The Mysteries of London; or, Lights and Shadows of London Life — page 41: what you’re looking at

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

—— 2 ~_—-—— —— _—- THE MYSTERIES OF LONDON, ie al Liplere ~. =f ~/ _ = ~ 2 / ~/ vhf Mm \ Stesme tip f. ~~ >. i | Uff Mey Hy / Hy i The roof was, however, thickly overgrown with | this pent-up labyrmth engendered, produced a sen- that green slimy vegetation that hangs upon places where the light of day is rigidly excluded, and where the noisome exhalations reeking from the earth, gorged with the decaying masses of human refuse, feed the existence of the fungi that thrive upon these gloomy walls. The ground, saturated with the exuding moisture, likewise exhibited the same repulsive appearance ; but broken wood, coal-slack, and fragments of crumbling stone, had been cast upon the floor, to absorb the chilling and pernicious moisture. The overflowing of the river at spring tides inun- dated these vaults, and the marks of recent incursions of the Thames showed that such inroads were of con- tinual recurrence. sation sickening and repulsive in the extreme. The Phantom now lit three lamps—two to furnish the extra amount of light he required, and the third (a spirit-lamp) to provide the necessary heat for the manufacture in which he was about to engage. This was his substitute for a fire, the smoke from which might otherwise have drawn attention to his proceedings. The other materials he employed, and which were all ranged upon the ground, or on shelves rudely constructed, where they might be ready for service at a moment’s notice, consisted of a vapour-box; a battery, such as is used for electrotyping; a bottle, | containing nitrate of silver — another containing | iodine ; a daguerrotype apparatus; and a phial, in The opening at the summit of the arch served the | which was a solution of phosphorus, dissolved in ether. purposes of ventilation, for a strong current of cold| These, with an engraving-press, a few cups, some air was constantly setting in from the remote wind-| chafing-dishes, and other chemical adjuncts need- ings that led to the apertures by the river side. But/| less to detail, comprised the machinery of his pro- the air was still laden with unwholesome odours; and | fession. the stench of decaying timber, the smell of rotten A large deal table and a broken chair composed the garbage, and the faint suffocating exhalations that | furniture of his secret laboratory. / RO erent ane 5 FOURTH SERIEG- MICLOO© cS (C(O) i ; : ;