The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-05-20
A tiCTURE oF LONDON.

We recently alluded TO the des.iution END
misery which prevail among the poor OF Lon
don, and especially 10 the crowded and un.
healthy manner in which some Of them are
compelled 10 live, in narrow alleys and damp
cellars. One instance. was. mentioned, in
which 4s men, 70 women and SO children
resided in 81 rooms. The London Times has
taken up the sub ject, with a view TO arouse
the authorities &c The necessity OF some sys-
tenn of reform, and concludes a bold and
strong article with this language:
"ls there no moral from This contrast! Is
the modern Dives guihless because he runs
away, and The modern Lazarus 10 be lei;
alone because he hides in corner his mis-
cry and his slns Yet there is no city in the
world like The City of London for lis religion
and lis charities, There is no English city
so we'll churched, so we.l cIergyed, so well
bishoped, SO well tilhed 20 well rated, 60
well chaIited, SO well armed with all lhs
staff OF long established piety and osienlaiious
bencvolence. Poverty, disease and crime IN
this city are The material out Of " hich whole
classes are enriched. We have Unions TO
relieve them, hospitals 10 cure them, and
clergy 10 convert Them. So well secured are
the higher influences that when a parish dis
appears its church remains, and, if there bs
no flock TO tilhe. the very soil and bricks
maintain the pastor. There is no CITY in the
whole world in wh lch the aggregate expen.
diIura tor all public purposes,-ior goverd.
ment: for police, for charities, for schools, for
churches, iof clergy, for infrmares and dis
pensares, comes at all near that of the city
Of London Yet the result is the exis,encs
and even the fresh growth, in the heart of
This metropolis, and within the favored bor-
ders OF the City, OF these physical and moral
plague nests. In the whole world, far away
from tie preaching of missionaries, there is
no such utter brulishress, such groveling aid
wallowing, as is discovered in the Ward of
Bishopsgate.' Dives is indeed wise in his
generation 10 4! O. nights from such foul
proximity. When Lazarus had doue his
days work and betakes himself 10 his sye hs
is very unwholesome brute. Where be,
his companions, and his cubs feed and liuer,
the dirt lermen,s, and the very air is enveu.
omed. Or. Lslheby has anayzel it and
found that il tas lost its share Of Iifs-sivins
power, and that It is charged, not ony with
more Than its share of sluggish elements but
also with the vapors of death, and lie priuci-
pie of puireiac:ion. Nature, which kindly
dssipa,es this houid etiluvium, and raj ses 1t
from the lair where it is generated, t,fuses
ii 10 the dwelling Of the tradesman and ihs
daily resort OF The merchant Thsy are made
fearlully aware OF the present pest they hear
with alarm The advance Of fever; they inves-
tisale its source, and find out sink OF crime.
Such is the parable OF our own city and our
own times. II, as we believe, the case is
worse, and the contrast mote hagranl, than
in the sacred page, The lesson is al least a.
plain and as fearful. Certainly there ought
not to be such state of things. Its exislenes
is not only AL evil, it is a crime and the
the crime is shared by all who can do any
thing to abats it, and leave that undone."