Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-06-22
Drunkenness In London

II Is long time since we have read a more
appalling description than that which is found
In the London Times Of the 18th uIt. II relates
to certain portion Of the northern side of
LondOn, ana mas reference TO the vast amount
of drunkenness, debauchery and profanitv
and other kindred wickedness which reign IN
that part OF the Great Metropolis and NOT
more there, we appTehend than in some other
parts, If we may judge from our own observs-
ton, made at frequent visits to that great city
and OF the scenes which we have beheId in
Teminiscence.
Let us imagine some native of the soher
South taking, about 10 O'Clock last piobt an
O0seTysnt anu rambling walk thro11b the
streets OF London, making his way OBVIOUSLY
EOm the region north Of HOlborn. and bent
upon witnessing the proceedings of the British
Legislature de would pass through the seven
Dials, ne would wander to and fro in q nae
of courts and alleys, until he EMERGED IT.
coventry street; he would pass down the Hovl
market, and would find himself by way of
Parliament street at his destination Wbaf
would be the prevailing idea upon that mans
mind when he arrived in the lobby of the
House OF Commons At the corner of eyerv
street. aud midway between the corner Of
every street, In the most wretched of the
thoroughfaTes he passed, he had found mag.
nlhcent palaces lit up like the scene of an
Eastern story. He had pushed open the
swinging doors, and, peering in, had bebeId
rags and rottenneSS, had heard a babel of
curses ana ooscenity, and had seen a huddled
ma Ldss VI nl'n anu Sretehedness. Perhaps he
nad Pusned MS way through the bIoated Iivid
creatures, Drawing the stencil. the smoLs snd
the drunken familiarities Of the crowd with
the desire TO know what was the great ana
absorbing alluIement which drew them to.
gether. he had found that they came there
70 oLEpE vitrIOl; They called it gin, but the
gih tney were drinking was a coarse burning
alcohol; and there they sat or stood abont
pouring down this pernicious stuff from small
metal measures, until they reeled, and QUAR-.
relied, and fought, and shrieked and HAS.
phemed. Ever and anon, as thew had enon.
tied their pockets and filed their measure of
drunkenness, the proprietor of the pandemo.
mum thrust them forth into the public thor.
Csnlats, or called IN the paid guardians of
the Puohc peace, and omplaining of the dis.
orderly conduct Of the penniless drnnksrdi
sent him to prison to be sobered al the nphI;c
expense 1t may happen that our cnr;ops for'
elgne, may In otner parts of the world bave
seen the frensy OF an African vben eycitsd NV
rum ne may have seen the contortions of
Arabs under the influence of bash;sh. y.
have seen Malay furious from bsns r.,ayy
trembling from the effects Of opium, or a Cb;ns-
man emseiated from inordinate induirenos in
the same vice; but for a scene of sts,i;n-
vice, and lust, and filth, aud f. eazy, ali drswe
into one PIT, and fermenting under the patron
age OF the Law he might search the world all
over, and never find a rival to that object of
ambition 70 respectable winners and that crea-
tion OF Middlesex magistrates, "a thriving
PuDnc mouse IN a low gin-drinkiDg neighbor-
hood" After be had passed some seore of
these, and had noted all their various classes.
from the rags in the Seven Dials to Itbe more
gaily frequented haunts Of the Hsymarket.
there can be no doubt as to what would be
weighing upon his mind; it would be the pro-
found feeling that ''Surely the great and ab-
sorbing vice Of the lower classes Of this nation
is drunkenness. =