, 1863-01-30
mn. COUGHS sKooND LECTURE
London by Might.

London by Night.
Mr. Coughs subject last night WAS Il very
prolific one, and he treated with q rare ccni-
ality, and talent, and rich admirable huuaor.
He has seen the big city to good purpose, for
there is scarcelya phase ofLondon life as 1t
shows itsclfby night in the streets and slums
of the vast metropolis which he did not pic
ture with most vivid and graphic power.
It is clear enough that the material Of this
lecture was not gathered at second hand, but
from m actual, If also q painful and sozrow-
1ul experience. Whatever appertains to tho
misery, squa1or and wretchedncss Of the par
iahs of London society, to the habits and
surroundings Of Its lost women, to its So.
loons and Its palaces, its dens of thieves and
the innumcrnble haunts Of vice and crime
with which London is infested, we're skctched
by a masters band-now In the passionate COL
or Of trngedy, and now in nghtsomc and airy
touches Of most sunny humor. Where the
subject admitted Of 1t, he treated us to broad
farce or laughter-roaring comedy, nlimicinc
the odd characters and speeches which liz
had seen and Heard, with theatrical effect.
1t is curious to witness the attitude and ges-
course Of his address. He commences in q
quiet and pleasing manner, his face full Of
smiles and wearing the lsappicst expression of
good will to his audience, with whom he
knows he is i great flyoritc. There Is moth
ing nervous nor timid in his manner OF utter
ancc, but he feels his voice from the first, and
his first words are electric and net like spell
upon his hearere. Everybody is on tiptoe
with expectation, for Mr. Cough has taught
US all to demand excellent, grand things Of
him, and he never disappoints US.
He proceeds with distinct and firm voice
to deliver himselfofhis Introductory remark;
and then perhaps, whilst he is in the middle
of an interesting and eloquent passage, he will
fly of ut 4 taugcnt-new matter suggesting
itself to him-illustrate his argument with
delivers with characteristic drollery and min.
icry. he does not confne himself to the desk.
nor to his notes, but walks up and down the
p}atform-often with the most excited steps
and gestures which are always, nevertheless.
appropriate-and runs of into burat after
burst Of eXtemporaneous speech, often to the
utter discontinue Of his manuscript which
refuses to be SO capricionsly doyctailed.
1t Would be utterly impossible, however to
give any true idea Of this extraordinary per-
son IN any written sketch Of him. He must
be heard to be appreciated. For it is not al
ways so much 1chat he says which tells, as his
., ,'.amner of saving it. We suppose that his
"
advantage If they were mounted in type.
because they are irregular, inconsecutiye per-
1ormanccs, and were not intended us models
Of literary composition. But no sooner does
Cough put his own spirit into them than the
words burn with living fire, and the most or
pathos or Of passion.
In his lecture OIL "london BIZ Night,'' he
allowed himself free and full liberty to rauee
over the whole vast field embraced by his
Eub]ect-and although he read frequently
from Ills notes, he more frequently trusted
donipg himself to his theme, poured forth
such Hoods Of mighty cloquence as carried
the audience by storm, and commanded SIM
ultaneons and enthusiastic applause.
Mr. Cough has Visited nearly all the dens
Of vice and inlamy IN London, in company
protection of i detective officer. This last
we presume was necessary to secure the safety
Of the visitors. They first Of all visited rim
palace, which the lecturer described with pho
tographic fidelity; the bar covered with pew
tcr-a drawer in the counter to catch the
dreGs Of the drinks sold, which Was subse-
auently rc-so1d to thirsty wretches ut a reduc-
ton Of price; printed boards announcing the
various Kind Of alc sold there; the liquor
bottles on the shelf behind the bar; the gifdcd
walls and..Elass windows: the landlord louur-
ing at corner Of the bar, chewing !
quill, with flower In q button hole of
his coat-lounging until he is called up-
on to decide if a coin Just handed In was true
or false metal. He then bites it with his
front teeth, looking malicious things ut the
presenter OF the same, and threatening
with bis blood. shot eyes, what lie will have
done to him If the coin is bad.
