174 POSTURE-MASTERS. 



forward, he plants, as it were, with his hands, another step; 

 then drawing up his rear, brings feet and heel again almost 

 together, and so progresses, looping as he goes, and measuring 

 the ground he treads on. A third of his comrades, dressed 

 in like manner, is sitting idle on a horizontal pole, raised a 

 tremendous height above the ground. But now powers of 

 earth and air ! he throws himself off his station, and must 

 be dashed to atoms ! Not he ! the rogue ! for there he hangs 

 suspended by a slender rope, mid-air, like "one that gathers 

 samphire." Will he let himself drop, now, from that still 

 fearful height, or has he yet more length of rope (hid 

 nobody knows where) to let him down easy. By Jove ! 

 neither. He's climbing up again by the line to which he 

 dangles: and now he's reached the top the place from 

 whence he fell. Bravo ! master tumbler ! Bravo ! most ex- 

 cellent posture-masters ! You shall have our interest for a 

 season at Vauxhall ! 



Contrasted with these, who seem the idlers of the city, we 

 see, here and there, tottering under enormous burthens, and 

 distinguished by their dingy hue, large heads and slender 

 frames, some who appear the most laborious of all the labouring 

 population. Occupying the lowest quarters of the metropolis, 

 and emerging from underground, this class corresponds, appa- 

 rently, with the subterranean dwellers of London and all great 

 capitals denizens of cellars and dark kitchens, and drudges of 

 the community. 



This, and much more, though nothing perhaps altogether 

 new, is to be seen " under the sun," in the highways of this 

 extensive city ; and there are also other things (alas ! not new 

 either) going on in the shade and the bye-ways thereof. There 

 murder is boldly stalking, or slily lurking. The strong are 

 preying on the weak. Members of one society, nay, of one 

 family, are openly attacking or secretly injuring each other; 

 while greedy parasites are for ever preying on the substance 

 of those by whom they live. 



