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say　of　it　that　it　has　no　sign　in　its　outsetting　tides；　of　the

reflux　to　these　churches　of　their　congregations　and　uses。　　They

remain　like　the　tombs　of　the　old　citizens　who　lie　beneath　them　and

around　them；　Monuments　of　another　age。　　They　are　worth　a　Sunday…

exploration；　now　and　then；　for　they　yet　echo；　not　unharmoniously；

to　the　time　when　the　City　of　London　really　was　London；　when　the

'Prentices　and　Trained　Bands　were　of　mark　in　the　state；　when　even

the　Lord　Mayor　himself　was　a　Reality　…　not　a　Fiction　conventionally

be…puffed　on　one　day　in　the　year　by　illustrious　friends；　who　no

less　conventionally　laugh　at　him　on　the　remaining　three　hundred　and

sixty…four　days。







CHAPTER　X　…　SHY　NEIGHBOURHOODS







So　much　of　my　travelling　is　done　on　foot；　that　if　I　cherished

betting　propensities；　I　should　probably　be　found　registered　in

sporting　newspapers　under　some　such　title　as　the　Elastic　Novice；

challenging　all　eleven　stone　mankind　to　competition　in　walking。　　My

last　special　feat　was　turning　out　of　bed　at　two；　after　a　hard　day；

pedestrian　and　otherwise；　and　walking　thirty　miles　into　the　country

to　breakfast。　　The　road　was　so　lonely　in　the　night；　that　I　fell

asleep　to　the　monotonous　sound　of　my　own　feet；　doing　their　regular

four　miles　an　hour。　　Mile　after　mile　I　walked；　without　the

slightest　sense　of　exertion；　dozing　heavily　and　dreaming

constantly。　　It　was　only　when　I　made　a　stumble　like　a　drunken　man；

or　struck　out　into　the　road　to　avoid　a　horseman　close　upon　me　on

the　path　…　who　had　no　existence　…　that　I　came　to　myself　and　looked

about。　　The　day　broke　mistily　（it　was　autumn　time）；　and　I　could　not

disembarrass　myself　of　the　idea　that　I　had　to　climb　those　heights

and　banks　of　cloud；　and　that　there　was　an　Alpine　Convent　somewhere

behind　the　sun；　where　I　was　going　to　breakfast。　　This　sleepy　notion

was　so　much　stronger　than　such　substantial　objects　as　villages　and

haystacks；　that；　after　the　sun　was　up　and　bright；　and　when　I　was

sufficiently　awake　to　have　a　sense　of　pleasure　in　the　prospect；　I

still　occasionally　caught　myself　looking　about　for　wooden　arms　to

point　the　right　track　up　the　mountain；　and　wondering　there　was　no

snow　yet。　　It　is　a　curiosity　of　broken　sleep　that　I　made　immense

quantities　of　verses　on　that　pedestrian　occasion　（of　course　I　never

make　any　when　I　am　in　my　right　senses）；　and　that　I　spoke　a　certain

language　once　pretty　familiar　to　me；　but　which　I　have　nearly

forgotten　from　disuse；　with　fluency。　　Of　both　these　phenomena　I

have　such　frequent　experience　in　the　state　between　sleeping　and

waking；　that　I　sometimes　argue　with　myself　that　I　know　I　cannot　be

awake；　for；　if　I　were；　I　should　not　be　half　so　ready。　　The

readiness　is　not　imaginary；　because　I　often　recall　long　strings　of

the　verses；　and　many　turns　of　the　fluent　speech；　after　I　am　broad

awake。



My　walking　is　of　two　kinds：　　one；　straight　on　end　to　a　definite

goal　at　a　round　pace；　one；　objectless；　loitering；　and　purely

vagabond。　　In　the　latter　state；　no　gipsy　on　earth　is　a　greater

vagabond　than　myself；　it　is　so　natural　to　me；　and　strong　with　me；

that　I　think　I　must　be　the　descendant；　at　no　great　distance；　of

some　irreclaimable　tramp。



One　of　the　pleasantest　things　I　have　lately　met　with；　in　a　vagabond

course　of　shy　metropolitan　neighbourhoods　and　small　shops；　is　the

