NOTES OF THE MONTH. 467 



CORONETED COAL MERCHANTS. With all the increase of know- 

 ledge, and the advance which the people of this country have made 

 in useful acquirements during the last few years, they are still more 

 easily acted upon by the charms of title than any other nation. Not- 

 withstanding their vaunt of independent feeling, and their more than 

 aristocratical arrogance from the conciousness of a well-filled purse, 

 let but a lord condescend to take him by the hand, and your burly 

 independant Briton sinks upon his marrowbones, with all the stoli- 

 dity of a stunned calf. At the late nomination for candidates for 

 Marylebone the name of Murphy was announced, under the usual 

 distinction of Esquire, in which a number of senseless boobies raised 

 a laugh, and repeated, jeeringly, " Esquire !" These cries, how- 

 ever, were chiefly limited to the hustings and its neighbourhood, 

 and consequently proceeded from the aristocratical master-bakers, 

 illustrious friends of the Beresford; fellows who have no scruple in 

 poisoning you with their bones, saw-dust and jalap, instead of bread, 

 but would resist to the death the assumption of the dignity of esquire, 

 by a radical tradesman. 



We make these remarks with no political reference whatever. Mr. 

 Murphy is no ally of ours ; but, as a coal merchant, he is equally de- 

 serving of consideration and respect, with the Marquis of London- 

 derry and the Earl of Durham, who are but coal-merchants upon a 

 larger scale. If there be any disgrace in the exercise of so comfort- 

 able a calling, how deeply must these titled vendors feel their degra- 

 dation. 



SHADES IN PAUPERISM. A Mr. Walker, whose peculiar province 

 it is " to settle things pleasantly" between parish overseers and pau- 

 pers, at Lambeth- street an occupatation we wish him joy of publicly 

 declares that he never attends to applications from persons of decent 

 appearance. Towards the close of the month' a widow, who stated 

 that she had some time ago kept a public house in the neighbour- 

 hood, but was now reduced to extreme destitution, having two chil- 

 dren to support, applied for relief. Mr. Walker remarked that she 

 looked well, and was decently dressed, and desired her to get her own 

 living. A young man who had made himself as " tidy" as possible, 

 and formed a contrast to his unfortunate companions, stated that he 

 was formerly a clerk, but had been out of a situation some time, and 

 wished to be passed, together with his wife, to his native place, where 

 he had friends that would assist him. Mr. Walker told him that he 

 never passed nor attended to the applications of persons of his ap- 

 pearance. It is as well that this hint should be made as public as 

 possible, lest any body should imagine that respectability in distress 

 is any |passport to magisterial commiseration. Filthiness and rags, 

 those certain insignia of idleness and vice, are the best possible re- 

 commendations to relief in Lambeth-street. If Marylebone and a 

 few other police-offices, as well as that of Lambeth- street were to be 

 displaced for more efficient tribunals, it would go far to relieve the 

 public from Dogberrys and thieves. 



