—the inference may be corrected +by the knowledge of a few facts, which will +show by what means, then undiscovered, a +perishable article is now supplied with unfailing +regularity, and without any limit but +that enforced by the demand, to a population +of two millions and a quarter. That such a +population can be so supplied without a continuing +increase, or a perpetual variation of +price, is an Illustration of Cheapness, which +involves a view of some remarkable peculiarities +of our age, and some important characteristics +of our social condition.</p> + +<p class='c006'>In the days of Edward II., the villagers who +dwelt within a few miles of London daily surrounded +its walls with their poultry and eggs. +The poulterers were forbidden to become their +factors; but unquestionably it was for the +interest of both parties that some one should +stand between the producer and the consumer. +Without this, there would have been no regular +production. Perhaps the production +was very irregular, the price very fluctuating, +the dearth often intolerable. This huckstering +had to go on for centuries before it became +commerce. It would have been difficult, even +fifty years ago, to imagine that eggs, a frail +commodity, and quickly perishable, should +become a great article of import. Extravagant +would have been the assertion that a kingdom +should be supplied with sea-borne eggs, with +as much speed, with more regularity, and at +a more equalised price, than a country market-town +of the days of George III. It has been +stated, that, before the Peace of 1815, Berwick-upon-Tweed +shipped annually as many eggs +to London as were valued at 30,000<i>l.</i> Before +the Peace, there were no steam-vessels; and it +is difficult to conceive how the cargoes from +Berwick, with a passage that often lasted a +month, could find their way to the London +consumer in marketable condition. Perhaps +the eaters of those eggs, collected in the Border +districts, were not so fastidious in their tastes +as those who now despise a French egg which +has been a week travelling from the Pas de +Calais. But the Berwick eggs were, at any +rate, the commencement of a real commerce +in eggs.</p> + +<p class='c006'>In 1820, five years after the Peace, thirty-one +millions of foreign eggs found their way +into England, paying a duty of 11,077<i>l.</i>, at +the rate of a penny for each dozen. They +principally came from France, from that coast +which had a ready communication with Kent +and Sussex, and with the Thames. These +eggs, liable as they were to a duty, came to +the consumer so much cheaper than the Berwick +eggs, or the Welsh eggs, or the eggs +even that were produced in Middlesex or +Surrey, that the trade in eggs was slowly but +surely revolutionised. Large heaps of eggs +made their appearance in the London markets, +or stood in great boxes at the door of the +butterman, with tempting labels of ‘24 a +shilling,’ or ‘20 a shilling.’ They were approached +with great suspicion, and not unjustly +so; for the triumphs of steam were yet +far from complete. But it was discovered +that there was an egg-producing country in +close proximity to London, in which the production +of eggs for the metropolitan market +might be stimulated by systematic intercourse, +and become a mutual advantage to a population +of two millions, closely packed in forty square +miles of street, and a population of six hundred +thousand spread over two thousand five +hundred square miles of arable, meadow, and +forest land, with six or eight large towns. +This population of the Pas de Calais is +chiefly composed of small proprietors. Though +the farms are larger there than in some other +parts of France, some of the peculiarities of +what is called the small culture are there observable. +Poultry, especially, is most abundant. +Every large and every small farmhouse +has its troops of fowls and turkeys. +The pullets are carefully fed and housed; the +eggs are duly collected; the good-wife carries +them to the markets of Arras, or Bethune, or +St. Omer, or Aire, or Boulogne, or Calais: +perhaps the egg-collector traverses the district +with his cart and his runners. The egg-trade +with England gradually went on increasing. +In 1835, France consigned to us seventy-six +millions of eggs, paying a duty of tenpence +for 120. In 1849, we received ninety-eight +millions of foreign eggs, paying a duty of +tenpence-halfpenny per 120, amounting to +35,694<i>l.</i> These are known in the egg-market +as eggs of Caen, Honfleur, Cherbourg, Calais, +and Belgium.</p> + +<p class='c006'>In 1825 the commercial intercourse between +Great Britain and Ireland was put upon the +same footing as the coasting trade of the +ports of England. Steam navigation between +the two islands also had received an enormous +impulse. The small farmers and cottiers of +Ireland were poultry-keepers. Too often the +poor oppressed tenants were wont to think—‘The +hen lays eggs, they go into the lord’s +frying-pan.’ Steam navigation gave a new +impulse to Irish industry. Before steam-vessels +entered the Cove of Cork, an egg, at +certain seasons, could scarcely be found in the +market of that city. England wanted eggs; +steam-boats would convey them rapidly to +Bristol; the small farmers applied themselves +to the production of eggs; Cork itself then +obtained a constant and cheap supply. In +<span class='pageno' id='Page_160'>160</span>1835 Ireland exported as many eggs to England +as were valued at 156,000<i>l.</i>, being in +number nearly a hundred millions. In 1847 +it was stated by Mr. Richardson, in a work +on Domestic Fowls, published in Dublin, that +the export of eggs from Ireland to England +was ‘bordering on a million sterling.’ The +eggs are valued at 5<i>s.</i> 6<i>d.</i> for 124, which would +indicate an export of about four hundred and +fifty millions of eggs. We come to more precise +results when we learn, on the authority +of the secretary of the Dublin Steam-Packet +Company, that in the year 1844–5 there were +shipped from Dublin alone, to London and +Liverpool, forty-eight millions of eggs, valued +at 122,500<i>l.</i> In the census of 1841, the poultry +of Ireland was valued at 202,000<i>l.</i>, taking each +fowl at 6<i>d.</i> per head. The return was below +the reality; for the peasantry were naturally +afraid of some fiscal imposition, worse even +than the old tax of ‘duty fowls,’ when they +had to account for their Dame Partletts. +Eight millions of poultry, which this return +indicates, is, however, a large number. The +gross number of holdings in Ireland, as shown +by the agricultural returns of 1847, was +935,000; and this would give above eight +fowls to every cottage and farm,—a number +sufficient to produce four hundred and fifty +millions of eggs for exportation, if all could be +collected and all carried to a port. One hundred +and twenty eggs yearly is the produce of +a good hen. It would be safe to take the +Irish export of eggs at half the number,—an +enormous quantity, when we consider what a +trifling matter an egg appears when we talk +of large culture and extensive commerce. +Out of such trifles communities have grown +into industrious and frugal habits and consequent +prosperity. There was a time when the +English farmer’s wife would keep her household +out of the profits of her butter, her poultry, +and her eggs; when she duly rose at five +o’clock on the market-day morning, rode with +her wares some seven miles in a jolting cart, +and stood for six hours at a stall till she had +turned all her commodity into the ready +penny. The old thrift and the old simplicity +may return, when English farmers learn not +to despise small gains, and understand how +many other things are to be done with the +broad acres, besides growing wheat at a +monopoly price.