  Every attempt has been made to replicate the original as printed. Unusual spellings (i.e. Mississipi, ancles, chesnuts, dont, wofully, woful, secresy, rythm, wont, cant, cynism, and contractions: did'nt, etc.) have been retained. Some typographical errors have been corrected; a list follows the text. In certain versions of this etext, in certain browsers, clicking on this symbol will bring up a larger version of the image. (etext transcriber's note) |
S A U N T E R I N G S I N A N D A B O U T
L O N D O N.
LONDON:
J. WERTHEIMER AND CO., PRINTERS,
CIRCUS-PLACE, FINSBURY.
DRURY LANE—SATURDAY NIGHT. p. 269.
DRURY LANE—SATURDAY NIGHT. p. 269.
SAUNTERINGS IN AND ABOUT LONDON LONDON: NATHANIEL COOKE, MILFORD HOUSE, STRAND.
SAUNTERINGS IN AND ABOUT
LONDON.
BY
MAX SCHLESINGER.
THE ENGLISH EDITION
BY
OTTO WENCKSTERN.
LONDON:
NATHANIEL COOKE, MILFORD HOUSE, STRAND.
——
1853.
PREFACE
TO THE ENGLISH EDITION.
PREFACES, generally speaking, are pleadings, in which authors, anticipating public censure, and well knowing how richly they deserve it, adduce sundry reasons why their books are not shorter or longer, and altogether different from the volumes which then and there they bring into the market.
I need not make any such excuses, for I did not write for an English public, nor did I ever pretend to popularity in England. The “Saunterings” were intended for the profit and amusement of my German countrymen; and I must say I was not a little pleased and surprised with the very flattering reception which my book experienced at the hands of the English critics. Their favourable opinion, which they so emphatically and—I am selfish enough to go the whole length of the word—so ably expressed, has probably caused the production of the book in an English dress. The critics, therefore, must bear the responsibility, if the general public should happen to condemn these “Saunterings,” as “weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable,” and shelve them accordingly.
Max Schlesinger.
London, October, 1853.
CONTENTS.
| THE FIRST PART. | |
|---|---|
| CHAP. I. | |
| IN WHICH THE READER IS INTRODUCED TO SOME OF THE AUTHOR’S FRIENDS.—THE ENGLISHMAN’S CASTLE. | 1 |
| CHAP. II. | |
| Street Life.—CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MASSES.—FASHIONABLE QUARTERS.—HOW MR. FALCON SAID GOOD BYE TO HIS CUSTOMERS.—THE CROSSING IN HOLBORN.—MOSES AND SON.—ADVERTISING VANS.—THE PUFFING MANIA, ITS PHASES AND CAUSES. | 12 |
| CHAP. III. | |
| The Squares.—Lincoln’s Inn. | 25 |
| CHAP. IV. | |
| Up the Thames.—Vauxhall.—THE RIVER SIDE.—VIEWS OF THE RIVER.—THE TIDES.—THE BRIDGES.—THE TEMPLE AND SOMERSET HOUSE.—ENTRANCE TO VAUXHALL.—BRITISH DECORATIVE GENIUS.—SOMEBODY RUNS AWAY WITH DR. KEIF.—MAGIC.—NELSON AND WELLINGTON.—THE CIRCUS.—THE BURNING OF MOSCOW.—AN EPISODE AT THE TEA TABLE. | 31 |
| CHAP. V. | |
| The Police.—THE LONDON POLICE.—JOURNEY FROM PARIS TO LONDON.—THE POLITICS OF THE FORCE.—ITS MODE OF ACTION ILLUSTRATED.—DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE POLICE IN ENGLAND AND ON THE CONTINENT.—DETECTIVES.—ROOKERIES.—THE POLICEMAN AS A CITIZEN. | 45 |
