The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-05-11
LONDON AT NIGHT.

II isa night. Calm and unmoved amid the
scenes Shat darkness 4avovs,s she great heart Of
Loudon rhnohs in its Giant breast. Weaithand
beg01ry, vice and virtue, guilt and innocenee,
|repiesion and the direst hunger all treading on
each other, and crowding together are gather
ed round il. Draw but little circle above the
clustering house-tops, and you shall have with
in its space, every thing, with It's opposite ex-
IRENE and contradiction, close beside w here
yonder feble light is shining, a man is but this
moment dead. The taper, at few yards dis
lance, is seen by eyes that have this instant
opened on the world. There are two houses
separated but by an inch or two Of wall.
In one there are quiet minds al rest; IN the
other, waking conscience that one might think
would trouble the very air. In that close corner
where the roofs shrink down and cover togeth-
er as il TO hide their secrets from the handsome
street hard by, there are such dark crimes, such
miseries and horrors, as could be hardly told in
whispers In the handsome street. there are
folks asleep who have dwelt there all their lives,
and have no more knowledge Of these things
than ifthey had never been, or were transacted
at the remotest limits of the worldwide, il they
were limited at, would shake their heads, look
wise, and frown, and say they were impossible,
and out OF Nature--as if all great towns were not
Does not this heart Of London, that nothing
moves, nor stops, nor quickens--that goes on
tho same, let what will be done--does il not ex-
press the city's character well 2
The day begins to break, and soon there is the
hum and noise oflite. Those who have spent the
night on door steps and cold stones, crawl off 10
beg; they who have slept in beds, come forth to
their occ Ipation too, and business is astir. The
fog Of sleepmoves slowly off, and shines awake
The streets are filled with carriages, and people
gaily clad. The ails full too to the throat nor
have the work-houses or hospitals much room to
spare, The courts OF law are crowded. Taverns
Observation-Disclosures by this time, and eve-
~ mart OF trttc has its throng Each ofthese pla-
ces IS aworld'snd has its own inhabitants; each
IS distant from, ND almost unconscious ofthe ex-
Istence oil any othe. There are some people well
to do who remembeiso have heard il said, that
numbers of men and women-tbousands they
think il was--get up iny,ondon eyery day. IN
knowing where to lay then heads al night and
that there are quarters of III, town where mise.
ny and famine always are. Ihey don't believe
il quite--there may be some trnl in il. but il is
exaggerated of course. So eachNG these thou
sand worlds goes on, intent uponitsef. until
night comes again-frst with its lighi, and plea
sures, and its cheerful street; then withits guilt
and darkness.
Heart of London, there is moral in thy eyery
stroke as look on at thy indomitable working.
which neither death nor press Of life, nor gri&
nor gladness out of doors, viii influence one iot
] seem TO hear voice within thee which sinks
into my heart, bidding me as elbow my way
among the crowd, have some thought for the
meanest wretch that passes, and, being man,
to turn away with scorn and pride from none
who bear the human shape.-Dickens.