fancy　of　a　humble　artist；　as　exemplified　in　two　portraits

representing　Mr。　Thomas　Sayers；　of　Great　Britain；　and　Mr。　John

Heenan；　of　the　United　States　of　America。　　These　illustrious　men　are

highly　coloured　in　fighting　trim；　and　fighting　attitude。　　To

suggest　the　pastoral　and　meditative　nature　of　their　peaceful

calling；　Mr。　Heenan　is　represented　on　emerald　sward；　with　primroses

and　other　modest　flowers　springing　up　under　the　heels　of　his　half…

boots；　while　Mr。　Sayers　is　impelled　to　the　administration　of　his

favourite　blow；　the　Auctioneer；　by　the　silent　eloquence　of　a

village　church。　　The　humble　homes　of　England；　with　their　domestic

virtues　and　honeysuckle　porches；　urge　both　heroes　to　go　in　and　win；

and　the　lark　and　other　singing　birds　are　observable　in　the　upper

air；　ecstatically　carolling　their　thanks　to　Heaven　for　a　fight。　　On

the　whole；　the　associations　entwined　with　the　pugilistic　art　by

this　artist　are　much　in　the　manner　of　Izaak　Walton。



But；　it　is　with　the　lower　animals　of　back　streets　and　by…ways　that

my　present　purpose　rests。　　For　human　notes　we　may　return　to　such

neighbourhoods　when　leisure　and　opportunity　serve。



Nothing　in　shy　neighbourhoods　perplexes　my　mind　more；　than　the　bad

company　birds　keep。　　Foreign　birds　often　get　into　good　society；　but

British　birds　are　inseparable　from　low　associates。　　There　is　a

whole　street　of　them　in　St。　Giles's；　and　I　always　find　them　in　poor

and　immoral　neighbourhoods；　convenient　to　the　public…house　and　the

pawnbroker's。　　They　seem　to　lead　people　into　drinking；　and　even　the

man　who　makes　their　cages　usually　gets　into　a　chronic　state　of

black　eye。　　Why　is　this？　　Also；　they　will　do　things　for　people　in

short…skirted　velveteen　coats　with　bone　buttons；　or　in　sleeved

waistcoats　and　fur　caps；　which　they　cannot　be　persuaded　by　the

respectable　orders　of　society　to　undertake。　　In　a　dirty　court　in

Spitalfields；　once；　I　found　a　goldfinch　drawing　his　own　water；　and

drawing　as　much　of　it　as　if　he　were　in　a　consuming　fever。　　That

goldfinch　lived　at　a　bird…shop；　and　offered；　in　writing；　to　barter

himself　against　old　clothes；　empty　bottles；　or　even　kitchen　stuff。

Surely　a　low　thing　and　a　depraved　taste　in　any　finch！　　I　bought

that　goldfinch　for　money。　　He　was　sent　home；　and　hung　upon　a　nail

over　against　my　table。　　He　lived　outside　a　counterfeit　dwelling…

house；　supposed　（as　I　argued）　to　be　a　dyer's；　otherwise　it　would

have　been　impossible　to　account　for　his　perch　sticking　out　of　the

garret　window。　　From　the　time　of　his　appearance　in　my　room；　either

he　left　off　being　thirsty　…　which　was　not　in　the　bond　…　or　he　could

not　make　up　his　mind　to　hear　his　little　bucket　drop　back　into　his

well　when　he　let　it　go：　　a　shock　which　in　the　best　of　times　had

made　him　tremble。　　He　drew　no　water　but　by　stealth　and　under　the

cloak　of　night。　　After　an　interval　of　futile　and　at　length　hopeless

expectation；　the　merchant　who　had　educated　him　was　appealed　to。

The　merchant　was　a　bow…legged　character；　with　a　flat　and　cushiony

nose；　like　the　last　new　strawberry。　　He　wore　a　fur　cap；　and　shorts；

and　was　of　the　velveteen　race；　velveteeny。　　He　sent　word　that　he

would　'look　round。'　　He　looked　round；　appeared　in　the　doorway　of

the　room；　and　slightly　cocked　up　his　evil　eye　at　the　goldfinch。

Instantly　a　raging　thirst　beset　that　bird；　when　it　was　appeased；　he

