84 NEW CHIMNEY-SWEEPING ACT. 



chimney ? No : none at all for a minor, but 

 much for an adult. Still our enlightened 

 senators allow the ascent to an adult, but deny 

 it to a minor. Sapient distinction ! worthy of 

 the present march of intellect. Its nullity with 

 regard to adults, puts one in mind of Matthews, 

 in his military review of American conscripts. 

 " Shoulder arms : — those who have umbrellas 

 may use them ; those who have none, need not." 

 Sweep the chimneys ; — those, who can get up 

 them, — must not : — those, who cannot, — may. 



But then, a flue may be too strait, and 

 little Blacky will perish in it. Granted. The 

 case is of very rare occurrence. Still it may 

 take place. Are we to cease going to sea, because 

 some crazy vessel has consigned her crew to the 

 roaring waves ? Having few or no coaches left 

 on the highways, are we to stay at home, 

 because the monopolising railroad every now 

 and then makes minced meat of our bodies ? 



But the climbing boy may have a sordid and 

 a cruel master. Even so. Public opinion would 

 tend to make the tyrant mend his manners, 

 and the law would pull him up. Bad masters 

 may be found in other places, as well as in the 

 chimney-nook. I am no politician ; still, if I 



