The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 330: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ee the Houses of Parliament! what fulminations and lamentations wowd there have been in respect to the immorality and profligacy of the working classes! Magistrates would have come downarmed with all the powers of the law to prevent bathing altogether, and to plunge into ruin the owners of the machines : bishops and other legislators would have clamoured for additional legal enactments ; and Exeter Hall would have echoed to the snivel- lings, the whinings, and the lugubrious lamenta- tions of the “godly.” Such would have been the case if thuse bathers belonged to the work- ing class: but they formed a portion of the higher orders—those orders who are not merely privileged in respect to all political rights, but likewise privileged to enjoy all immoralities with the fullest impunity. That feeling on Christian's part which had com- menced with amazement and had progressed into incredulity as to the evidence of his own senses, No. 41.—FOUNTH SERIES. terminated in disgust. He retired from the scene, and rambled through the town, marvelling that ladies and gentlemen of education, and who arro- gate to themselves the credit of being the depo- sitaries of all that is best in refinement, delicacy, and virtuous principle in this country, should thus scandalously forget themselves—or rather wilfully act in a manner that gave the lie to all their presumptuous boastings. Several days passed: and every morning Chris- tian was employed for about an hour-and-a-half in writing letters to Mr. Sycamore’s dictation. These were to a variety of noblemen and gentle- men of position and wealth, and were couched in different degrees of intimacy and familiarity. Mr. Sycamore generally took'them for the purpose ' of posting them himself: or else he gave them to his man James with the command to do so. Let- ters arrived from London im response to these: and Christian could not help thinking that Mr. ' (CO an DOO