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The coast-trade brings English eggs in +large numbers into the London markets. +Scotch eggs are also an article of import. +The English eggs, according to the ‘Price +Current,’ fetch 25 per cent. more than the +Scotch or Irish. The average price of all +eggs at the present time, in the wholesale +London market, is five shillings for 120—exactly +a halfpenny each.</p> + +<p class='c006'>In the counties by which London is surrounded, +the production of fresh eggs is far +below the metropolitan demand. Poultry, +indeed, is produced in considerable quantities, +but there is little systematic attention to the +profitable article of eggs. Where is the agricultural +labourer who has his half-dozen +young hens, from which number, with good +management, nine hundred, and even a thousand +eggs may be annually produced, that +will obtain a high price—three times as high +as foreign eggs? These six hens would yield +the cottager a pleasant addition to his scanty +wages, provided the egg-collection were systematised, +as it is in Ireland. Mr. Weld, in +his ‘Statistical Survey of the County of Roscommon,’ +says, ‘The eggs are collected from +the cottages for several miles round, by runners, +commonly boys from nine years old and +upwards, each of whom has a regular beat, +which he goes over daily, bearing back the +produce of his toil carefully stowed in a small +hand-basket. I have frequently met with +these boys on their rounds, and the caution +necessary for bringing in their brittle ware with +safety seemed to have communicated an air of +business and steadiness to their manner, unusual +to the ordinary volatile habits of children +in Ireland.’</p> + +<p class='c006'>Making a reasonable estimate of the number +of foreign eggs, and of Irish and Scotch eggs that +come into the port of London—and putting them +together at a hundred and fifty millions, every +individual of the London population consumes +sixty eggs, brought to his own door from +sources of supply which did not exist thirty +years ago. Nor will such a number appear +extravagant when we consider how accurately +the egg-consumption is regulated by the means +and the wants of this great community. Rapid +as the transit of these eggs has become, there +are necessarily various stages of freshness in +which they reach the London market. The +retail dealer purchases accordingly of the egg-merchant; +and has a commodity for sale +adapted to the peculiar classes of his customers. +The dairyman or poulterer in the +fashionable districts permits, or affects to +permit, no cheap sea-borne eggs to come upon +his premises. He has his eggs of a snowy +whiteness at four or six a shilling, ‘warranted +new-laid;’ and his eggs from Devonshire, +cheap at eight a shilling, for all purposes of +polite cookery. In Whitechapel, or Tottenham +Court Road, the bacon-seller ‘warrants’ +even his twenty-four a shilling. In truth, the +cheapest eggs from France and Ireland are as +good, if not better, than the eggs which were +brought to London in the days of bad roads +and slow conveyance—the days of road-waggons +and pack-horses. And a great benefit it +is, and a real boast of that civilisation which +is a consequence of free and rapid commercial +intercourse. Under the existing agricultural +condition of England, London could not, by +any possibility, be supplied with eggs to the +extent of a hundred and fifty millions annually, +beyond the existing supply from the neighbouring +counties. The cheapness of eggs +through the imported supply has raised up a +new class of egg-consumers. Eggs are no +longer a luxury which the poor of London +<span class='pageno' id='Page_161'>161</span>cannot touch. France and Ireland send them +cheap eggs. But France and Ireland produce +eggs for London, that the poultry-keepers may +supply themselves with other things which they +require more than eggs. Each is a gainer by the +exchange. The industry of each population is +stimulated; the wants of each supplied.</p> + +<div class='chapter'> + <h2 class='c004'>MUSIC IN HUMBLE LIFE.</h2> +</div> + +<p class='c005'>Music—that is, classical music—has of +late years been gradually descending from +the higher to the humbler classes. The +Muse is changing her associates; she is taking +up with the humble and needy, and leaves +nothing better to her aristocratic friends than +their much-loved Italian Opera. It is to the +masses that she awards some of her choicest +scientific gifts. She has of late years permeated +and softened the hard existence of the +artisan and the labourer.</p> + +<p class='c006'>It was not always thus. There was an +‘olden time’ in England when Music was +more assiduously cultivated among the higher +and educated classes than it has been in +more modern days. In the sixteenth century, +knowledge of music, and skill in its performance +were deemed indispensable to persons of +condition. Queen Elizabeth, among her other +vanities, was proud of her musical powers, +and not a little jealous of her unhappy rival, the +Queen of Scots, on account of her proficiency in +this accomplishment. The favourite vocal +music of that day consisted of the madrigals +of the great Italian and English masters—those +wonderful works of art, which, like the +productions of ancient Grecian sculpture, +have baffled all attempts at modern imitation. +Yet every well-educated lady or gentleman +was expected to take a part in those +profound and complicated harmonies; and +at a social meeting, to decline doing so, on +the score of inability, was regarded as a proof +of rudeness and low-breeding. In Morley’s +very curious book, the ‘<cite>Introduction to Practical +Music</cite>,’ a gentleman is represented as +seeking musical instruction in consequence of +a mortification of this kind. ‘Supper being +ended,’ says he, ‘and musicke books, according +to the custom, being brought to the table, the +mistress of the house presented me with a +part, earnestly requesting me to sing; but +when, after many excuses, I protested unfainedly +that I could not, every one began to +wonder, yea, some whispered to others, demanding +how I was brought up.’</p> + +<p class='c006'>Music declined in England along with +manners. In the middle of the last century, a +period rivalling the days of Charles the Second +in moral profligacy, Lord Chesterfield, who of +course expressed the fashionable feeling of +the time, advised his son to eschew the +practice of music as unbecoming a gentleman. +This feeling, we need scarcely say, has long +passed away; some of our most accomplished +amateurs of both sexes being found in the +highest circles of society.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Traces, however, of the ancient and extensive +cultivation of music were never entirely +obliterated; and, as might be expected, +they existed, along with more primitive +manners, in the more remote districts of the +country. In some of the northern counties, +particularly Lancashire and Yorkshire, the +inhabitants have from time immemorial been +remarkable for skill in vocal harmony, and +for their knowledge of the old part-music of +the English school. As these districts have +gradually become the seats of manufactures, +the same musical habits have been kept up +among the growing population; and so +salutary have these habits been found—so +conducive to order, temperance, and industry—that +many great manufacturers have encouraged +them by furnishing to their workpeople +the means of musical instruction.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The Messrs. Strutt, of Derby, trained some +of their brawny workmen into a band, and +many of them could step from the forge into +the orchestra, and perform some of the most +complicated pieces, by English and foreign +composers, in a creditable style.