The Sun.
London, England, 1823-11-14 00:00:00

MIRZA'S VISION IN LONDON.

On the 6th day of the Moon, which, according
to the custom of my forefathers, r always keep
hply, after having washed myself, and offered up
my morning devotions, 1 ascended the high hill
of PriMrose, in order to pass the rest of the day
in meditation and prayer. As I was airing my-
self on the top of the hill, I fell into a profound
contemplation on the troubles of human life ; and
passing from one thought to another, surely, said
I, law is but a shadow, and justice a dream.
Whilst I was thus musing, I cast my eyes to-
wards Chalk Farm, that was not far from me,
where I discovered one in the habit of a lawyer,
with a blue bag in his hand. 'rids genius smiled
upon me, and with a look of compassion and af-
fability, that familiarized him to my imagination,
and at once dispelled all the fears and apprehen-
sions with which I approached him, he lifted me
from the ground, and taking me by the hand
Mirza, said he, I have heard thee in thy solilo-
quies ; follow me. He then led me to the highest
point of the hill, and placing me on the top of it,
cast thy eyes southward, said he, and tell me
what thou seest. I see, said 1, a huge valley,
and prodigious tide of mud flowing through it.
The vsfley thou seest, said he, is the vale of law,
and the tide of mud that thou seest is part of the
great tide of statuteablo offences. What is the
reason, said I, that the tide I see rises out of a
thick mist at one end, and again loses itself in a
thick mist at the other ? What thou seest, said
he, is the origin and end of legislation, which is
conceived in haze and mist, and ends in darkness
and doubt. Examine, now, said he, this sewer
that is bounded with darkness at both ends,
and tell me what thou discoverest on it. I
see a bridge, said I, standing in the midst of
the mire. The bridge thou seest, said he, is the
statute law of the realm, cosider it attentively.
Upon a more leisurely survey of it, I found that
it consisted of numberless arches, with several
broken arches, entitled, according to the year of
the King's reign in which they were built ; and
tell me further, said he, what thou discoverest on
it. I see multitudes of people passing over it,
said I, and a black cloud hanging on each end
of it, and upon further examination, perceived
there were innumerable trap-doors that lay con-
cealed on the bridge, which the passengers no
sooner trod upon than they fell through into the
tide, and immediately disappeared. These hid-
den pit-falls were set very thick at the latter part
of the bridge, so that throngs of persons fell into
them. They grew thinner towards the begin-
ning and middle, but muliplied and lay close to-
gether towards the latter arches. 1 passed some
time in contemplation of this wonderful struc-
ture, and the great variety of objects which it.
presented. My heart was filled with a deep me-
lancholy to see several dropping unexpectedly in
the midst of mirth and jolity, and catching at
every thing that stood by them to save them-
selves. For every act and walk in life, there was
an arch with its pit-falls—some were called Mar-
riage Acts, others Bakers Acts, others Police, In-
surrection, Six Acts, &c. ; but the most beset with
snares of all, was the Vagrant Act ; on this fatal
arch some were walking with their sweet hearts,
and in the midst ot their innocent endearments,
stumbled and fell out of sight ; others of graver
years disappeared in their walks, whether, why,
or wherefore, I could not discover. In this con-
fusion of objects I saw some with swords of jus-
tice in their hands, and others with five shillings
dancing before their eyes, who ran to and fro
upon the arch, thrusting several persons on trap-
doors which did not seem to lie in their way, and
which they might have escaped had they not been
thus forced upon them. The Genius seeing me
indulge myself in this melancholy prospect, told
me I had dwelt long enough upon it; take thy
eyes off the bridge, said he, and tell me if
thou seest any thing thou dust not comprehend ?
Upon looking up, what mean, said I, those
great flight of birds that are perpetually hovering
about the bridge, and settling upon it from time
to time ? I see vultures, harpies, rooks, ravens,
owls and cotnorants. These, said the genius, are
informers, lawyers, attornies, and other limbs of
law that infest human life. I here fetched a deep
sigh. Alas! said I, man was made in vain ! How
is he given away to law and litigation! Tortured
in strife, and swallowed up in costs. The genius
being moved, with compassion towards me, bid
me quit so uncomfortable a prospect. hook no
more on man, said he, in the first stage of his
passage over the Bridge of Statutes, but cast thine
eyes on the thick mist into which the tide of
Statuteable offences bears the several generations
of mortals that fall into it. I directed my sight
as 1 war ordered, and (whether or not the genius
strengthened it with any supernatural force, or
dissipated part of the mist that was before too
thick for the eye to penetrate) I saw the valley
opening at the further end, and discovering the
whole island studded with gaols, I could see per-
sons dressed in prison habits, with cadaverous
faces, pacing up and down the courts, or toiling
on a revolving
nli giwished wheel;fly othersrntyh
r rwo
wings
sn
nofdi
sooelawnnendt etas
gpmlooaeni
beds of straw, and could bear a confused jing-
e
t
m
ling of fetters, bolts and bars, and human groans.
rough
atattilsteseifolavnrsoaol
esf
Fear grew in me on the discovery of so wretched
ed
the
but the genius tosladidmieie,titilaiatttlliteerseo was
atalht asoctdeensle:
no passage
before
them,
The :t
trap-
doors that I saw opening esvtieirdyd
c.
and."e Ps
these
iattrlike
thanar
e thet
o:ust
andt e bridge.
stately
eldmaoprepeitatrs number
facethou
ooaf
sttheseei:laart
hos-
pitalsgoi omreaulmusitheorustehsei;r
walks, wh
watch-
through the trap.doors in thebridgoe by
men and others, for five shillings reward. Are
not these, 0 Mirza, things worth contending for?
Does law appear defective, that gives
tunity of earning such Is a reward ? the app.'s-
perjury to
be feared that will convey to thee such easily
earnelength,dvages I, said Thsillikkewnomtelanvimade in wow,als beseech. thee,
the secrets that lie hid under
The Genie the dark towers of
I turned statell°f;(l)ttuttod that he9'
wakingha address myself to him a second d
leftne me; no
answer,
then
turned again to the vision Ithich I had been
so

long contemplating ; but instead of the muddY
side, the arched bridge, and. the freestone/ mist
I saw nothing but the long New Road with Boar
dington stages, and carriages and horses and foot
passengers upon the foot-paths of it.