The Mysteries of London, Vol. IV — page 299: what you’re looking at

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——— ee oe ee ee ~_ ee ae ee eee, 29 4 civilian-brethren, If it were a glorious and just Btrugglo for rights pertinaciously withheld and pri- vilepes doggedly refused, tho Army would not act against the people. Even tho Government itself has fears on this head, ignorant though it bo of the | real state of fecling anywhere save in the circles of the oligarchy ;—for on a recent occasion® when tremendous military preparations were made to re- sist an expected outbroak of the working-men of London, the Government set policemen in plain clothes to act as spies in respect to tho private sol- diers, These spies throw themselves in‘the way of the soldiers, enticed them into public-housos, plied them with drink, and, in an apparently frank and off-hand mannor, questioned them as to their politi- cal opinions. Some of tho gallant privates, thus treated and interrogated, and little thinking that they were in tho fangs of the Governmont mou- chards, candidly expressed their sympathy with tho popular cause, and as generously declared that they would sooner cut their hands off than draw a trigger against the poople—adding, “ Tho working- men and the soldiers are brethren.” What was theconsequence? The spices followed thoso bravo aad open-hearted men homo to thoir barracks, and laid information against them; 50 that numbers of British soldiers, thus shamofully entrapped, found themsclves suddenly placed under arrest, Their conimanding officers did not dare bring them to punishment; but they are doubtless marked men, and will be porsecuted with all imaginablo rancour and bitterness. Toconcludo this portion of our ob- servations, wo must remark that if any disturbance had really occurred on the great public occasion now especially alluded to, the troops wero resolved noé to fire upon tho people; but they wero equally detormined to arengo thomselves most signally upon the police.t The day has gone by for tho British soldicr to permit himself to bo mado tho tool of despotism: ho will not be behind the French soldicr in noblo sen- timents, genorous conduct, and enlightened feelings, any more than ho is inferior to him in bravery or discipline. But tho British soldier must havo his wrongs boldly proclaimed and speedily redressed. In many, if not in most regiments, tho loro of self- improvement is looked upon by the oflicers as a crime; whereas reading should bo encouraged as much as possible. Tho barrack-room should be made more comfortable: at present it is so misora- ble and cheorless, that tho private soldier is driven to the public-house in spite of his better inclinations. In many instances, men have become drunkards from this very fact, and are then entered in the ~Proscribed List ; though all this might be avoided, were they encouraged to remain and pass their evenings ab home. The food provided for the mess- $$$ ee eee * Tho memorable day of the 10th of April, 1818. f With deep sorrow and indignation wo havo fre- quently noticed blackgnard boys and dirty vagabonds insult private soldiers in the streets. Nothing can be moro reprehensible than such conduct as this; but wo are sure that the British soldier is too enlightened and too generons-hearted to suppose that any respectable working-man would treat him with indignity. There is and ought to be a deep sympathy betwecn the military and the operative elasscs,—both abke being diabolically oppiessed by the aristocratic and wealthy classes, and both having mehts to claim, privilezes to acquire, abuses to rectify, ge tyranny to subdue. In the name of com- mon sense and cominon justice, let no insult over bo oflercd to the private soldier who conducts himso!f properly. THUD MYSTERIES OF LONDON. tables is seldom of a good description, and trequently of the very worst: the meat especially is too often of the vilest kind, and unfit for human food. Yet the poor soldier dares not complain—no, not cveu in respect to that for the supply of which heis so heavily muleted out of his miserable pittance. Drunkenness even every now and then is a heinous crime in respect to the private soldier; whereas the veriest stripling that was ever dubbed ensign or cornet, may get as tipsy a3 an owl every night of his life with uttorimpunity. In fine, the condition of the British soldier is wretched in the extreme; and while tho officer, who buys his rank, enjoys covery privilege and riots in luxury and dissipation, the unfortunate private, who is basely invoigled into the service by a damnable fraud, is persecuted for tho slightest offence, and treated on all occasions as a mere dog. And now to roturn to our narrative. Six months elapsed; and during that period Loonard and Ellen met as often as the duties of the former would permit, while tho latter cared not to what extent her husband’s suspicions wero aroused by her fre- quent and unaccountable absenees from home, And that the old man did speedily entertain the most heart-rending suspicions, was a fact: but if he questioned his wife, sho either took rofuge in a stubborn silonce, or answered him in a@ manner that only provoked him the more. Prido prevented him from complaining to her father; and ho felt that he was now righteously punished for his self- ishnoss in sacrificing tho happiness of tho fair young creature to his own desires. At length, unable any longer to endure the tortures of uncertainty, and anxious to know the worst at once, or olse acquire the conviction that he had misjudged his wifo alto- gether, he watched her movements: but she, aware of his proceeding, and without affecting to notice it, adopted such precautions as completely to outwit her husband, and to hold meetings with her lover, undiscovered as before. Up to this period—nearly three yoars and a half—the young man had conducted himself in his regiment with tho utmost stoadiness : he had never been reported—never incurred the slightest reprimand from his superiors. This was an extraordinary case, inasmuch as tho private sol- dicr has so many persons to please: first, the cor- poral—then the serjoant—then the serjeant-major— then the subaltern of tho troop—next the captain —and lastly tho commanding-officer. No—not lastly: for he must likewiso pleaso the Rogimental Serjeant-Major, the Adjutant, and the Ridi:g Master. Well, all these difficult objects had Lev- nard accomplished with success ; and he was likewise beloved by all his comrades, Jie was ever in ba- racks of an crening at tho proper hour; and during the first six months of his amour with Ellen, not even her sweot society had caused him to be late. We must stato that tho moro completely to en- joy the company of her lover, Ellen Gamblo had taken a furnished lodging in the neighbourhood of his barracks; and there they were wont to meet! Tho landlady of the place asked no questions, her rent being regularly paid, and so little use being mado of the apartments. It was Ellen’s dolight to provide succulent suppers for Leonard; and theso he did not hesitate to partake of with her: but as for direct pecuniary assistanco—when once she had offered it in as delicate a manner as possible, he refused it with so much firmness and with sucha glowing countenance that sho did not again allude to EConnicloooks (SO)