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Another set of harmonious blacksmiths +awaken the echoes of the remotest Welsh +mountains. The correspondent of a London +paper, while visiting Merthyr, was exceedingly +puzzled by hearing boys in the Cyfarthfa +works whistling airs rarely heard +except in the fashionable ball-room, opera-house, +or drawing-room. He afterwards +discovered that the proprietor of the works, +Mr. Robert Crawshay, had established among +his men a brass band, which practises once a +week throughout the year. They have the +good fortune to be led by a man (one of the +‘roll-turners’) who must have had somewhere +a superior musical education. ‘I had +the pleasure of hearing them play, and was +astonished at their proficiency. They number +sixteen instruments. I heard them perform +the Overtures to Zampa, The Caliph of +Bagdad, and Fra Diavolo, Vivi tu, some +concerted music from Roberto, Don +Giovanni, and Lucia, with a quantity of +Waltzes, Polkas, and dance music. The +bandmaster had them under excellent control; +he everywhere took the time well, and +the instruments preserved it, each taking up +his lead with spirit and accuracy; in short, +I have seldom heard a regimental band more +perfect than this handful of workmen, located +(far from any place where they might command +the benefit of hearing other bands) in +the mountains of Wales. The great body of +men at these works are extremely proud of +their musical performances, and like to boast +of them. I have been told it cost Mr. Crawshay +great pains and expense to bring this +band to its present excellent condition. If +so, he now has his reward. Besides this, he +has shown what the intellectual capacity of +the workman is equal to, and, above all, he +has provided a rational and refined amusement +for classes whose leisure time would +<span class='pageno' id='Page_162'>162</span>otherwise probably have been less creditably +spent than in learning or listening to music.’</p> + +<p class='c006'>The habits and manners of these men +appear to have been decidedly improved +by these softening influences. They are +peaceful and simple. ‘During a stay of +several weeks in the town,’ says the same +authority, ‘I neither saw nor heard of altercations +or fighting. The man, on his return +from labour, usually washes (the colliers and +miners invariably wash every day from head +to foot), puts on another coat, and sits down +to his meal of potatoes, meat, and tea, or +broth, and bread and cheese, as the case may +be. His wife and children, comfortably +clothed and cheerful, sit down with him. +Afterwards he goes to a neighbour’s house, +or receives some friends of his own, when +they discuss the news and light gossip affecting +their class, or talk over the success or +difficulties attending their work and their +prospects as regards the future. Visiting +many of their houses at night, I saw numbers +of such groups; in one instance only I saw +them drinking beer, and that was at a kind of +house warming, one of the body having that +night taken possession of the neatly furnished +house where I found them assembled.’</p> + +<p class='c006'>These are, indeed, only insulated good +effects wrought by private individuals; but +their beneficial effects have led to and helped +on the systematic cultivation of music as a +branch of popular education under the direct +sanction and authority of the Government; +and the labours of Mr. Hullah, who was +chosen as the agent in this good work, have +been attended with a degree of success far +beyond anything that could have been +anticipated.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Mr. Hullah had turned his attention to the +subject of popular instruction in Music, before +the matter was taken up by the Government, +and had examined the methods of tuition +adopted in various parts of the Continent. +An investigation of the system of Wilhem, +which had been formally sanctioned by the +French Government, induced him to attempt +its introduction in a modified form, into this +country; and he had an opportunity of doing +so by being appointed to instruct in vocal +music the pupils of the training-school at +Battersea, then recently opened under the +direction of the National Society. In February +1840, he gave his first lesson to a class of +about twenty boys, and from this small beginning +sprang the great movement which +speedily extended over the kingdom. The +success of these lessons attracted the notice +of the Committee of the Privy Council, who +undertook the publication of the work containing +the adaptation of the Wilhem system +to English use; and under the sanction of +the Committee, three classes were opened in +Exeter Hall for schoolmasters or teachers in +elementary schools, each class limited to one +hundred persons; and a fourth class, of the +same number, for female teachers. These +classes were opened in February and March +1841. Their expenses were defrayed partly +from small payments made by the pupils +themselves, and partly by a subscription +raised among a few distinguished friends of +education. It is worthy of particular notice +(as an erroneous impression has existed on the +subject) that the Government has never contributed +a shilling to the support of any of +Mr. Hullah’s classes; though the official +countenance and encouragement of the Committee +of Council certainly contributed much +to Mr. Hullah’s success.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Many applications for similar instructions +having been made by persons <i>not</i> engaged in +teaching, the elementary classes were thrown +open to the public; and in the spring of 1841 +these applications became so numerous, that +it was found necessary to engage the Great +Room at Exeter Hall and several of the +smaller rooms.</p> + +<p class='c006'>These first courses of elementary lessons +being ended, an Upper School was opened, in +December 1841, for the practice of choral +music, to enable those pupils who might desire +it to keep up and increase the knowledge they +had acquired. This class was joined by about +250 persons.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The first great choral meeting of Mr. +Hullah’s classes was held in April 1842. +About 1500 persons sang, of whom the majority +were adults, who, a year before, had possessed +no knowledge of music. During the +year following, 861 persons joined the elementary +classes, and 1465 became members +of the Upper Schools, which were increased +in number from one to three.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Of these Upper Schools, Mr. Hullah himself +says—<a id='r1'></a><a href='#f1' class='c013'><sup>[1]</sup></a></p> + +<div class='footnote' id='f1'> +<p class='c006'><a href='#r1'>1</a>. <cite>The Duty and Advantage of Learning to Sing.</cite> A Lecture +delivered at the Leeds Church Institution, 1846.</p> +</div> + +<p class='c006'>‘They consist of persons of both sexes, of +nearly all ages, and nearly all ranks; for I +think it would be difficult to name a class or +calling, of which they do not include some +representative. We have clergymen, lawyers, +doctors, tradesmen, clerks, mechanics, soldiers, +and, of course, many schoolmasters and schoolmistresses. +The large number of females, besides +distinguishing us broadly from those +musical societies called Social Harmonists and +Glorious Apollos and the like—relics of an +age when men were not at all times fit company +for women—besides producing that +courteous and scrupulous tone which female +influence must produce wherever it has fair +play, removes the only objection which can +reasonably be made to this kind of social +recreation, that it carries individuals away +from their homes, and breaks up family +circles; for our meetings include many a +family circle entire—husbands and wives, brothers +and sisters, parents and children; and +these, in many instances, taught by one +another.’