346 Laudes Carbonarium, or [OcT. 



nearer view, I found they were principally Coalheavers, two of whom 

 carried the man aforesaid upon their shoulders, sitting astride a pole. 

 Much ungratified curiosity seemed to be excited in the neighbourhood by 

 the presence of this phenomenon; and, as a matter of course, the " ears 

 of the houses" within view (so Shylock called his casements) were all 

 thrown wide open to catch information. For a moment T supposed that 

 this uneasy exaltation of the chosen individual above his fellows might be 

 the reward of merit, and that " thus was it always done to those whom 

 [Coalheavers] delight to honour." So pursuing this idea, my imagination 

 Hew back on rapid pinions to the heroic ages when warriors were wont to 

 exalt and bear on their shields him they chose for chieftain or for king ! But, 

 upon inquiry, I found myself quite out in this conjecture, and all my fine 

 speculations sent to the dogs. " This here wagabone," said my kind 

 -respondent, "* * * * * *." [The gist of what he did say 

 was this that the pot-girl of the public-house having loved a young com- 

 rade " too fondly and too well," had become as the overseers of the 

 parish thought pot-girls ought not to become.]* " And so we're making 

 un ride the stake, just to mend his manners summat: that's all, Sir." 

 " Here then," thought I, as the current of my thoughts ran with velo- 

 city in another channel " here is the homage that humble, untaught 

 nature pays to virtue ! Till now I had always believed that, in the com- 

 merce of the sexes, equity had no place, and rectitude was banished from 

 the earth ; that through all ranks, in all situations, man was permitted to 

 exult in the ruin of woman; that the seducer invariably had a triumph 

 awarded him for his iniquity, and that his victim had, in no instance, the 

 poor consolation of knowing that the world censured his fickleness or his 

 falsehood. I lifted up my hands in an ecstacy, and fervently thanked 

 Heaven that I had at last met with men in whose hearts the feelings of 

 natural justice found an abode ; men, who could not look tamely on and 

 see, without practical reprobation, the tender blossom fall withered at their 

 feet ; or press to their hearts him whose pestilential breath had blighted it 

 in its freshness ! Virtue (thought I, in continuation for I now felt the 

 sentimental furor strong upon me) virtue, driven from the palace of the 

 proud, has indeed taken refuge in the dwellings of the lowly. I will go 

 even now, and make myself acquainted with these unsophisticated men, 

 and refresh all my better feelings by a closer scrutiny of their character." 

 All this while the penitent sat unmoved, a tobacco-pipe in his mouth, 

 and seemingly altogether unconscious of the intense interest his appearance 

 had excited in my anxious bosom. 



Each member of the procession had in his hand a pot of porter; and as 

 it moved on in slow progression, at intervals the grateful beverage was 

 handed by several to the delinquent, " for grief (they said) was dry." 

 And I could not help remarking herein the operation of that humane and 

 wise principle which all judicious legislators so much recommend, though 

 marvellously seldom able to reduce to practice viz. that mercy should 

 always temper the awards of justice ; and that punishment ought to be 

 corrective, but not vindictive. In a word, I followed those sooty objects 

 of my rising esteem, and soon arrived at the public-house called the 

 Northumberland Arms, situate at the bottom of Northumberland-street; 

 which is, I understand, a kind of head-quarters or try sting-place for all 



* I beg pardon of my worthy friend who so kindly let me into the secret, for thus play- 

 ing the scholiast on his rather licentious text. 



