The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 348: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERIES. whieh he was quite old and experienced enough to doubt in the biank bitterness of his own despair ! And, leaning against the wall—pressing her hand to her throbbing, burning brow— Rose Foster was endeavouring to steady those thoughts which were ‘ excited to an agonising piteb by the contemplation ef the appalling scene of misery that was before her eyes, an tin which she also shared ! Misery :‘~-merciful God, every one and everything . in that garret bore the inspress of misery the direst _ othe acutest—the most poignant that ever entered the habitations of the oppressed millions of these resims! Jt was a misery which knew no comounc- ' tion—no remorse; a misery that was as unsparing as & tax-collector—as relentless as an overseer—as cold and implacable as a poor-law guardian. Although the weather was as chill as if that garret were sur- ‘ rounded by Spitzbergen ice, yet not a spark glim- mered in the grate, which was black and cheerlesa A candle stuck in a bottle gave forth light enough to bring into relief all the most appalling details of this scene of woe. Tlie flickering beams, playing upon the countenances of the famished family, showed all that ghastliness of featire the wanness and anguish of which they could rot possibly enhance. A few articles hung to dry upona linestretching across the room; and the exhalation of the danipness sent’ a keener and more piercing chill to the marrow of those bones which had so little flesh upon them to serve as a natural barrier to the icy atmosphere. Ob! that some great artist could have transferred - to his canvass this spectacle the harrowing outlines of which no langnage can depict with an appropriate vividnese,—that he could have drawn Misery eating Into the flesh, and sucking the blood, and making its way to the very hearts of those parents and their famishing offspring,—and that, when his work was " accomplished, he could have exhibited it to the as- sembled Royalty and Aristocracy of the country, exclaiming, “ Behuld a life-like representation of that appalling wretcheduess and woe which emanate from your selfishness — your tyranny—your ab- horrent cruelty !” Almighty God ! what have the millions dove that they should be doomed to endure such hideous suf- fering in their passage from the cradie to the tomb ? —and what have the favoured few done that they ehould revel unceasingly in all the enjoyments, luxuries, and elegances of life? But let us contynue the thread of our narrative. The man whom we have already represented as being seated in an attitude of despair, was the head of thie starving family whom we havé described. The emaciated woman was his wife—the fa:nishing ' child-ea were his own. His name was Melmoth ; end he was by trade a journeyman hatter. But having, at a public meeting of operatives, dared to express his political opinions with a frankness dis- pleasing to the upholders of all the atrocious abuses which render tms country a shame and a scandal in the history of civilisation, he was immediately sigualised as a victim. The clergyman of the paris denounced hin as a “ seditious fellow ”—and his employer turned him adrift at a short notice. Vainly did he apply for work elsewhere: his name was known.in connexion with democratic sentiments —and, because he was independent enough to express what he thought and felt, starvation became his avoin in this land which boasts its freedoin, its in- teliigence, and its charity. = 539 Such was the origin of Melmoth’s misfortunes, Months had passed since the ban of a selfish and Vitiated society bad thus been placed upon him; and, although bearing an unblemished character for sobriety, honesty, and ability in his craft, he was unable to obtain employment. At first the little savings made by his frugal and excellent wife were encroached upou: these soon went—and then the ! superfluous raiment began to disappear. Next, the furniture was rendered available te supply the means of sustaining lifes;—and the little articles of comfort having been converted into bread, the necessaries followed. Day after day was the shop of the pawn- broker visited by either Melmoth or bis wife; and on each occasion the barrier between their family and utter destitution grew less and lesa. In proportion as their worldly possessions disappeared, gaunt misery beca:zne more clearly developed in all its hideous outlines to their view. Every time a coat, or & gown, or a chair was remove from the decreasing Stock, poverty grew more plainly visible. The spectral form of famine took larger proportions, in order to fill up each successive gap which the exigences of the day and the assistance of the pawn- broker made ia the apparel and the furniture of this doomed family. And every mouthful of bread thus procured, was eaten with a sharper pang and moist- ened with more plenteous tears, At length the dreaded moment arrived,—that mo-~- ment when the four bare walls had “ destitution” written in unmistakable letters upon their otherwise blank surface—wheo the cupboard was empty— when the bedding had all disappeared, and the shivering children slept upon a sack filled with straw —and when only a broken chair, au old chest, and a few poor rags of clothing were left! Yes —this awful moment came,—that crisis whose approach had been marked with shuddering looks and with eyes that could not be averted ;—it had come—this fatal phase in the history of poverty and suffering,—and, terrible even in the distance as it had appeared, there was in its presence a reality so stern, so retnorseless, 80 ex cruciating, and so thoroughly maddeniay, tha: God alone can tell what hope now sustained the wretched parents as they felt starvation themsslves and beheld their children dying by inches before their eyes! It was evening—unine o'clock ia the evening, when we thus introduce the Melmoth family to our readera, Tbe man and his wife had not tasted food for forty. eight hours: the boy of thirteen had fasted fur .wenty- four bours;—and the last crust—stale and scanty, heaven knows—had been divided in the morning be- tween the younger Jad and the girl. Ruse Fuster had passed as long a period as Melimoth and his wife without eating ;—and thus every soul in that garret was hungering unto death. The man and the woman —the young lady—the three children—and the in- fant,—seven human beings in all,—were starving-—~ perishing through famine—wasting away with want ! And yet these seven human beings were dwelling in a land teeming with wealth,—in a city to whoes bosom the commercial navies of the world wafted the produce of the fairest climes of the earth,—yes— , ‘ha dwelling in this London where the luxuries of life | abounded as amply as the necessaries, and where the | granaries, the provision-shops, and the markets were stured with a profusion which the yromputude of supply, produce, and import, rendered inexhaustible! These thoughts swept through the reeling, rocking, maddening brain of Melmeth, as he cast a rapid ae en ani ee Al EOMICHOOOKS.Com