</p> + +<p class='c006'>When the singing classes were opened in +Exeter Hall, other classes were also opened, +<span class='pageno' id='Page_163'>163</span>also under the sanction of the Committee of +Council, for totally different objects;—instruction +in Model Drawing, Writing, Arithmetic, +and Chemistry. The receipts from the singing +classes, during 1841, 1842, and 1843, realised +a net surplus above expenditure, of 1122£: +but nearly the whole of this sum was employed +in meeting the losses on the other +classes, in every one of which there was a +deficit. From the very heavy rent, too, demanded +for Exeter Hall, it was thought advisable +to quit that place, and transfer the +singing classes to the Apollonicon Rooms in +St. Martin’s Lane, till the plan then formed, +for the erection of a building at once less expensive +and better fitted for the accommodation +of the classes than Exeter Hall, could be +carried into effect.</p> + +<p class='c006'>This plan has been accomplished by the +erection of the edifice in Long Acre, called St. +Martin’s Hall. The funds for this purpose +were raised by the persevering exertions of +Mr. Hullah, aided by liberal advances made +by private individuals, subscriptions, and contributions +of the pupils, in testimony of their +sense of the advantage they derived from the +schools, and the profits of a series of great +Choral Concerts given, for several seasons, in +Exeter Hall. The first stone of the building +was laid by the Earl of Carlisle on the 26th of +June, 1847; and the first public meeting in +the Great Hall was held on the 11th of +February last. The edifice, though rendered +fit for present use, is not yet fully completed, +in consequence of a portion of the ground +forming its site being still under an unexpired +lease. When finished, the great concert-hall +will be 120 feet long, 55 wide, and 40 high; +and will afford accommodation for three +thousand persons. There are also a lecture-room +which can hold five hundred persons, +three spacious class-rooms, and a large room +intended as a library of music and musical +literature.</p> + +<p class='c006'>At St. Martin’s Hall there are now about +1400 persons in various stages of instruction; +about 450 in the first upper school, about 250 +in the second, and the remainder in the +elementary classes. The pupils belong to +every class and calling; the highest ranks of +the aristocracy, the members of almost every +trade and profession, the industrious mechanic +and workman; and they all mingle in one +common pursuit, without regard to station or +degree, and with the utmost harmony of +feeling. There is a due admixture of the +softer sex; and the meetings of the classes are +characterised by such uniform propriety and +decorum, that the most scrupulous parents +allow their children, without hesitation, to +attend them.</p> + +<p class='c006'>There are several other places in the +Metropolis where Mr. Hullah’s system of +teaching is in operation. He has been appointed +Professor of Vocal Music in King’s +College, in which seminary music forms a +regular part of the Theological Course; a +knowledge of this art being regarded as so +conducive to the usefulness of a clergyman, +that its acquirement, to a certain extent, is +rendered imperative on the students of divinity. +At the Charterhouse, a succession of singing classes +has been maintained for these five or +six years.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The National Society for the Education of +the Poor has four Normal Schools, in all of +which the musical instruction is under Mr. +Hullah’s direction. These are:—1st, St. Mark’s +College, Chelsea; in which, there are always +sixty students, who remain there three years. +<i>All</i> learn to sing, and the majority to write in +four-part harmony, before they leave. They +have a daily choral service, in which they sing +(without accompaniment) the services of +Tallis, Gibbons, and other (chiefly old) English +masters, and the motets and hymns of +the old Italian and Flemish schools. They +are at this time getting up, in their leisure +hours, <i>The Messiah</i>, with not only the vocal +but the instrumental parts. Attached to the +College is a boys’ school, where the boys +(upwards of 200) are taught to sing by the +students. The boys of the first class are all +able to sing the treble parts of <i>The Messiah</i>. +2nd, Battersea College, in which there are +about 80 students, who remain about a year. +3rd, Westminster Training Institution, in +which there are about 45 masters and 60 +mistresses, who remain about six months. +There are also, in the school attached, about +200 boys and 150 girls taught to sing. The +whole body forms at once the choir and greater +part of the congregation at Christ Church, +Westminster. The children at this school are +of the humblest class. 4th, Whitelands; +where there are about 75 young women training +for schoolmistresses. They remain about +three years, and attain some knowledge of +Harmony.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Besides the above, under Mr. Hullah’s personal +direction, there are various other training +institutions in London, in which his plans +have been adopted, and are carried out by +pupils of his own. The most important of +these are, the Borough Road Schools and the +Home and Colonial Infant School Society.</p> + +<p class='c006'>There are Normal Schools at York, Exeter, +Oxford, Chester, Warrington, Durham, and +other provincial towns, in all of which music +is taught systematically, according to the +methods which the masters have acquired in +the Normal Schools of the metropolis. In +Ireland, the National Board of Education +some years ago formally adopted Mr. Hullah’s +books, and have introduced his methods into +a variety of seminaries. In Scotland less +seems to have been done. But the authorities +of the Free Church sent a young teacher to +study under Mr. Hullah, who returned to +Edinburgh about a year ago, and, we learn, is +giving instructions with success. Mr. Hullah’s +‘Manual’ has been translated into Welsh, and +introduced into some schools in the Principality. +Many copies of his books have been +<span class='pageno' id='Page_164'>164</span>sent to different parts of India, Australia, +Van Diemen’s Land, and New Zealand, for the +use of persons teaching in those remote +regions.</p> + +<p class='c006'>It thus appears that Music is becoming a +regular branch of popular education, and for +the most part according to an uniform and +well-tried method, in every part of the British +empire. The system is of too recent growth +to have brought its fruits to maturity. It +may, indeed, be regarded as in its infancy +when compared with the magnitude which +it cannot fail to attain. But already its effects +are striking and encouraging. Music—well, +badly, or indifferently taught—forms a part of +the business of the great majority of schools, +national, public, and private, throughout the +country. In hundreds of quiet, out-of-the-way +country churches, an approximation is made +to a choral service often purely vocal. Hundreds +of country clergymen are now qualified, +by musical attainment, to superintend the +singing of their choirs and congregations, and +exert themselves to render it consistent with +taste, propriety, and devotion. And it is a certain +fact, that whereas ten years ago, nobody, +in the engagement of a schoolmaster, ever +thought of inquiring about his musical capacity, +men defective in this point, but otherwise +of unexceptionable character and attainments, +find it next to impossible to obtain +employment.