POVERTY IN LONDON. 135 



he was unable to support his large family by it, even to provide 

 them bread and potatoes. He showed me the work he was 

 doing : it was a caricature of Canning, hiding himself behind 

 some Eoman Catholic priests, as if listening to their talk ; each 

 one of the priests held a rope in his hand, as if ready to hang 

 their opponents, and the whole proved that the man had a good 

 knowledge of drawing. Just then the mother told him break- 

 fast was ready. .The poor man begged me to excuse him, saying 

 that he had not tasted anything the day before; that the 

 potatoes were a present, he would eat soon, and then tell me of 

 some colouvers now in the business. I sat silently, and saw the 

 food equally dirided; the mother, wife, children, and father 

 soon swallowed their share, but it was scarcely enough to 

 appease the hunger of the moment. He gave me as he ate the 

 names of three men, and, pained by the scene before me, I rose 

 to go. Just then the father said to the children and wife, ' It 

 is high time you should go to work,' and asking me at the same 

 time to remain a few moments longer. The family went off, 

 and I felt relieved to know that they had some employment, 

 and asked him what it was. He replied, ' Begging, sir.' All 

 that family, wife, and half-grown girls, turned out in the streets 

 of London to beg. He assured me that with all their united 

 exertions they seldom had more than one.. meal a day; and 

 that in an extremity a few days before he had been compelled 

 to sell his best bed to pay the rent of his miserable room. 

 Unfortunately I had but a few shillings with me, because I had 

 been advised to carry neither watch nor money in London, and 

 had not the gratification of doing much to relieve him. He 

 said his caricatures brought him in but little, and that despair 

 had prompted him more than once to drown himself, for he was 

 only a weight on the neck of his wife and children. Oh ! how 

 sick I am of London. 



" June 21. Eeceived a letter from Mr. Lizars, that he must 

 discontinue my work. Have made an engagement with 

 Mr. Havill for colouring, which I hope will relieve my embarrass- 

 ment. Have painted a great deal to-day. 



" June 22. Am invited to dine at the Eoyal Society's Club, 

 with Charles Bonaparte. Gave some lessons in drawing to the 

 daughter of Mr. Children, Mrs. Atkins : she has fine talents, but 