still　drew　several　unnecessary　buckets　of　water；　and　finally；

leaped　about　his　perch　and　sharpened　his　bill；　as　if　he　had　been　to

the　nearest　wine　vaults　and　got　drunk。



Donkeys　again。　　I　know　shy　neighbourhoods　where　the　Donkey　goes　in

at　the　street　door；　and　appears　to　live　up…stairs；　for　I　have

examined　the　back…yard　from　over　the　palings；　and　have　been　unable

to　make　him　out。　　Gentility；　nobility；　Royalty；　would　appeal　to

that　donkey　in　vain　to　do　what　he　does　for　a　costermonger。　　Feed

him　with　oats　at　the　highest　price；　put　an　infant　prince　and

princess　in　a　pair　of　panniers　on　his　back；　adjust　his　delicate

trappings　to　a　nicety；　take　him　to　the　softest　slopes　at　Windsor；

and　try　what　pace　you　can　get　out　of　him。　　Then；　starve　him；

harness　him　anyhow　to　a　truck　with　a　flat　tray　on　it；　and　see　him

bowl　from　Whitechapel　to　Bayswater。　　There　appears　to　be　no

particular　private　understanding　between　birds　and　donkeys；　in　a

state　of　nature；　but　in　the　shy　neighbourhood　state；　you　shall　see

them　always　in　the　same　hands　and　always　developing　their　very　best

energies　for　the　very　worst　company。　　I　have　known　a　donkey　…　by

sight；　we　were　not　on　speaking　terms　…　who　lived　over　on　the　Surrey

side　of　London…bridge；　among　the　fastnesses　of　Jacob's　Island　and

Dockhead。　　It　was　the　habit　of　that　animal；　when　his　services　were

not　in　immediate　requisition；　to　go　out　alone；　idling。　　I　have　met

him　a　mile　from　his　place　of　residence；　loitering　about　the

streets；　and　the　expression　of　his　countenance　at　such　times　was

most　degraded。　　He　was　attached　to　the　establishment　of　an　elderly

lady　who　sold　periwinkles；　and　he　used　to　stand　on　Saturday　nights

with　a　cartful　of　those　delicacies　outside　a　gin…shop；　pricking　up

his　ears　when　a　customer　came　to　the　cart；　and　too　evidently

deriving　satisfaction　from　the　knowledge　that　they　got　bad　measure。

His　mistress　was　sometimes　overtaken　by　inebriety。　　The　last　time　I

ever　saw　him　（about　five　years　ago）　he　was　in　circumstances　of

difficulty；　caused　by　this　failing。　　Having　been　left　alone　with

the　cart　of　periwinkles；　and　forgotten；　he　went　off　idling。　　He

prowled　among　his　usual　low　haunts　for　some　time；　gratifying　his

depraved　tastes；　until；　not　taking　the　cart　into　his　calculations；

he　endeavoured　to　turn　up　a　narrow　alley；　and　became　greatly

involved。　　He　was　taken　into　custody　by　the　police；　and；　the　Green

Yard　of　the　district　being　near　at　hand；　was　backed　into　that　place

of　durance。　　At　that　crisis；　I　encountered　him；　the　stubborn　sense

he　evinced　of　being　…　not　to　compromise　the　expression　…　a

blackguard；　I　never　saw　exceeded　in　the　human　subject。　　A　flaring

candle　in　a　paper　shade；　stuck　in　among　his　periwinkles；　showed

him；　with　his　ragged　harness　broken　and　his　cart　extensively

shattered；　twitching　his　mouth　and　shaking　his　hanging　head；　a

picture　of　disgrace　and　obduracy。　　I　have　seen　boys　being　taken　to

station…houses；　who　were　as　like　him　as　his　own　brother。



The　dogs　of　shy　neighbourhoods；　I　observe　to　avoid　play；　and　to　be

conscious　of　poverty。　　They　avoid　work；　too；　if　they　can；　of

course；　that　is　in　the　nature　of　all　animals。　　I　have　the　pleasure

to　know　a　dog　in　a　back　street　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Walworth；

who　has　greatly　distinguished　himse