</p> + +<div class='chapter'> + <h2 class='c004'>A PARIS NEWSPAPER.</h2> +</div> + +<p class='c005'>Within the precincts of that resort for +foreigners and provincials in Paris the Palais +Royal, is situate the Rue du 24 Fevrier. This +revolutionary name, given after the last outbreak, +is still pronounced with difficulty by +those who, of old, were wont to call it the +Rue de Valois. People are becoming accustomed +to call the royally named street by +its revolutionary title, although it is probable +that no one will ever succeed in calling +the Palais Royal, Palais National; the force +of habit being in this instance too great to +efface old recollections. Few foreigners have +ever penetrated into the Rue du 24 Fevrier, +though it forms one of the external galleries +of the Palais Royal, and one may see there +the smoky kitchens, dirty cooks,—the nightside, +in fact, of the splendid restaurants whose +gilt fronts attract attention inside. Rubicund +apples, splendid game, truffles, and ortolans, +deck the one side; smoke, dirty plates, rags, +and smutty saucepans may be seen on the +other.</p> + +<p class='c006'>It is from an office in the Rue du 24 Fevrier, +almost opposite the dark side of a gorgeous +Palais Royal restaurant, that issue 40,000 +copies of a daily print, entitled the ‘Constitutionnel.’</p> + +<p class='c006'>Newspaper offices, be it remarked, are +always to be found in odd holes and corners. +To the mass in London, Printing-house Square, +or Lombard Street, Whitefriars, are mystical +localities; yet they are the daily birthplaces +of that fourth estate which fulminates +anathemas on all the follies and weaknesses +of governments, and, without which, no one +can feel free or independent. The ‘Constitutionnel’ +office is about as little known to the +mass of its subscribers as either Printing-house +Square or Whitefriars.</p> + +<p class='c006'>There is always an old and respectable look +about the interior of newspaper establishments, +in whatever country you may find them. For +rusty dinginess, perhaps there is nothing to +equal a London office, with its floors strewed +with newspapers from all parts of the world, +parliamentary reports, and its shelves creaking +under books of all sorts thumbed to the +last extremity. Notwithstanding these appearances, +however, there is discipline,—there +is real order in the apparent disorder of +things. Those newspapers that are lying in +heaps have to be accurately filed; those books +of reference can be pounced upon when wanted +on the instant; and as to reports, the place of +each is as well known as if all labelled and +ticketed with the elaborate accuracy of a +public library.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Not less rusty and not less disorderly is the +appearance of a French newspaper office; but +how different the aspect of things from what +you see in England!</p> + +<p class='c006'>Over the office of the ‘Constitutionnel’ is +a dingy tricolor flag. A few broken steps +lead to a pair of folding-doors. Inside is the +sanctuary of the office, guarded by that flag +as if by the honour of the country; for the +tricolor represents all Frenchmen, be he +prince or proletarian.</p> + +<p class='c006'>You enter through a narrow passage flanked +with wire cages, in which are confined for the +day the clerks who take account of advertisements +and subscriptions. Melancholy objects +seem these caged birds; whose hands alone +emerge at intervals through the pigeon-holes +made for the purpose of taking in money +and advertisements. The universal beard +and moustachios that ornament their chins, +look, however, more unbusiness-like than +are the men really. They are shrewd and +knowing birds that are enclosed in these wire +cages.</p> + +<p class='c006'>At publishing time, boys rushing in for +papers, as in London offices, are not here to be +seen. The reason of this is simple: French +newspaper proprietors prefer doing their work +themselves,—they will have no middlemen. +They serve all their customers by quarterly, +yearly, or half-yearly subscriptions. In every +town in France there are subscription offices +for this journal, as well, indeed, as for all +great organs of the press generally. There +are regular forms set up like registers at the +Post-office, and all of these are gathered at +the periodical renewal of subscriptions to the +central office. The period of renewal is every +fortnight.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Passing still further up the narrow and dim +passage, one sees a pigeon-hole, over which is +<span class='pageno' id='Page_165'>165</span>written the word ‘Advertisements.’ This +superscription is now supererogatory, for there +no advertisements are received; that branch +of the journal having been farmed out to a +Company at 350,000fr. a-year. This is a system +which evidently saves a vast deal of +trouble. The Advertising Company of Paris +has secured almost a monopoly of announcements +and puffs. It has bought up the last +page of nearly every Paris journal which +owns the patronage and confidence of the +advertising public of the French Capital. At +the end of the same dark passages, are the +rooms specially used for the editors and +writers. In France, journals are bought for +their polemics, and not for their news: many +of them have fallen considerably, however, +from the high estate which they held in public +opinion previous to the last revolution. There +are men who wrote in them to advocate and +enforce principles; but in the chopping and +changing times that France lives in, it is not +unusual to find the same men with different +principles, interest or gain being the object +of each change. This result of revolution +might have been expected; and though it +would be unfair to involve the whole press +in a sweeping accusation, cases in point have +been sufficiently numerous to cause a want of +confidence in many quarters against the entire +press.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The doings of newspaper editors are not +catalogued in print at Paris, as in America; +but their influence being more occult is not +the less powerful, and it is this feeling +that leads people to pay more attention +to this or that leading article than to mere +news. The announcement of a treaty having +been concluded between certain powers of +Europe, may not lower the funds; but if an +influential journal expresses an opinion that +certain dangers are to be apprehended from the +treaty in question, the exchanges will be instantly +affected. This is an instance amongst +many that the French people are to be led in +masses. Singly they have generally no ideas, +either politically or commercially.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The importance of a journal being chiefly +centered in that portion specially devoted to +politics, the writers of which are supposed +right or wrong to possess certain influences, it +is not astonishing the editorial offices have few +occupants. The editorial department of the +‘Constitutionnel’ wears a homely appearance, +but borrows importance from the influence +that is wielded in it—writers decorated with +the red ribbon are not unfrequently seen at +work in it. In others, and especially in the +editorial offices of some journals, may be seen, +besides the pen, more offensive weapons, such +as swords and pistols. This is another result +of the personal system of journalism. As in +America, the editor may find himself in the +necessity of defending his arguments by arms. +He is too notorious to be able to resort to +the stratagem of a well-known wit, who kept +a noted boxer in his front office to represent +the editor in hostile encounters. He goes +out, therefore, to fight a duel, on which sometimes +depends not only his own fate, but that +of his journal.