The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1883-10-09
WICKED LONDON.
The British Metropolis More DEPRIVED
Than Paris.

The British Metropolis More DEPRIVED
Than Paris.
London, by the way, is wickeder than ever,
and has already distaneed Paris. That Old
French harlot is simply living on her past
reputation for wickedness. She strives hard
to keep II up for the enticement Of the foreign
tourist, but the result is only a cheap and
tawdry imitation of the gayeties Of the days Of
the empire. The city is beautiful still, and
the people are as light hearted and needless as
their ways are picturesque, but the Parsians
themselves are not fools enough to spend their
money on the Alterations OF vice which are
cunningly devised and laborously carried on
for the benefit OF the stranger within their
gates. The Jardin Mabille business is played
out; at the students balls, over in the Latin
quarter, there are neither demonstrating
students nor pleasure. giving grisettes, and the
salons OF sin, whose maRnitcence and whose
treasures have been so often portrayed in
glowing colors, and still are French novelists
writing for American readers, are shambles
of prostitution into which tourists are
decoyed by subsidized couriers and leave their
self.respect without deriving even the compen-
sation which beauty bestows upon the lecher-
GUS eye. This is delicate subject to handle,
but it is time newspapers were beginning to
tell the truth aboutit. II a young man wants
to pay for seeing the sights Of Paris, whatever
they are, let him do II, but don't let him do
1t with the idea that he is going to find vice
more attractive there than anywhere else. 1t
is the fashion for people who have been taken
in by these shams TO come home and tell big
stories TO keep up the illusion, but don't you
believe a word OF them.
No, II you seek the wickedest city in the
lalt har No IN he r. fv
OF Westminster abbey, Exeter hall, st. PauPs
church, the Salvation army, and Charles ii.
Spurgeon-go to London. With much out
ward show Of goodness, and much real good
ness, with sweeter chimes Of church calling
bells than can be heard anywhere else in
all Chrstendom, with Sabbath laws
recalling the days of the Purtans,
with great charities carrying healing
to the sick and freedom to the oppressed OF all
nations, with printing presses flooding the
world with tracts and Bibles, with thousands
Of pulpits dispensing the gospel, with an hon
est police, and a universal obedience to law,
with stories of refining influences sufficient to
stock a universe, and with everything within
reach that can tend to make people virtuous
and happy, London abandons herself to vice
with brazen recklessness which places her
on level with Sodom and Gomouah. | do
not speak OF the vices OF the slums, so care
fully hidden from the eyes OF decency, but Of
the tide which nightly flushes the thorough
fares with the filth Of the sewers, and whose
stencil has become such a matter of course
that nobody seems TO mind. The
scene on the Strand and Fleet street,
on the Haymarket, on Regent circus, and
on Waterloo place, in the two hours
next to midnight would not be toll
Grated in such capitals as Paris and Berlin,
and the obscene revels of some other quarters
would have turned the stomach of old Baby
lon. Fashion has its Rotten row in the day
time; the name were better bestowed upon
the two or three hundred yards Of well paved
street where prostitution makes its nightly
parade under police protection. Westminster
abbey accommodates few hundred wor
shippers day. The Royal aquarium, within
a stones throw Of it, Is the rendezvous Of
thousands at night. A dozen people are at
tending young mems prayer.meeting, which
Lord Somebody is conducting in Exeter hall
| Outside, in fulhllment Of scripture prophecy
seven women lay hold on one man, and pub
lie house doors are beseged by women ant
children clamoring for drink. For two O.
three hours the London that is visible to tn,
stranger seems like a slice Of the Inferno
Philadelphia Press.