There was remarkable aamcness in all gin
palaces, and in the people who frequent them.
Here woman-an unwomanly woman-is
giying her babe gin to drink-thc dregs Of
her OVID glass; and here, also, is young,
bright-haired girl. coaxing her drunken
fathcr home to his famished wife-and
yonder is respectable looking wife trying
to spend no more, reminding him that there Is
no food in the house. And direst sight Of all,
there crouchcs the Wrctched loafcr, without
money, fumbling his palsled hands, looking
wlsttully into the face Of every new comeF
hoping, nay yearning that lie will invite him
which has seized him.
Mr.. Cough gave us an initiated insight into
the very. life Of these gin palaces, describing
the drunken rows, the lights, the cries for 10.
these officers of public peace and Justice.
The gin palace was the proper and dramatic
procession to Night Life in London, for If it
were not for gin there would be very little Of
vice and crime to be seen in the city
Mr. Cough described London as bundle
Of many towns-and he characterized its
several quarters With much quaintncss. He
rave IN account Of Butchers Road White
Chapel, the great quarter for the sale Of meat.
Meat here, meat there. meat everywhere. lie |
then lit of some Of the staple characters
whom he found there, md gaTc some droll
Instances Of their ignorance and cunning.
Katclitie Highway was rcdolcnt with tic |
fumes of fish, and' here sailors did abound and |
everything WIS sold that sailors needed or |
loved to purchase. This locality was f,mous
also Tor its ballad singers, and the lecturer re-
cited L verse Of one of these metrical com.
positions whicl, called forth roars Of laugh.
ter.
A good part Of the lecture was devoted to
tie rmongers-althoughw we were shown |
the inside Of the low London Lodging Houses,
md m the II dens OF the 1nost infa1nous thieves.
We did not find, however, anything new as |
information, In which Mr.. G. said respecting |
them Henry Maylew had, indeed, long be. |
fore exhausted the subject But the coster- |
mongers history was striking aud peculiar: /
aud the lecturer Ind found among these |
low ard degraded peraollF, CLEANS Of real
manhood and noblctcss, soma instances Of |
which were recited. Hc hoped the time would
come when as, much attention would |
be paid to domestic ns to foreign |
missions, and attempts be made Is
they were now being madc.- to an extent to |
educate and reform these poor alians and or
l,hans Of The social mother. he spoke with
great eloqucucc upon the csuf1erngs ofthis class
and pleaded for them with the feryor-the ye. |
hcEcnt fefyor almost ,ofa Paul But he had M |
hope for them II they were to be taught mere
i to read and write; they must alsu Be taught
some industrial occupation; and they must |
also Lave natural aud innocent nmu6ements |
provided for them. At present the Victoria
theatre WAS their only place Of recreation, and t
here the cr1nongers were master, and ruled |
The actors and management at their pleasure. |
very curious and laughablc instances Of which |
These people we're almost imperyious to |
religion and religions Influences They had |
seen respectfully clad people coming out Of |
church OIL Sundays, and thought relieion |
meant fine clothes. They thought Jesus |
knew nothing about hoxing, and the laws Of |
the ring, when he told a man to offer his left |
check to the slnitcr Of lis right check. When |
the missionaries visited them, they asked In |
What they meant for good hnmor: "Why, |
master, can't You let us 20 to hell our own |
way And yet, these peoplo were kind to |
zach other, and true Is steel-takinc care Of |
tlseir sick neiShbors nnd friends. lie INF, |
g. had found also, that they were sensible |
enough Of kind sections; but when visitors
went to them with religious tracts, they looked |
1t quint ut them, aud often treated them |
to conlica1 lccrs. But when loaf |
Of bread accompanied the tract, this food for
the body prepared the way tor the reception Of |
food for the heart and soul-and this was thu |
only way to do lasting good to these poor |
broken outcasts,
Mr. Cough related many Instances of the
gratitudc aud generous feeling with which bis
own personal attempts at charity were 1uct. J.
1}f. Init T.&1r