</p> + +<p class='c006'>With regard to the personal power of a +newspaper name, it is only necessary in order +to show how frequently it still exists, to state +that the Provisional Government of February, +1848, was concocted in a newspaper office, and +the revolution of 1830 was carried on by the +editors of a popular journal—that amongst +the lower orders in France, at the present +time, the names that are looked up to as those +of chiefs, belong to newspaper editors, whose +leading articles are read and listened to in +cheap newspaper clubs, and whose “orders” +are followed as punctually and as certainly as +those of a general by his troops. A certain +class of French politicians may be likened to +sheep:—they follow their “leaders.”</p> + +<p class='c006'>The smallness of the number of officials in +a French newspaper office is to be accounted +for from the fact that Parliamentary Debates +are transcribed on the spot where the speeches +are made; and the reporting staff never stirs +from the legislative assembly. The divers +corps of reporters for Paris journals form a +corporation, with its aldermen or syndici, +and other minor officers. Each reporter is +relieved every two minutes; and whilst his +colleagues are succeeding each other with the +same rapidity, he transcribes the notes taken +during his two minutes’ ‘turn.’ The result +of this revolving system is collated and arranged +by a gentleman selected for the purpose. +This mode of proceeding ensures, if +necessary, the most verbatim transmission +of an important speech, and more equably +divides the work, than does the English system, +where each reporter takes notes for half +or three-quarters of an hour, and spends two +or three hours—and sometimes four or five—to +transcribe his notes. The French Parliamentary +reporter is not the dispassionate +auditor, which the English one is. He applauds +or condemns the orators, cheers or +hoots with all the vehemence of an excited +partizan.</p> + +<p class='c006'>‘Penny-a-liners’ are unknown in Paris; the +foreign and home intelligence being elaborated +in general news’ offices, independent of the +newspapers. It is there that all the provincial +journals are received, the news of the +day gathered up, digested, and multiplied by +means of lithography; which is found more +efficacious than the stylet and oiled ‘flimsy’ +paper of our Penny-a-liners. It is from these +latter places too, that the country journals, +as well as many of the foreign press, the +German, the Belgium, and the Spanish, are +supplied with Paris news. England is a good +market, as most of our newspapers are wealthy +enough to have correspondents of their +own.</p> + +<p class='c006'>My first visit to the ‘Constitutionnel’ was +in the day-time, and I caught the editor +as he was looking over some of his proofs. +<span class='pageno' id='Page_166'>166</span>Their curious appearance led me to ask +how they were struck off, and, in order to +satisfy me, he led the way up a dark stair, +from which we entered upon the composing-rooms +of the premises. These, in appearance, +were like all other composing-rooms +that I had seen; the forms, and cases for +the type, were similar to those in London; +the men themselves had that worn and pale +look which characterises the class to which +they belong, and their pallor was not diminished +by their wearing of the long beard and +moustache. Their unbuttoned shirts and +bare breasts, the short clay pipe, reminded me +of the heroes of the barricades; indeed, I have +every reason to know that these very compositors +are generally foremost in revolutions; +and though they often print ministerial articles, +they are not sharers in the opinions +which they help to spread. The head printer +contracts for the printing, and chooses his +men where he can find them best. As a body, +these men were provident, I was told, and all +subscribed to a fund for their poor, their +orphans and widows; they form a sort of trade +union, and have very strict regulations.</p> + +<p class='c006'>I found a most remarkable want of convenience +in the working of the types. For +instance, there were no galleys, or longitudinal +trays, on which to place the type when it was +set up; but when a small quantity had been +put together in column on a broad copper +table, a string was passed round it to keep it +together. Nor was there any hand-press for +taking proofs; and here I found the explanation +of the extraordinary appearance of the +proofs I had seen below. For when I asked +to have one struck off, the head printer placed +a sheet of paper over the type, and with a +great brush beat it in, giving the proof a +sunken and embossed appearance, which it +seemed to me would render correction exceedingly +difficult. The French, it seems, care +not for improvement in this respect, any more +than the Chinese, whom the brush has served +in place of a printing-press for some three +thousand years.</p> + +<p class='c006'>This Journal has, as I have said, from +40,000 to 50,000 subscribers, in order to serve +whom it was necessary that the presses should +be at work as early as eleven o’clock at +night. But there is no difficulty in doing +this, where news not being the <i>sine quâ non</i> +of journalism, provincial and foreign intelligence +is given as fresh, which in England +would be considered much behind in time. +But even when commencing business at the +early hour above mentioned, I found that it +had been necessary for the paper to be composed +twice over, in order to save time; and +thus two printers’ establishments were required +to bring out each number of the +journal in sufficient time for the country circulation +by early morning trains. The necessity +for this double composition is still existing +in most of the French newspaper offices, but had +been obviated here lately, by the erection of a +new printing-machine, which sufficed by the +speed of its working to print the given number +of copies necessary for satisfying the wants of +each day.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Having seen through the premises, and +witnessed all that was interesting in the day-time, +I was politely requested to return in +the evening, and see the remaining process of +printing the paper and getting it ready to send +out from the office.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Punctually at eleven o’clock I was in the +Rue du 24 Fevrier. Passing through the +offices which I had seen in the morning, I +was led by a sort of guide down some passages +dimly lighted with lamps. To the right +and to the left we turned, descending stone +steps into the bowels of the earth as it seemed +to me; the walls oozing with slimy damp in +some parts; dry and saltpetry in others. A +bundle of keys, which were jingling in my +guide’s hand, made noises which reminded me +of the description of prisoners going down +into the Bastille or Tower. At another +moment a sound of voices in the distance, +reminded me of a scene of desperate coiners +in a cellar.</p> + +<p class='c006'>These sounds grew louder, as we soon +entered a vast stone cellar, in which rudely +dressed men, half-naked as to their breasts +and arms, were to be seen flitting to and +fro at the command of a superior; their +long beards and grimy faces, their short +pipes and dirty appearance, made them look +more like devils than men, and I bethought +me that here, at last, I had found that real +animal—the printer’s devil. There were two +or three printing-presses in the room, only +one of which was going. Its rolling sound +was like thunder in the cave in which we +stood. As paper after paper flew out from +the sides of this creaking press, they were +carried to a long table and piled up in heaps.