the uncommercial traveller-第6章

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In　one　large　ward；　sitting　by　the　fire　in　arm…chairs　of

distinction；　like　the　President　and　Vice　of　the　good　company；　were

two　old　women；　upwards　of　ninety　years　of　age。　　The　younger　of　the

two；　just　turned　ninety；　was　deaf；　but　not　very；　and　could　easily

be　made　to　hear。　　In　her　early　time　she　had　nursed　a　child；　who　was

now　another　old　woman；　more　infirm　than　herself；　inhabiting　the

very　same　chamber。　　She　perfectly　understood　this　when　the　matron

told　it；　and；　with　sundry　nods　and　motions　of　her　forefinger；

pointed　out　the　woman　in　question。　　The　elder　of　this　pair；　ninety…

three；　seated　before　an　illustrated　newspaper　（but　not　reading　it）；

was　a　bright…eyed　old　soul；　really　not　deaf；　wonderfully　preserved；

and　amazingly　conversational。　　She　had　not　long　lost　her　husband；

and　had　been　in　that　place　little　more　than　a　year。　　At　Boston；　in

the　State　of　Massachusetts；　this　poor　creature　would　have　been

individually　addressed；　would　have　been　tended　in　her　own　room；　and

would　have　had　her　life　gently　assimilated　to　a　comfortable　life

out　of　doors。　　Would　that　be　much　to　do　in　England　for　a　woman　who

has　kept　herself　out　of　a　workhouse　more　than　ninety　rough　long

years？　　When　Britain　first；　at　Heaven's　command；　arose；　with　a

great　deal　of　allegorical　confusion；　from　out　the　azure　main；　did

her　guardian　angels　positively　forbid　it　in　the　Charter　which　has

been　so　much　besung？



The　object　of　my　journey　was　accomplished　when　the　nimble　matron

had　no　more　to　show　me。　　As　I　shook　hands　with　her　at　the　gate；　I

told　her　that　I　thought　justice　had　not　used　her　very　well；　and

that　the　wise　men　of　the　East　were　not　infallible。



Now；　I　reasoned　with　myself；　as　I　made　my　journey　home　again；

concerning　those　Foul　wards。　　They　ought　not　to　exist；　no　person　of

common　decency　and　humanity　can　see　them　and　doubt　it。　　But　what　is

this　Union　to　do？　　The　necessary　alteration　would　cost　several

thousands　of　pounds；　it　has　already　to　support　three　workhouses；

its　inhabitants　work　hard　for　their　bare　lives；　and　are　already

rated　for　the　relief　of　the　Poor　to　the　utmost　extent　of　reasonable

endurance。　　One　poor　parish　in　this　very　Union　is　rated　to　the

amount　of　FIVE　AND　SIXPENCE　in　the　pound；　at　the　very　same　time

when　the　rich　parish　of　Saint　George's；　Hanover…square；　is　rated　at

about　SEVENPENCE　in　the　pound；　Paddington　at　about　FOURPENCE；　Saint

James's；　Westminster；　at　about　TENPENCE！　　It　is　only　through　the

equalisation　of　Poor　Rates　that　what　is　left　undone　in　this　wise；

can　be　done。　　Much　more　is　left　undone；　or　is　ill…done；　than　I　have

space　to　suggest　in　these　notes　of　a　single　uncommercial　journey；

but；　the　wise　men　of　the　East；　before　they　can　reasonably　hold

forth　about　it；　must　look　to　the　North　and　South　and　West；　let　them

also；　any　morning　before　taking　the　seat　of　Solomon；　look　into　the

shops　and　dwellings　all　around　the　Temple；　and　first　ask　themselves

'how　much　more　can　these　poor　people　…　many　of　whom　keep　themselves

with　difficulty　enough　out　of　the　workhouse　…　bear？'



