1532 37. SENSATIONS ON WITNESSING HOUSE ON FIRE. 45 



my anxious mind ; nay, so intense were my feelings, that I won- 

 dered the very fear of such a disaster did not prevent the duties 

 of life being performed. These painful feelings passed away, and 

 were succeeded by a powerful excitement; my eye passed from the 

 horrors of the fire to the strenuous exertions of the firemen, and 

 I felt I could have rushed at one of the ladders, and stood among 

 the ruins of the burning mass. It is with no feelings of egotism 

 I narrate those feelings. I believe, to you the actions of the 

 mind under extraordinary circumstances will be interesting, and 

 for that reason solely do I trouble you with my feelings on this 

 occasion. 



" It was a glorious spectacle ; the whole tenement of three 

 houses, from the highest flat to the lowest, was enveloped in 

 flames ; from every window, sheets, or rather waves, billows of 

 flame were whirling, throwing a vivid light on all the surround- 

 ing buildings, and from the combustible nature of the goods, the 

 fire burned furiously ; in less than half an hour everything but 

 the bare stones had disappeared from the inner walls. The fire- 

 men acted most fearlessly, and with great presence of mind. 

 Three of them posted themselves on the stone ledge over the 

 window of the adjoining shop, and within a very few feet 

 of the flames, directed the water on the most necessary points. 

 One of them got up on the top of the house, and stood giving 

 signals to his comrades ; his stout, stalwart figure, his crested 

 helmet, and his short jacket, made him look like some old Koman 

 gazing on his favourite city amidst flames and desolation. Long 

 ere the fire had perceptibly receded, those bold men were on the 

 ledge of the blazing windows, and breathing an atmosphere at a 

 great distance disagreeable, and confronting a heat as powerful 

 as that of a furnace, directed the jets on the most needful points. 

 I saw three of them stand in the midst of the burning mass, their 

 red helmets conspicuous above the redness of the flames, and the 

 brass on their fronts flashing above all, as if they, the privileged 

 children of fire, were permitted to stand unscathed, with the 

 fearful flames rolling around them. It was horrible to look on 

 them, and the sight was more horrible when, with a crash, they 

 were precipitated through the floors to the lowest apartments. 

 Poor fellows ! they were all more or less severely burnt or in- 



