96 POSTURE-MAKERS. 



forward, lie 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 measur- 

 ing 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 himself 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-master! You shall have our interest for a 

 season at Yauxhall ! 



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 labour- 

 ing population. Occupying the lowest quarters of the metro- 

 polis, and emerging from underground, this class corresponds, 

 apparently, with the subterranean dwellers of London and all 

 great capitals denizens of cellars and dark skitchens, and 

 drudges of the community. 



