54 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



that our modern city alleys are in comparison wide. 2 At first, indeed, 

 there were no sidewalks, and there was room at the sides, when a cart 

 or carriage occupied the center, for only one person to walk between 

 the wagon and the houses. Hence plazas, open spaces and squares, 

 were the meeting places of the citizens. Quarrels and fighting were 

 always taking place in the " streets," garbage and refuse (gare a Vcau!) 

 were thrown from the windows into the center of the streets — which thus 

 became open sewers, and the mud, etc., of passing vehicles had to be 

 avoided with great dexterity by the foot-passers. And literally with 

 great " dexterity." The left or shielded side, although shields might 

 not be used, would naturally be that presented to the center of the 

 street. The right side was thus chosen to keep the right hand or 

 armed side of the body free for action, to avoid the mud, to escape 

 the refuse flung from above, etc. And if one protected a lady, she was, 

 as to-day, given the side next the house-walls. When wider streets 

 and sidewalks came into existence the right-passing custom was already 

 established; and the still-remaining narrow ones in old cities insured 

 its maintenance. 



But why did the English early adopt the habit of passing their 

 vehicles to the left ? The contradictory rules have tormented visitors, 

 evolutionists, the correspondents of Notes and Queries, and many 

 periodicals of the last one hundred years, and have been epitomized in 

 many forms, the most common being this: 



The rule of the road is a paradox quite 



In riding or driving along; 

 If you keep to the left you are sure to be right; 



If you keep to your right you'll be wrong. 

 But in walking, a different custom applies, 



And just the reverse is the rule; 

 If you keep to the right, you'll be right, safe, and wise ; 



If you keep to the left, you're a fool. 



2 St. Evremond makes his visitor say that in the Paris of his time the 

 streets were muddy whether it rained or not, because everybody threw rubbish 

 of all kinds into the middle of the streets. Ladies had to be carried across the 

 central gutter on the backs of their servants. Men wore top-boots, like those of 

 postilions. Blocks of vehicles constantly occurred, and then there was no respect 

 of persons; ladies whose carriages happened to be entangled in them had to 

 listen to the most frightful oaths and language. There were often duels with 

 whips. Victory did not remain always with the most foul-mouthed. The most 

 dilapidated fiacre would have remained where it was until nightfall sooner than 

 have made way for a court-carriage. Blind people and blind mendicants, crim- 

 inals and pickpockets thronged everywhere. To the clashing of bells were added 

 the shouts and cries of the perambulating dealers in vegetables, milk, fruit, rags, 

 sand, brooms, fish, and water. The water-carriers numbered some 20,000, each 

 of whom distributed from 30 to 40 pails a day. The tumult of cries kept up 

 night as well as day. 



