The Press.
London, England, 1857-04-25 00:00:00

414

" Seeing a Mau Hanged," " The Bal Masque,"
"Up the Haymarket," "Judge and Jury
Clubs," " The Cyder Cellars," " The Sporting
Public-house," " The Cave of Harmony.'
Along with these chapters are interspersed
some of a more promising kind, in which we
are introduced to " Discussion clubs," " The
Music hall, Hungerfold-market," " Boxing
Night," &c. &c.
We can easily imagine the disgust which a
refined person would feel at being taken into
some even of the more favourable resorts
which the author of this volume only too
faithfully describes. " The Music hall,
fungerford•market," for example, would show
an enormous room full of tradesmen and
mechanics, and their wives, seated round
tables, and indulging in drink, while listening
to public singers of fifth-rate pretensions
squalling through the songs of the day. It is,
certainly, one of the most innocent places of
resort described in the volume, and it may be
doubted whether the author of this work
understands the philosophy of his subject.
The morality of this volume is only that of a
teetotaller, and the love of &irk is the
" spirit of evil " most vehemently anathema-
tised in its pages. Of some of the various
places of resort described in this book we
shall say nothing, as we think that they
should be put down by more trenchant means
than a moralising writer can apply to them.
The other places, like " Canterbury-hall" and
some more, show the jaded, wearied, and ex
hausted shopkeepers going anywhere for some
relaxation. The society in such places is
coarse and gross ; but the amusements were
not intended for the rich and refine.l. Its
tone does not differ from that of the crowds
of wearied tradespeople who may be seen
along our suburban roads, seated near some
large public-houses, with long pipes and large
pots of beer. There they sit for hours, im-
bibing smoke and stout, their helpmates and
daughters appearing to enjoy the scene as
much as the rest. Where is the pleasure, or
the amusement, or the joy in such scenes?
The answer must be given with candour, and
without cant. The pleasure of those trades-
folk is in rest, in doing nothing after working
hard fur the whole week, and in not having
their ears stunned and their heads aching
with the whirring of machinery or the clatter
and worry of hurry-scurry business. Life in
England is a serious struggle, and the over-
work of all our labouring classes (in which
we include the professional toilers) is ex-
hausting. Even in the strongest men the
call upon the nervous system is incessant ;
and the figures which the diseases classified
under " neuralgia" run up in the bills of mor-
tality, are evidences of the straining nature
of toil in England. We must recollect, also,
that the air is deprived of its natural oxygen,
and that stimulants aro craved by the jaded
and depressed. These considerations do not
justify intemperance, but they go far to ac-
count for the sort of coarse and vulgar pleasure
sought after by the beer-loving portions of the
community. We do not, therefule, think that
teetotalism is the cure for the grossness which
takes pleasure in the public-house.
If this volume was composed with any bad
motives, it should not be mentioned by
na.ne in our columns. We notice it fur the
reprehension of the erroneous school of
humanity to which it belongs. We are wearied
of these books, declaiming about virtue and
philanthropy in every tenth page, while the
nine preceding pages have been filled with
repulsive details. Even if written with the
best intentions, such books can do no good.
Those who are moral and well conducted do
not want to be told of such places as are here
advertised by the author of " The London
Pulpit "; and those who are coarse and gross
enough to frequent them will not be converted
by a volume like the present. Like its matter,
the style of the volume is unpleasing ; and,
allowing the author credit for his intentions,
WO think that he should be more careful in
the choice of the next subject on which the
sketcher• of "The London Pulpit" may seek
to employ his pen.

RE PRINTS.
THERE are vary few writers whose style is suffi-
ciently peculiar, or whose subjects or modes of