was no such distress visible as there had been in my student days in 

 those same districts. 



An even more striking improvement is in the behaviour of the street 

 women, who used to swarm in multitudes at dusk and far into the night 

 in the more populous streets. They accosted the passer-by in the most 

 shameless manner, even going so far as to lay violent hands upon him 

 and without the least interference from the police, who looked on with 

 tolerant amusement. Coming from Harrow one night, I arrived at 

 Euston at i a. m,, when no cab or omnibus could be had, and I was com- 

 pelled to walk to my lodgings. When I reached Piccadilly Circus, I 

 found the Circus, Regent Street and the Haymarket packed solid by 

 these unfortunate women, one of the most dreadful sights I ever beheld, 

 I do not know that London has become any more moral, but certainly 

 it has become much more decent outwardly than it was then. 



Politically, the year of my life in London was uncommonly interest- 

 ing. Beaconsfield's great administration (his last) was already on the 

 downward slope that led to the tremendous overthrow of 1880. A few 

 months before my arrival. Lords Beaconsfield and SaHsbury had re- 

 turned home from the Berlin Congress, bringing with them "peace 

 with honour," which the Liberal press ridiculed as "that strange com- 

 pound." Hostihty to Russia was still running high and strong and the 

 song which gave the "Jingoes" their name was still popular in the music 

 halls. "We don't want to fight, but, by jingo! if we do, We've got the 

 ships, we've got the men, we've got the money too." 



That winter, there was considerable excitement over the elections in 

 the Zoological Society, the candidates for the presidency being the 

 Prince of Wales and Professor W. H. Flower, of the Royal College 

 of Surgeons. I think most people were surprised that Flower was 

 elected, even though they disapproved of the Prince's nomination as 

 being nothing but sycophancy. 



Before leaving London, I must record one final experience, which 

 was described in a letter: "The eminent man met me on the stairs of 

 the museum and told me he was going to lecture at the Royal Institu- 

 tion on Friday evening and, if I would like to go, he would give me a 

 ticket, saying, as he handed it to me : 'You needn't listen to the lecture, 

 but you ought to see the people; it's one of the sights of London.' It is, 

 indeed, the swell thing to attend these Friday evening lectures. The 

 doors open at eight and, ten minutes before the hour, an immense crowd 

 is collected at the door and, by half-past eight, there isn't a seat to 

 be had for love or money. I was very much interested in watching 



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