I　had　yet　other　matter　for　reflection　as　I　journeyed　home；　inasmuch

as；　before　I　altogether　departed　from　the　neighbourhood　of　Mr。

Baker's　trap；　I　had　knocked　at　the　gate　of　the　workhouse　of　St。

George's…in…the…East；　and　had　found　it　to　be　an　establishment

highly　creditable　to　those　parts；　and　thoroughly　well　administered

by　a　most　intelligent　master。　　I　remarked　in　it；　an　instance　of　the

collateral　harm　that　obstinate　vanity　and　folly　can　do。　　'This　was

the　Hall　where　those　old　paupers；　male　and　female；　whom　I　had　just

seen；　met　for　the　Church　service；　was　it？'　…　'Yes。'　…　'Did　they

sing　the　Psalms　to　any　instrument？'　…　'They　would　like　to；　very

much；　they　would　have　an　extraordinary　interest　in　doing　so。'　…

'And　could　none　be　got？'　…　'Well；　a　piano　could　even　have　been　got

for　nothing；　but　these　unfortunate　dissensions　…　'　　Ah！　better；　far

better；　my　Christian　friend　in　the　beautiful　garment；　to　have　let

the　singing　boys　alone；　and　left　the　multitude　to　sing　for

themselves！　　You　should　know　better　than　I；　but　I　think　I　have　read

that　they　did　so；　once　upon　a　time；　and　that　'when　they　had　sung　an

hymn；'　Some　one　（not　in　a　beautiful　garment）　went　up　into　the　Mount

of　Olives。



It　made　my　heart　ache　to　think　of　this　miserable　trifling；　in　the

streets　of　a　city　where　every　stone　seemed　to　call　to　me；　as　I

walked　along；　'Turn　this　way；　man；　and　see　what　waits　to　be　done！'

So　I　decoyed　myself　into　another　train　of　thought　to　ease　my　heart。

But；　I　don't　know　that　I　did　it；　for　I　was　so　full　of　paupers；　that

it　was；　after　all；　only　a　change　to　a　single　pauper；　who　took

possession　of　my　remembrance　instead　of　a　thousand。



'I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；'　he　had　said；　in　a　confidential　manner；　on

another　occasion；　taking　me　aside；　'but　I　have　seen　better　days。'



'I　am　very　sorry　to　hear　it。'



'Sir；　I　have　a　complaint　to　make　against　the　master。'



'I　have　no　power　here；　I　assure　you。　　And　if　I　had　…　'



'But；　allow　me；　sir；　to　mention　it；　as　between　yourself　and　a　man

who　has　seen　better　days；　sir。　　The　master　and　myself　are　both

masons；　sir；　and　I　make　him　the　sign　continually；　but；　because　I　am

in　this　unfortunate　position；　sir；　he　won't　give　me　the　counter…

sign！'







