The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-11-25 00:00:00

han a -general expression of com.nE

which

(1, must do some good, and

merits could obtain

ractea in Liv(vpo

oelaims,

,nd many oth

riter frequently him

proclaim fOr him, that the

,etchei contain special and peculiar features which

of morality and Migion among our community. This view
hasrbeen taken up anti repeated with' all the authority

which their position confers, by several clergymen whose

voices must always, hi LiverpOof, conniiid re3peclftil
attention. Thee importance, therefore, which h‘is been
claimed for this, series :fairly warrants us in devoting

some space to an examination of its merits, with a view

to satisfy Outselves how far, the object which the writer
professes-to have in view is, likely to be- attained by his

Declaring publicity to be the only cure for what we

may call the vices of nigh*, the writer takes us through a
number ()isnot] scenes as low theatresi immoral dancing
houses, gambling dens, and similar haunts of idleness
and profligacy. Of the company who frequent these
places he gives very minute, and, ,we doubt not, very
faithful descriptions, with their talk, their 'doings, their
slang, and curses. Many contrasting scenes of harmless
and improving amusement are also given as a set-off.
The whole is executed With considerable ability, and
might, no doubt, to many who have not read similar
'sketches by otherbands, be made interesting and profit-
able. To all this, at first sight,' it vrouYd.appear that
there could be no possible objection. But as we are told
that the sketches differ from' all others, in the fact that
they go more deeply. and boldly into the'causes of crinie,
arid that in this lies their great moral importance, we
must examine a little cloier the peculiar manner in which
it is declared the benefit which arises to ►ufrality from
the exposure of vice has in this instance been soueht.

Few persons will be disposed to question the assertion
that publicity is at least one important agency in promot,
ing the cure of social evils. • Indeed, at a time when
publicity, to a certain degree, can no longer be
prevented, this question may be well considered
as wholly settled, and requiring neither assertion
nor vindication. 'But there are, unquestionably, degrees
within which publicity must be confined, even as
regards the causes of human error and suffering. Pub-
licity must not be confounded with exposure. The same
advancing age which has given liberty to the press; 'has
abolished the pillory. A writer must not be encouraged
in outraging decency on the ground that he is giving due
publicity to vice. A man cannot be sanctioned in
exhibiting to the public the lives and the errors of private
individuals around him, and thus holding up to public'
stigma any one, whom, rightly or wrongly, he may con-
sider a sinner, under the plea that vice, wherever -it is
seen, must be exposed and denounced. These sketches do
unfortunately differ in some remarkable features from those
of more gifted writers. It is not alone in the absence of
equal qualities of intellect that they differ from such life
paintings as those which will render eternally associated
with English literature and humanity, the name of
cn.tatiS DICKENS. It is the points of novelty on which
the author of Liverpool Life mainly claims' support, that
we think have rendered a work, which might otherwise
have merited general commendation, open in many places'
to very severe censure.
There can be no doubt that such a task as this writer
proposes might be executed in such a manner as to produce
considerable beneficial results. It is true that in-Liver-
pool life, there is very little, so far as the peculiar phases
of which these sketches treat .are concerned, differing
from that of most other great towns and cities. We have
had such scenes of London life described over and over
again, and in many instances by writers qualified for tl
task by the attributes of genius, discretion, 'good tast
deep feeling, and hum an sympathy.
--
book _ before us which may not :be

Not a cha

which

led

and. nay on the Wappin

.reets around the

Tat too famous

es of this country

such scenes,