Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-10-31
A STRANGE CLASS IN PARASITIC
COpYIS'rS

From the Philadelphia iosurcr and Gazette.
Our ooject at the present time. is notice an ex
traordnary class which IS described by Frcgier, IL
his week on the Dangerous Classes Of the French
Metropolis" he alludes particularly to "eopyists
whose trade IL Is TO prepare writings for arornes
| notaries, &c.-ssys there are about one hundred
and fifty such establishments in Paris; that the
number Of clerks they employ exceed Geo, and that
among these clerks, incidence and reckless and bru
tai vice are carried 10 point 10 which IL IL N cult
TO conceive that human beings possessed of some
degree of talent and education could descend. -
The master eopysts give TO their writer's two
thirds OF the sums they receive. The set attached
to each establishment is eassed by numbers, so that
the four or five highes, on the list arc sure II en-
ployment. Their weekly gains range from eight
TO huteen francs; but the more skiful, and especial
~ these who write a fine hard, can gain forty
francs. Some Of these men work IN the stalls of
their employers, others At their own abodss. The
class, with some lev melancholy exceptions OF in.
genious and well educated young men and meri;o-
rous fathers OF families, who have been driven into
Il by pow rty, is a vie co npound OF expelled stu.
deals, dismissed merchants clerks, bankrupt schools
masters cashered officers, and liberated eonvcis.-
Their prominent vices arc drunkenness, giuttony
gambling and itlensss; the whole accompanied and
set of by degree OF tithnesS and disregard Of the
deeeneies OF life which alulos, surpasses belief
twas from this crowd that Laeenaire stepped
forth. eminent alike for his CRIMES and excesses,-
The fsvorite pursuits Of this "feon wiz wore gam
bling and guuony; all that escaped the one was
avished on the other Eeisht or ten francs for his
breakfast or dinner were uncommon expe nditure
with this man; and his consumption OF coffee was
unboGnded. Fraud and robbery were his most u
sual modes Of obtaining funds for these indulsen-
cies; and 10 was only at Intervals that he would con
descend 10 have recourse 10 his PEG. Before he
had entirely shaken off all social restraint, and had
devoed himself, soul end body, 10 crimss of the
deepest dye, he was much sought after by the mas.
ter copyists, in consequence of the beauty Of his
pcnmanship, end his marvellous rapidly Of execu-
ton. SomeSimes, tempted by the high rat. of pay
ment offered him, he would undertake long niece
OF writing and labor at 1t, fixed at his desk for a.
or even Is hours, almost without in,ermisson. -
DIS task was no sooner finished. than the gambling
table, or glorious champaign breakfast again req.
dered him peuniess. Licenlire scotnei TO be
called eopyst; he only eondeSeended 10 use his
pen IN moments OF pressing need, when no robbery
offered him on easier mode OF f ling his purse
MANY OF these men are remarkable for the rag.
ged aud offensive drtiness Oftheir dress The soiled
rags Of the beggsr are di,pessing TO the 'nicer
sense but the humble and eareuorn appearance OF
him who wears them converts DISCUS; into pity. |,
IS Tar Otherwise with the class OF which am sneak.
Ing: their insolent and hoisterous manner, their
sensual look aud their brutal flthiness combine TO
render them the most revolving objects that the eve
oan meet. and strange a. IL may appear some Of the
most skliuI OF ihs class are OF this descrp .ion-
Oilers egain carry the vice OF idensss 10 pitch
scarcely 10 be believed. Men who could with ease
obtain twen,y or thirty sous day, prefer 10 yawn
away their time. and jus, offer a sufficient numee.
OF pages to keep themselves from sheer starvation.
Dong nothnGs their supreme happiness; dry
csus, and for their breakfast, dinner for four
sous, and nights lodging for still less. suffice lhenn
The rsss worn by these men actually infec ious,
nor do they attempt to replace them by others until
they Wall no longer hold together. They will then
apply Tor work at some OF the stalls where thew are
kno ~n, gain few francs, ref, themselves in a Sc,
OF better rags, and sink back at once into state OF
torpid sloihfulness. The master.ccpiers, utterly as
they despise these men, are careful not TO offend
them, as IN the moments Of pressure they cannot
do without them THIS class, vieWed collectively,
IS the most degraded IN Paris"
Precious spirits these for Revolution!