Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-03-14 00:00:00

LIVERPOOL DELINEATED

THE delineation of a town like Liverpool, in order
to present at a glance not only its topographical, but
its moral and social position, is a very interesting
and a very important object ; and we have before us
four Maps for that purpose, which do more to give a,
graphic representation of its character and condition
than one could have thought it possible to do by any
such means. The peculiar and distinguishing
characteristics of each Map are brought out by
different colourings and. shadings. The several
localities are represented by various indications,—
such as Pauper Streets ; Semi-pauper Streets ;
Streets of Crime and Immorality; Churches, per-
manent and temporary ; Roman Catholic Chapels,
ditto ; Dissenting Chapels, ditto ; Church Schools,
ditto, under Inspection ; Incumbents, Curates,
Scripture Readers. All these things are, plainly
indicated on each Map. Then there are
figures round the margins for -the purpose
of dividing the Map into imaginary squares of one
inch in area, thus affording facilities for identifying
any particular spot, or object. Two Circlei are
drawn, one to show the amount of Church accommo-
dation for the rich, the other for the poor,—the first,
the South-eastern circle, of five hundred yards
radius, containing a population of ten thousand, in
which there are twenty-seven public Churches and
Chapels, and three private ones, being one for every
350, or nearly ; the second, the North-western
Circle, also of five hundred yards radius, but
containing a population of thirty-five thousand, in
which there are but twelve public Churches and
Chapels, being only one for every 3,000, or nearly.
In the corner of each Map is a smaller one of the
town, skewing the localities respectively of Pauper-
ism, Cholera, and Violent Deaths. A series of
studies is thus furnished of the condition of
Liverpool, physical, moral, and social, including
its state, more especially, as regards religious
instruction, education, morals, pauperism, and

crime.

Now these are matters in which we are all, or
ought to be, deeply interested. It is not necessary
that we should make any particular pretensions to
philanthropy, to take a deep interest in them. They
concern us all, immediately and necessarily, if we
would only, each of us, shake off our indifference,
and cast away our selfishness, and think so. They
are things appertaining to the place in which we
live, and where we have our daily occupations, and
affecting most materially not only the physical, but
also the moral atmosphere which we are constantly
breathing. They are subjects, therefore, which
come home, more or less closely, to " the business
and bosom" of every one of us ; and no one of ordi-
nary reflection, if he will stop to reflect a moment
upon them, can fail to realise, in some form or other,
and in some degree, their great importance. It does
not quit us of our obligations, as members of society, be
our stations or our circumstances what they may, to
" pass by on the other side," as it were, when there
abound, in all directions around us, moral and social
evils - nay, horrors—such as these Maps point out.
He can have no claim to be, we will not say a good
Samaritan, but a good member of society in any-
wise, who cares for none of these things,, but is
content to live and move among them, and take his
ease, and indulge his pleasure, and enjoy his com-
forts, as heartily and as complacently as though all
about him were a perfect paradise, instead of, as
alas ! it is, a countless collection of pests and pan-
demoniums. It may, in a worldly sense, be perhaps
considered a happy state of mind that can keep
fulfilling the ordinary duties, each of his own private
sphere of life, even in the midst of so much revolting
evil, without being put out of humour by such sur-
rounding annoyances. But, as has been well
observed, " such a transient, temporary good nature
is, at any rate, not that philanthropy, that love of
mankind, which deserves the title of a moral virtue."
It may seem to be commendable for a man to be

quiet, to be content with things as they are, and, as

it were,

Along the cool, sequestered vale of life,
To keep the noiseless tenor of his way."
Doubtless it may minister to one's indolence, and
accommodate one's indifference, aye, and gratify
one's selfishness, so to do. But it is not, we may
rest assured, in any case, or in any condition—it
cannot possibly be—to do our duty, but rather to
shrink from doing it,—from doing that, we mean,
which every one of us is by both natural and moral
obligation bound to do. Common humanity demands
it, to say nothing of any higher principle. "lam n
man, and nothing which relates to man can be