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And were Messrs. Deutsch or Warren exceptionally un- 

 healthy ? By no means ; for in the underground Den in 

 which Mr„ Warren sat, now sit about ten young gentlemen, 

 and about as many more attendants. They all complain 

 bitterly of the total want of consideration shown to them. 

 Some of them suffer acutely from the atmosphere. Two 

 are patients of Dr. Andrew Clark (Mr. Dorset Eccles and 

 Mr. Saunders). This well known enemy of disease can 

 say what he thinks about the effects of the stifling air, the 

 cutting draughts, upon their health. Mr. Aldrich, the 

 successor of Mr. Warren, is laid up already with acute 

 rheumatism, and as late as the 3rd inst. (3rd February) 

 three young gentlemen left on sick leave — transcribers only, 

 but men of talent and learning. One of the three is Mr. 

 Gosse, the fine art contributor to the Academy. An attempt 

 is being made just now to mitigate the draughts by putting 

 up screens, but nothing short of scientific ventilation will 

 serve to make the room healthy. Formerly the transcribers 

 all sat upstairs, i.e., on the ordinary ground-floor level ; 

 and there is no reason, except. Mr. Jones' and Mr. Rye's 

 officialism, why they should not sit upstairs now. A year 

 or two ago, when as yet the Den had no window, and 

 absolutely reeked with foul odours, they were allowed to 

 come upstairs for a time, but a certain Mr. G. W. Porter 

 (an Assistant Keeper at ^450 a year, by virtue of his 

 merits as cousin to Mr. Jones) objected to allowing 

 them so much liberty. A distinction was, he thought, to 

 be made between men of talent and learning and simple 

 transcribers, who, as mere workmen, had obviously no 

 claim to enjoy the upper air. So down they had to go 

 again to work in the mines, and console themselves as 

 best they could with mild and innocent jokes concerning 

 the pompous little Porter, who thinks no small beer of 

 himself ; but who has a head of froth, and a fine property 