| CHAP. VI. | |
| Newgate and its Neighbourhood.—RIVERS UNDER GROUND.—DIVISION OF LABOUR.—EXECUTIONS.—THE PEOPLE’S FESTIVALS.—PREDILECTION FOR CRIMINAL CASES.—STATISTICS OF NEWGATE.—PATERNOSTER-ROW.—SMITHFIELD.—SELF-GOVERNMENT, ITS BRIGHT AND DARK SIDES. | 58 |
| CHAP. VII. | |
| Street Life.—The Post-office.—LONDON AND THE OCEAN.—HOW YOU MAY ATTACK THE REPUTATION OF EITHER.—THE METROPOLIS “EN NEGLIGÉE.”—THE POST-OFFICE.—THE MODERN LETTER-WRITER.—MONEY ORDERS.—PENNY STAMPS, THEIR USE AND ABUSE.—JOHN BULL AND THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER.—HOW MR. BULL IMPOSES UPON THAT RESPECTABLE FUNCTIONARY.—WHAT IS A NEWSPAPER.—THE GREAT HALL OF THE POST-OFFICE AT SIX P.M. | 67 |
| CHAP. VIII. | |
| Sunlight.—Moonlight.—Gaslight.—THE SUN AND THE LONDONERS.—MYSTERIES OF THE FOG.—HARVEST MOONS.—GAS.—HOW THE CLIMATE WORKS.—FLANNELS.—ENGLISH DINNERS AND FRENCH THEATRICALS.—CURRENT PHRASES. | 82 |
| CHAP. IX. | |
| The City Capitol.—THE LORD MAYOR’S RETREAT.—THE NINTH OF NOVEMBER.—CITY PROCESSIONS.—“THE TIMES” AND THE CITY.—THE STOCK EXCHANGE.—A PIECE OF SELF-GOVERNMENT.—LLOYD’S.—RETURN TO SIR JOHN, AND SOME OF THE OPINIONS OF THAT WORTHY. | 89 |
| CHAP. X. | |
| Hyde Park.—PILGRIMAGE TO THE FAR WEST.—OXFORD-STREET.—HYDE-PARK IN THE SEASON.—ROTTEN ROW.—THE DUKE AND THE QUEEN.—THE FRONT OF THE CRYSTAL PALACE.—DR. KEIF ENTERS, MAKES A SPEECH ON BRITISH LOYALTY, AND EXIT.—THE IRON SHUTTERS OF APSLEY HOUSE.—THE BRITISH GENERAL AND THE RIOTERS. | 103 |
| CHAP. XI. | |
| The Quarters of Fashion.—THE BEAUTIES OF NATURE.—FASHIONABLE QUARTERS.—LONDON IN 1752.—ST. JAMES’S PALACE.—PAST AND PRESENT.—PALL MALL.—THE LAND OF CLUBS.—MRS. GRUNDY ON THE CLUBS.—ST. JAMES’S PARK.—BUCKINGHAM PALACE.—WATERLOO PLACE.—TRAFALGAR-SQUARE. | 112 |
| CHAP. XII. | |
| Gentlemen and Foreigners.—ONE OF DR. KEIF’S ADVENTURES.—MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF OLD ENGLAND.—A NEW ACQUAINTANCE.—ENGLISH Flegeljahre.—THE ORDINANCES OF FASHION.—OUR FRIEND’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY.—THE GENTLEMAN’S OCCUPATIONS AND ECCENTRICITIES.—FOREIGNERS.—JOHN BULL ON FOREIGNERS GENERALLY.—STRIFE AND PEACE. | 121 |
| THE SECOND PART. | |
| CHAP. I. | |
| Down the Thames.—RIVER SCENE AT LONDON BRIDGE.—COLLIERS FROM NEWCASTLE.—THE CUSTOM-HOUSE.—THE POOL.—THE DANGERS OF THE THAMES.—AN ENGLISHMAN AFLOAT.—RE-APPEARANCE OF DR. KEIF AND MR. BAXTER.—BOATING SCENES.—THE THAMES TUNNEL.—PRIVATE DOCKS.—HOW ENGLISHMEN BUILD SHIPS FOR FOREIGNERS.—GREENWICH.—OLD SOLDIERS IN ENGLAND AND GERMANY.—HOTELS AND POT-HOUSES.—GREENWICH PARK. | 135 |
| CHAP. II. | |
| The Theory of Locomotion.—WHEN DOCTORS DISAGREE, ETC.—CLIMATE VARIETIES OF LONDON.—LOCOMOTION.—ITS MODES AND DIFFICULTIES.—RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR PEDESTRIANS.—CARRIAGES.—CAB-LAW AND LAWLESSNESS.—CABMEN AND WATERMEN.—NOTES OF AN OMNIBUS PASSENGER.—DRIVERS AND CONDUCTORS.—STAGE-COACHES.—METROPOLITAN RAILWAYS. | 154 |
| CHAP. III. | |