CHAPTER　IV　…　TWO　VIEWS　OF　A　CHEAP　THEATRE







As　I　shut　the　door　of　my　lodging　behind　me；　and　came　out　into　the

streets　at　six　on　a　drizzling　Saturday　evening　in　the　last　past

month　of　January；　all　that　neighbourhood　of　Covent…garden　looked

very　desolate。　　It　is　so　essentially　a　neighbourhood　which　has　seen

better　days；　that　bad　weather　affects　it　sooner　than　another　place

which　has　not　come　down　in　the　World。　　In　its　present　reduced

condition　it　bears　a　thaw　almost　worse　than　any　place　I　know。　　It

gets　so　dreadfully　low…spirited　when　damp　breaks　forth。　　Those

wonderful　houses　about　Drury…lane　Theatre；　which　in　the　palmy　days

of　theatres　were　prosperous　and　long…settled　places　of　business；

and　which　now　change　hands　every　week；　but　never　change　their

character　of　being　divided　and　sub…divided　on　the　ground　floor　into

mouldy　dens　of　shops　where　an　orange　and　half…a…dozen　nuts；　or　a

pomatum…pot；　one　cake　of　fancy　soap；　and　a　cigar　box；　are　offered

for　sale　and　never　sold；　were　most　ruefully　contemplated　that

evening；　by　the　statue　of　Shakespeare；　with　the　rain…drops　coursing

one　another　down　its　innocent　nose。　　Those　inscrutable　pigeon…hole

offices；　with　nothing　in　them　（not　so　much　as　an　inkstand）　but　a

model　of　a　theatre　before　the　curtain；　where；　in　the　Italian　Opera

season；　tickets　at　reduced　prices　are　kept　on　sale　by　nomadic

gentlemen　in　smeary　hats　too　tall　for　them；　whom　one　occasionally

seems　to　have　seen　on　race…courses；　not　wholly　unconnected　with

strips　of　cloth　of　various　colours　and　a　rolling　ball　…　those

Bedouin　establishments；　deserted　by　the　tribe；　and　tenantless；

except　when　sheltering　in　one　corner　an　irregular　row　of　ginger…

beer　bottles；　which　would　have　made　one　shudder　on　such　a　night；

but　for　its　being　plain　that　they　had　nothing　in　them；　shrunk　from

the　shrill　cries　of　the　news…boys　at　their　Exchange　in　the　kennel

of　Catherine…street；　like　guilty　things　upon　a　fearful　summons。　　At

the　pipe…shop　in　Great　Russell…street；　the　Death's…head　pipes　were

like　theatrical　memento　mori；　admonishing　beholders　of　the　decline

of　the　playhouse　as　an　Institution。　　I　walked　up　Bow…street；

disposed　to　be　angry　with　the　shops　there；　that　were　letting　out

theatrical　secrets　by　exhibiting　to　work…a…day　humanity　the　stuff

of　which　diadems　and　robes　of　kings　are　made。　　I　noticed　that　some

shops　which　had　once　been　in　the　dramatic　line；　and　had　struggled

out　of　it；　were　not　getting　on　prosperously　…　like　some　actors　I

have　known；　who　took　to　business　and　failed　to　make　it　answer。　　In

a　word；　those　streets　looked　so　dull；　and；　considered　as　theatrical

streets；　so　broken　and　bankrupt；　that　the　FOUND　DEAD　on　the　black

board　at　the　police　station　might　have　announced　the　decease　of　the

Drama；　and　the　pools　of　water　outside　the　fire…engine　maker's　at

the　corner　of　Long…acre　might　have　been　occasioned　by　his　having

brought　out　the　whole　of　his　stock　to　play　upon　its　last

smouldering　ashes。



And　yet；　on　such　a　night　in　so　degenerate　a　time；　the　object　of　my

journey　was　theatrical。　　And　yet　within　half　an　hour　I　was　in　an

immense　theatre；　capable　of　holding　nearly　five　thousand　people。



What　Theatre？　　Her　Majesty's？　　Far　better。　　Royal　Italian　Opera？

Far　better。　　Infinitely　superior　to　the　latter　for　hearing　in；

infinitely　superior　to　both；　for　seeing　in。　　To　every　part　of　this

Theatre；　spacious　fire…proof　ways　of　ingress　and　egress。　　For　every

part　of　it；　convenient　places　of　refreshment　and　retiring　rooms。

Everything　to　eat　and　drink　carefully　supervised　as　to　quality；　and

sold　at　an　appointed　price；　respectable　female　attendants　ready　for

the　commonest　women　in　the　audience；　a　general　air　of

consideration；　decorum；　and　supervision；　most　commendable；　an

unquestionably　humanising　influence　in　all　the　social　arrangements

of　the　place。



Surely　a　dear　Theatre；　then？　　Because　there　were　in　London　（not

very　long　ago）　Theatres　with　entrance…prices　up　to　half…a…guinea　a

head；　whose　arrangements　were　not　half　so　civilised。　　Surely；

therefore；　a　dear　Theatre？　　Not　very　dear。　　A　gallery　at　three…

pence；　another　gallery　at　fourpence；　a　pit　at　sixpence；　boxes　and

pit…stalls　at　a　shilling；　and　a　few　private　boxes　at　half…a…crown。



My　uncommercial　curiosity　induced　me　to　go　into　every　nook　of　this

great　place；　and　among　every　class　of　the　audience　assembled　in　it

…　amounting　that　evening；　as　I　calculated；　to　about　two　thousand

and　odd　hundreds。　　Magnificently　lighted　by　a　firmament　of

sparkling　chandeliers；　the　building　was　ventilated　to　perfection。

My　sense　of　smell；　without　being　particularly　delicate；　has　been　so

offended　in　some　of　the　commoner　places　of　public　resort；　that　I

have　often　been　obliged　to　leave　them　when　I　have　made　an

uncommercial　journey　expressly　to　look　on。　　The　air　of　this　Theatre

was　fresh；　cool；　and　wholesome。　　To　help　towards　this　end；　very

sensible　precautions　had　been　used；　ingeniously　combining　the

experience　of　hospitals　and　railway　stations。　　Asphalt　pavements

substituted　for　wooden　floors；　honest　bare　walls　of　glazed　brick

and　tile　…　even　at　the　back　of　the　boxes　…　for　plaster　and　paper；

no　benches　stuffed；　and　no　carpeting　or　baize　used；　a　cool　material

with　a　light　glazed　surface；　being　the　covering　of　the　seats。



These　various　contrivances　are　as　well　considered　in　the　place　in

question　as　if　it　were　a　Fever　Hospital；　the　result　is；　that　it　is

sweet　and　healthful。　　It　has　been　constructed　from　the　ground　to

the　roof；　with　a　careful　reference　to　sight　and　sound　in　every

corner；　the　result　is；　that　its　form　is　beautiful；　and　that　the

appearance　of　the　audience；　as　seen