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Presently some of the stoutest men shouldered +a mass of these, and my conductor and +myself following them, we entered a passage +which led to another cellar, contiguous to that +in which the papers were printed. There, +sitting round a number of tables, were several +young women. These women seized upon a +portion of the papers brought in, and with +an amazing rapidity folded them into a small +compass. In a few minutes all the papers I +had seen printed were folded and numbered +off by dozens. Then comes another operation: +a man came round and deposited before +each woman a bundle of little paper slips, +which I found to be the addresses of the subscribers. +The women placed the labels and +the paste on one side, and commenced operations. +A bundle of papers, folded, was +placed before each; the forefinger, dipped in +the paste, immediately touched the paper and +the label simultaneously, and the ‘Constitutionnel’ +flew out with a speed perfectly +astonishing from the hands of these women, +ready to be distributed in town or country. +They were then finishing the labelling of the +<span class='pageno' id='Page_167'>167</span>papers for Paris circulation; 20,000 copies +scarcely sufficing for the supply.</p> + +<p class='c006'>This was the concluding sight in my visit +to a Paris Newspaper Office.</p> + +<div class='chapter'> + <h2 class='c004'>LINES BY ROBERT SOUTHEY.</h2> +</div> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> +<div class='nf-center c001'> + <div>[<i>From an Unpublished Autograph.</i>]</div> + </div> +</div> + +<div class='lg-container-b c012'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>The days of Infancy are all a dream,</div> + <div class='line'>How fair, but oh! how short they seem—</div> + <div class='line in2'>’Tis Life’s sweet opening <span class='sc'>Spring</span>!</div> + </div> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line'>The days of Youth advance:</div> + <div class='line'>The bounding limb, the ardent glance,</div> + <div class='line in2'>The kindling soul they bring—</div> + <div class='line'>It is Life’s burning <span class='sc'>Summer</span> time.</div> + </div> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line in2'>Manhood—matured with wisdom’s fruit,</div> + <div class='line in2'>Reward of Learning’s deep pursuit—</div> + <div class='line'>Succeeds, as <span class='sc'>Autumn</span> follows Summer’s prime.</div> + </div> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line in2'>And that, and that, alas! goes by;</div> + <div class='line in2'>And what ensues? The languid eye,</div> + <div class='line in2'>The failing frame, the soul o’ercast;</div> + <div class='line in2'>’Tis <span class='sc'>Winter’s</span> sickening, withering blast,</div> + <div class='line'>Life’s blessed season—for it is the last.</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<div class='chapter'> + <h2 class='c004'>SHORT CUTS ACROSS THE GLOBE.</h2> +</div> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> +<div class='nf-center c001'> + <div>THE ISTHMUS OF SUEZ.</div> + </div> +</div> + +<p class='c005'>That little neck of land which lies between +the head of the Red Sea and the Gulph of +Gaza, in the Mediterranean, is the cause of +merchandise circumnavigating the two longest +sides of the triangular continent of Africa on +its way to the East; instead of making the +short cut which is available for passengers by +what is called the ‘overland route.’ If a +water-way were opened across the Isthmus, +the highway for the goods traffic as well as +for the passenger traffic of Europe, India, +China, and Australia, will be along the Mediterranean +and Red Seas and the Indian Ocean. +And that highway will be so thronged, that +the expense of travelling by it will be reduced +to a <i>minimum</i>, and the accommodations for +travellers at intermediate stations raised to a +<i>maximum</i> of comfort.</p> + +<p class='c006'>This state of affairs—analogous to that +which occurs in the intercourse of two towns +where there is a round-about road for carts +and carriages, and a footpath across the +meadows for foot-passengers only—is attended +by great inconveniences. Letters relating to +mercantile transactions are forwarded by the +short cut; the merchandise to which they +relate follows tardily by the round-about road. +The advantageous bargain concluded now may +have a very different aspect when the goods +come to be delivered three or four months +hence. The seven-league-boot expedition of +letters, and the tardy progress of goods, convert +all transactions between England and +India into a game of chance. This fosters that +spirit of gambling speculation already too rife +among us.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Again, so long as the route for passengers +continues to be something different and apart +from the route for merchandise, the travelling +charges will be kept higher, and the accommodations +for travellers less comfortable than +they would otherwise be. Railways, in arranging +their tariff of fares, venture to reduce +the charge for passengers (in the hope of +augmenting their number) when they can rely +upon the returns from the goods traffic to +make up deficiencies. If merchandise, as well +as travellers and letters, could be carried by +what is called the overland route (of which +scarcely two hundred miles are travelled by +land), the passengers’ fares would admit of +great reduction; and as that route would thus +become the great highway, frequented by +greater crowds, the accommodation of travellers +could be better cared for. Travellers +in carriages rarely reflect how much the amount +of charges at inns depends upon the landlords +having a profitable run of business among less +distinguished guests.</p> + +<p class='c006'>As we remarked, when descanting on the +Panama route, physical obstacles to the opening +of short cuts are of much less consequence +than those which originate in financial difficulties. +Almost any physical obstacles may +be overcome, if money can be profitably invested +in the undertaking, and if money can +be got for such investment.</p> + +<p class='c006'>Were we projectors of companies, and engaged +in preparing an attractive prospectus, +we might boldly declare that the obstacles in +the construction of a ship canal at Suez are +trifling, and that the work would prove amply +remunerative. But being only impartial +spectators, we are obliged to confess that our +information respecting the nature of the +country is lamentably defective, and that what +we do know does not warrant any sanguine +expectation. Public attention has been industriously +directed from the true line of a +ship canal across the Isthmus of Suez. The +late Mehemet Ali—peace to his ashes!—was +a humbug of the first water, and he knew +how to avail himself of the services of kindred +spirits. He understood enough of European +whims and sentiments to know what tone +of language he must adopt in order to persuade +Europeans he was subserving their +views, while he was, in reality, promoting his +own. He talked, therefore, of facilitating the +intercourse between India and Europe, but +he thought of making that intercourse pass +through his dominions by the longest route, +and in the way which would oblige travellers +to leave the greatest possible amount of +money behind them; and to attain his ends he +retained in his service a motley group of +Europeans—the vain, the ignorant, and the +jobbing, who did his spiriting after a fashion +that bears conclusive testimony to his judgment +and tact in selecting them.