| The Quarters of Royalty and Government.—WHITEHALL, PAST AND PRESENT.—DOWNING STREET.—PARIS AND LONDON.—ENGLISH AND FRENCH STATESMEN.—THE DIFFERENCE.—THE ADMIRERS OF FRANCE.—ENGLISH RESPECT FOR THE ARISTOCRACY. | 171 |
| CHAP. IV. | |
| Westminster.—The Parliament.—THE ABBEY.—THE HALL.—AN M.P.’S LIFE.—THE NEW HOUSES.—THEIR STYLE, CORRIDORS, AND LIBRARIES.—THE SUFFERINGS OF THE PUBLIC.—THE SPEAKER.—SIR JOHN AND DR. KEIF IN THE GALLERY.—LADIES AND REPORTERS.—THE TABLE OF THE HOUSE.—THE SERGEANT-AT-ARMS.—PARLIAMENTARY ETIQUETTE.—THE TWO HOUSES.—DISRAELI.—PALMERSTON.—SIR JOHN PRAISETH THE LATTER.—COLONEL SIBTHORP.—LORD JOHN RUSSELL.—PUBLIC SPEAKING IN ENGLAND. | 181 |
| CHAP. V. | |
| The Periodical Press.—Its Mechanism and Distribution.—THE ENGLISH PRESS GENERALLY.—THE “TIMES” AND THE OTHER JOURNALS.—THE EVENING PAPERS.—THE PUBLICATION OF THE MORNING PAPERS.—ANTICIPATION OF NEWS.—SPECIAL TRAINS.—PUBLICATION OF WEEKLY PAPERS.—THE READING PUBLIC.—ADVANTAGES OF WEEKLY PAPERS.—THE PROVINCIAL PRESS.—WHY IT CANNOT FLOURISH.—TRANSMISSION OF NEWSPAPERS.—THE NEWSVENDERS.—A SCENE IN THE “GLOBE” OFFICE.—YOUNG HOPEFUL, THE NEWSBOY.—MR. SMIRKINS, THE PARTY-MAN—THE NEWSVENDER’S EXCHANGE. | 203 |
| CHAP. VI. | |
| The Bank.—APPEARANCE OF THE BANK.—WANT OF RESPECT IN THE PRESENCE OF PUBLIC FUNCTIONARIES.—THE PUBLIC AT THE BANK.—MYSTERIOUS COMFORTS.—ENGLISH TASTE.—THE WONDERS OF MACHINERY.—A STRANGE LIBRARY.—PRINTING THE NOTES.—HIDDEN PALACES.—THE TREASURY.—BAD SOVEREIGNS—DR. KEIF, AND WHY THE ENGLISH KNOW NOTHING WHATEVER OF THE AFFAIRS OF GERMANY. | 217 |
| CHAP. VII. | |
| Four-and-twenty Hours at the Times Office.—CROSSING THE ROAD.—THE OWNERS OF THE “TIMES.”—ITS SOUL; ITS EDITORS.—DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE “TIMES,” EDITORS AND THE “REDACTEURS” OF GERMAN NEWSPAPERS.—THE POLITICS OF THE “TIMES.”—HOW THEY WRITE THE “LEADERS.”—SECRETS.—LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.—THE MANAGER’S DEPARTMENT.—WHAT THE EDITORS DO.—THE PARLIAMENTARY CORPS.—THE REPORTER’S GALLERY AND REFECTORY.—DIVISION, DISCIPLINE, AND OCCUPATION OF THE REPORTERS.—MR. DOD.—THE SUMMARY-MAN.—THE STAFF.—THE PENNY-A-LINERS.—SOCIAL POSITION OF ENGLISH JOURNALISM. | 231 |
| CHAP. VIII. | |
| A Frenchman’s Notions.—DR. KEIF AT DINNER WITH A FRENCHMAN.—MONS. GUERONNAY.—GRAND INTERNATIONAL CONTEST.—AN ARMISTICE.—SIR JOHN SERMONISES.—THE GLORY OF FRANCE AND THE DOWNFALL OF ENGLAND.—SUNDRY REMARKS ON THE OPERA AND THE BRITISH FEMALE; ON ENGLISH MUSIC AND FRENCH POLITICS.—SIR JOHN A TRUE JOHN BULL.—A CONTROVERSY ON THE STAIRS. | 250 |
| CHAP. IX. | |
| The Theatrical Quarters.—THE THEATRES.—THE POOR MAN’S SUNDAY.—GROUPS FOR HOGARTH.—DR. KEIF AND MR. BAXTER AT THE OLYMPIC.—TRAGEDY AND COMEDY IN ENGLAND.—MR. AND MRS. KEELEY.—MR. WIGAN.—MR. KEAN AND THE BRIMLEYS.—METHODISM.—A PENNY THEATRE.—THE PANTOMIMES.—THE BALLET.—THE STAGE IN ENGLAND AND GERMANY.—MATERIALISM.—DRURY-LANE AT 11-45 P.M.—MERRY OLD ENGLAND.—DRURY-LANE AT 1 A.M. | 265 |
| APPENDIX. | |
| CORRESPONDENCE. | |
| Letter I.—SIR JOHN TO DR. KEIF | 287 |
| Letter II.—DR. KEIF TO SIR JOHN | 289 |
