THE LONDON NEWSPAPERS. 199 



ment. Mr. Sergeant Spankie, sub-editor of the Morning Chronicle, 

 late member of parliament, candidate for a judgeship, and actual 

 counsel to the East India Company. Mr. Shiel, formerly reporter 

 on the Chronicle, member of parliament. Sir John Campbell, for- 

 merly reporter on the Chronicle, late solicitor general. Sir John 

 Jeffcott, once reporter on the New Times, now chief judge of the 

 admiralty court at Malta. Mr. Dowling, formerly reporter of the 

 Chronicle, a judge at Sidney. Mr. Farren, formerly editor of the 

 British Traveller, now consul-general in Syria. Besides many others, 

 who have ably served in various commissions and other capacities. 



THE LONDON NEWSPAPERS. 



IT is a curious picture of the condition and habits of the country 

 a record which was kept 500 years ago would be more valuable now 

 than all the histories together that we have in print the common News- 

 paper which comes into the world every morning at six o'clock, and 

 lies upon our breakfast table and always full too, that's the strangest 

 problem regularly by nine. The whole world, take away alone 

 America, possesses nothing like an approach to the same document. 

 A foreigner finds it difficult to comprehend the daily amount of the 

 actual domestic occurrences the rapes, murders, forgeries, " and all 

 other interesting intelligence," which the metropolis affords as I saw 

 a Sunday placard specifying the contents of a paper the other day. 

 But the real curiosity is in the page of advertisements the master- 

 key which this furnishes to the state of England of Europe almost 

 of the world. 



The unaccountable variety of callings and speculations that appear 

 some so great ; some so apparently contemptible ; and yet all open- 

 ing mines of riches to so many ! One column announces the prepa- 

 ration of a hundred ships, all ready to'sail instantly, almost for as 

 many different ports in different quarters of the globe. The next 

 offers " Steam-packets to Richmond, every Sunday morning at 

 nine Refreshments on board," and "Two and sixpence each pas- 

 senger." A third sets out with the word " Accommodation !" 

 " Any sum ! from two hundred pounds to ten thousand ! ready to 

 advance for the convenience of noblemen and gentlemen at a 

 moment's notice." And at the top of the fourth under the same 

 title " Accommodation" you find that " Ladies whose situations 

 require a temporary retirement," may hear of " An airy situation," 

 and " the strictest secresy, by applying at No. 34, next door to the 

 grocer's, in James's-street, Gray's-Inn Lane." " Education tempts 

 you in every shape; from "Yorkshire," at "Sixteen guineas 

 a-year," where there are " no extras or vacations," and "Fare by 

 the waggon," only 1 12*.; to Rits in Urbe!"- Dr. Dolittle's 

 establishment'' " Grosvenor-place" and "Graduate of Cam- 

 bridge," at " two hundred." And, if you turn to the next page, and 

 have only the happiness to be insane, you will see the " Tenderest 

 attention" is paid to " Valetudinarians," at " Strait Waistcoat 

 Lodge," between Somerstown and the Dust grounds at Battle Bridge ; 