</p> + +<p class='c006'>What is really wanted for the commerce of +Europe and India, is a ship canal across the +Isthmus of Suez, by the shortest and least +difficult route. What Mehemet Ali conceded +was a land passage through his dominions +by the longest possible route. The natural +course of a ship canal is, in a straight line, +<span class='pageno' id='Page_168'>168</span>from Suez to the eastern extremity of Lake +Menzaleh: the line of transit conceded by Mehemet +Ali is from Alexandria by Cairo to Suez, +nearly three times as long. The former line +passes across a low and well-watered region: +the latter renders necessary an interchange +of canal and river navigation, and dry land +passage across the desert. The former might +be passed in a day without halting: the latter +occupies several days, and includes necessary +stoppages in the inns of Alexandria and +Cairo. But Mehemet Ali and his tools directed +attention from the former, and gabbled +about railways and other impracticabilities, +and the European public was gulled. Egypt +can be reached any day by a fortnight’s easy +and luxurious travel, and yet the country +between the eastern extremity of Lake Menzaleh +and Suez is less accurately known than +the Isthmus of Panama.</p> + +<p class='c006'>What we do know, with any degree of certainty +about this transit, is briefly as follows:—The +navigation of the Red Sea in the +vicinity of Suez is rather intricate, abounding +in shoals, but there is secure anchorage, and +sufficient draft of water for merchant ships +of considerable burden. The Mediterranean +off the eastern extremity of Lake Menzaleh +is rather shallow, tolerably sheltered from the +west wind, which prevails for a part of the +year, but exposed to the north wind. Between +Suez and the site of the ruins of Pelusium at +the eastern end of the lake, the land is low +and level, apparently for a part of the way +between the level of both seas. The low land +receives in the wet season the drainings of the +high land on the east, which is a northern +continuation of the mountains between the +gulfs of Suez and Akaba. In addition to +this, the land to the westward (northward +of the Mokattam mountains which terminate +near Cairo) has a twofold slope,—the principal +northward to the Mediterranean, the secondary +eastward to the line of country we +are now describing. Originally, there appears +to have been a branch of the Nile entering +the Mediterranean near where the ruins of +Pelusium now are, and those intermediate +branches between that and the Damietta +branch.</p> + +<p class='c006'>The first mentioned is now closed, the other +two very much obstructed; but their waters +still find a way to the coast, though diminished +by artificial works, and appear to be the cause +of the collection of shallow water called Lake +Menzaleh. Here, then, we have sixty geographical +miles of a low country, with no +considerable undulations, towards which the +waters of Arabia Petræa flow in their season, +and towards which a considerable portion of the +waters of the Nile would flow if left to fall on +the natural declivity of the country. There is +an abundant supply of water for a ship canal. +The surface of the ground is in some places +covered with drift sand, but not uniformly +nor even for the most part. The subsoil is +hard, clayey or pebbley. The bent-grasses +might be cultivated, as they have been in +Holland, to give firmness to the drift sand +where it occurs; and this superficial obstacle +removed, the subsoil is favourable to the construction +of a permanent water-channel. The +great difficulty would be the construction of +works by which access to the canal is to be +obtained from the Mediterranean. Apparently +they would require to be carried far out into +the sea; and apparently it would be difficult +to prevent their being sanded up by the waves +which the north winds drive upon the coast +for a great part of the year.</p> + +<p class='c006'>These difficulties, though great, are not +insuperable. The advanced state of marine +architecture and engineering ought surely to +be able to cope with them. By re-opening the +Pelusiac branch of the Nile, and throwing +into it the waters which would naturally find +their way into the Tanitic and Mendesian +branches, a sufficient stream of water might +be thrown into the Mediterranean at Pelusium +to keep a passage open by its <i>scour</i>. +We must speak with diffidence about a locality +which has yet been so imperfectly surveyed; +but so far as the present state of our knowledge +respecting it enables us to judge, there +are no serious impediments to the construction +of a ship canal from Pelusium to Suez, which +would be perfectly accessible and practicable +for vessels of from 300 to 350 tons burden; +and there is a growing impression among +merchants and skippers that this class of +vessels is the best for trading purposes.</p> + +<p class='c006'>But the great difficulty remains yet to be +noticed; the condition of government and +civil security in that country. The isthmus +is close on the borders of civilised Europe, +and ample supplies of effective labourers could +be procured from Malta, and the Syrian and +African coasts. But so long as the country is +subject to a Turkish dynasty, could the undertakers +count upon fair play and sufficient protection +from the local authorities? And are +the jealous powers of Europe likely to combine +in good faith to afford them a guarantee +that they should be enabled to prosecute +their enterprise in security?</p> + +<div class='chapter'> + <h2 class='c004'>CURIOUS EPITAPH.</h2> +</div> + +<p class='c005'>The following curious Inscription appears in the +Churchyard, Pewsey, Dorsetshire:—</p> + +<div class='lg-container-b c014'> + <div class='linegroup'> + <div class='group'> + <div class='line in10'>HERE LIES THE BODY</div> + <div class='line in18'>OF</div> + <div class='line in12'>LADY O’LOONEY,</div> + <div class='line in8'>GREAT NIECE OF BURKE,</div> + <div class='line in6'>COMMONLY CALLED THE SUBLIME.</div> + <div class='line in16'>SHE WAS</div> + <div class='line'>BLAND, PASSIONATE, AND DEEPLY RELIGIOUS;</div> + <div class='line in12'>ALSO, SHE PAINTED</div> + <div class='line in12'>IN WATER-COLOURS,</div> + <div class='line in6'>AND SENT SEVERAL PICTURES</div> + <div class='line in12'>TO THE EXHIBITION.</div> + <div class='line in10'>SHE WAS FIRST COUSIN</div> + <div class='line in12'>TO LADY JONES;</div> + <div class='line in14'>AND OF SUCH</div> + <div class='line in6'>IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.</div> + </div> + </div> +</div> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> +<div class='nf-center c001'> + <div><span class='small'>Published at the Office, No. 16, Wellington Street North, Strand. Printed by <span class='sc'>Bradbury & Evans</span>, Whitefrairs, London.</span></div> + </div> +</div> + +<div class='pbb'> + <hr class='pb c003'> +</div> +<div class='tnotes x-ebookmaker'> + +<div class='chapter ph2'> + +<div class='nf-center-c0'> +<div class='nf-center c015'> + <div>TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES</div> + </div> +</div> + +</div> + +<table class='table1'> + <tr> + <th class='c016'>Page</th> + <th class='c016'>Changed from</th> + <th class='c017'>Changed to</th> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class='c018'><a href='#t146'>146</a></td> + <td class='c019'>bursting hose), balls of cord, flat rose, escape-chain</td> + <td class='c020'>bursting hose), balls of cord, flat hose, escape-chain</td> + </tr> +</table> + + <ul class='ul_1'> + <li>Fixed typos; non-standard spelling and dialect retained. + + </li> + <li>Renumbered footnotes. + </li> + </ul> + +</div> + +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78172 ***</div> + </body> + <!-- created with ppgen.py 3.57i (with regex) on 2026-03-11 09:00:37 GMT --> +</html> diff --git a/78172-h/images/cover.jpg b/78172-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d6cca07 --- /dev/null +++ b/78172-h/images/cover.jpg |
