The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-18 00:00:00

THE FLITTING-DAY IN EDIN.

BURGH.
Monday (25th) was the flitting-day in this city, and
h very large number of removals took place. This is a
queer season in Edinburgh—one of unutterable persona!
toil and anxiety to the emigrants. Where a householder
Is so fortunate as to obtain an 'empty domicile, or his
Predecessor can find it convenient to leave before tle.
time, matters are not so bad—the new tenant can choose
the best weather, and the season most convenient for
removal, and can easily command the services of carts.
Porters, &c. But in the more frequently recurring
cases the incoming tenant does not get possession of hi.
"ode till twelve o'clock on the term-day; in other
Words, one party, is removing his furniture while the,
other is carrying in his. And what a hurry-burry there
is—the whole previous night is mostly occupied in screw
ing down beds, emptying drawers, raising carpets, &c.,
end everybody is employed in the most laborious and
irritating drudgery. Even when the waggons or cart-
have conveyed the heavy loads of furniture to the nen
house, it may happen that the previous tenant is me
ready to admit the "plenishing," and there is no hat
for it-but either to deposit the articles in the "back
green," or allow the vehicle to remain on the street,
With their contents till the coast is clear.
Few pic-
tures of misery can adequately match that presented
in our streets, when, as is the case, we apprehend
nine times, out of ten, the "flitting morning ' one
of hestiY rain. The scene is really wretched in the
extreme, though the cause be trivial and the details
somewhat ludicrous. We have men and women, the
high and low, the rich and poor, drenched to the skin
With wet—porters and carters splashed with mud and
water—furniture dripping—feather mattresses and bed-
ding literally, soaked through, and one would think, ren-
dered damp in all time coming. And then, in many
cases, to see the poor children dragged from bed,
ill
dressed, with dishevelled hair, and looks sulky, or de-
picting stupid surprise—nobody able to tell what to
make of them, or whether any receptacle can be found
In which they may find an asylum for the time. This
is indeed a sea on of trial. At the Roman saturnalia,
slaves and masters mingled on terms of equality; now
the men of physical strength—porters, &c., are every-
thing, and wealth, wisdom, and science nothing at all.
The affair is worse than a washing day, so much de-
tested by the Candles of the male gender, or the white•
washing madness in America, of whose processes Dr.
Franklin has written. Some men, we apprehend, leave
the whole details to their spouses, perhaps on the prin-
ciple that women have the gift of patience in greater
development than the other sex ; uncharitable misan-
thropes might say, because they cannot abide to take
the trouble which would devolve upon them were they
actually found upon the scene of action.
of
As regards the transactions Monday, it most fortu-
nately happened that the day w good—an inestimable
advantage. On the Sabbath
of rain, and the sky looked dull. The seemed
doubtful, but the day kept up finely, things went
ever did such a
Edinburgh,
"merry as a marriage bell." Scarcely and
and
e
h av
number of people remove at one term in
it is pleasing to think that everything, no far a
hoard, was conducted with propriety and cheerfulness.we
The bedding and other articles which it was necessary
to leave on the streets, or to deposit temporarily in green,
and courts, were as dry as if left on a room floor. And
we ought to add, that although the night previous was
that of the Sabbath, and the temptation to lighten the
burdens of the next day strong, we did not witness on
the streets a single person carry an article, but every-
thing was as decorous in appearance as on ordinary oc-
casions.—Edinburgh Post.

ENGLISH GOVERNESSEEL—In Russia the governess is
held in such respect that she is led forth as an honoured
guest, taking precedence of the pupil whose education she
has completed. In England it would be difficult to ascer-
tain her position—charged with the sole care of the
"precious jewels" of an illustrious house; considered com-
petent to cultivate their minds—to form their manners—to
ertlaige their views, that they may keep their position, and
become all that is desired in English gentlewomen—the
Person who does all this, if admitted into society at all, is
thrust, unintroduced, into a corner, and expected to retire
when the younger children are sent to bed—slighted by the
servants—who consider her a servamt—and looked upon as a
person to be dismissed as soon as done with by the mistress!
For one governess who receives a pension fl-r past services—
services which can never be repaid—there are, protected and
prosperous—a hundred ladies' maids; it is not at all uncom-
mon to meet with pensioned servants, but a pensioned
governess is a rara avis; we find them in hospitals or work-
. houses, when they are overtaken by ill health, or faded 'alto
V.. Art Union for lan*