London to John O* Groat's. 73 



costermonger's cart. It is in the coal region or trade 

 that you meet with him and his driver in their worst 

 apostacy from all that is seemly in man or beast. To 

 watch the poor creature, begrimed with coal-dust, wrig- 

 gling up a long, steep hill, with a load four times his 

 own weight, griping with his little sheep-footed hoofs 

 into the black, slimy pavement of the road, while his 

 tall, sooty-faced and harsh-voiced master, perhaps sit- 

 ting on the top or on a shaft, is punching and beating 

 him ; to see this is enough to stir up the old adam in 

 the meekest Christian to emotions of pugilistic indig- 

 nation. It has often cost me a doubtful and protracted 

 effort to keep it down. Indeed, I have often yielded to 

 it so far as to wish that once more the poor creature 

 might be honored of Orod with His gift to Balaam's 

 ass, and be able to speak, bolt outright, an indignant 

 remonstrance, in human speech, against such treatment. 

 It would serve them right ! these lineal descendants of 

 Balaam, who have inherited his club and wield it more 

 cruelly. 



A word or two more about this animal, and I will 

 pass on to others of more dignity of position. He is 

 the cheapest as well as smallest beast of burden to be 

 found in Christendom. You may buy one here for 

 twenty or thirty English shillings. I am confident 

 that they would be extremely serviceable in America, 



