226 NOTES OF THE MONTH. 



ARISTOCRACY IN THE OUTSKIRTS. A scene was enacted the other 

 day at Worship Street Police Office, in which Mr. Twyford and the 

 beadle of Norton Falgate were the principal performers, the other 

 parts were filled up by some t( low people/' who had incurred the 

 wrath of His Majesty of Norton Falgate, by selling fish to the poor 

 about Shoreditch. It appears that in and near certain parts of 

 the metropolis, where the " lower classes" form the majority, a sort of 

 market is made up, and commodities are sold suitable to, and within 

 the means of, the poorer inhabitants. By this traffic, a very indus- 

 trious class of persons are enabled to keep their families from the 

 parish, and themselves from idleness and crime. But such a state 

 of things was highly reprehensible with the aristocracy of Hoxtoii 

 Square and Bishopgate- Without. The gentility of Shoreditch and 

 of the Hackney-Road felt shocked at the presumption of these 

 humble tradesmen becoming independent of overseers and parish 

 dignitaries and, above all, the sensibility of the Beadle of Norton 

 Falgate was too refined to endure the smell of fish ! 



Forthwith all these offenders, with their baskets, stalls, and com- 

 modities, were pounced upon by parish fiat the posse of delinquents, 

 escorted by the dignitary of Norton Falgate, wearing his gold-laced 

 hat, and bearing his stick of office, were ushered for judgment into 

 the presence of the sages of Worship Street. 



The reader, who may be in the habit of reading police reports, will 

 doubtless anticipate the justice these poor industrious people received. 

 Some less enlightened individuals, however, might suppose that a 

 worthy and humane magistrate would be delighted to find such a 

 class of persons independent of parish assistance, and encourage them 

 to continue their honest, praiseworthy exertions. No :tkey were all 

 sent to jail! 



Humane and enlightened magistrates are they who soothe the 

 sorrows of the poor. Poverty is hard to bear; but it is rendered 

 lighter by commiseration and even borne cheerfully. But when 

 honest industry is rewarded by contempt when poverty is punished 

 as a crime, the condition of the poor can be considered but little 

 better than branded galley-slaves, doomed to toil and suffer without 

 hope and without reward ! 



One poor fellow, who had served his country for many years as a 

 soldier, complained bitterly of being ruined and sent to jail, for en- 

 deavouring to gain a livelihood for his six little children ; but it 

 availed him nought with the worthy justice, and the beadle of Nor- 

 ton Falgate. 



" You must gp to jail; you have no right to sell fish!" exclaimed 

 the humane magistrate. 



" One half of which, your worship, stinks!" echoed, with equivocal 

 emphasis, the waggish dignitary of Norton Falgate. 



Fortunate poor ! how ought you to congratulate yourselves on the 

 destiny which has placed you under such considerate rulers your 

 industry protected your exertions encouraged your complaints pa- 

 tiently heard, and redress freely given. Happy country! happy 

 people ! that can boast a Shoreditch Solon a Beadle of Norton 

 Falgate ! 



