f foreign stocks and loans, which our readers will not care that we
particularise.

The grand mart for the traffic in such things is a large building situate
in Capel-court, just opposite the Bank of England. It has three other
entrances--one in Shorter's-court, Throgmorton-street, one in New-court,
ditto, and one in Hercules-passage, Broad-street. You cannot get in, for
a porter guards each door, and if you elude him you are easily detected
by the _habitues_, and obliged to beat a precipitate retreat. But from
the entrance in Hercules-passage, by peeping through the glass folding
doors, you may manage to get an imperfect view of the interior. You will
see that in the middle of the day there are a great number of
well-dressed, sharp-looking gentlemen talking very energetically, and
apparently doing a great deal of business. As they pass in and out you
hear them discourse as familiarly of thousands as

"Maids of fourteen do of puppy dogs."

Let me add that there are a variety of distinct markets--the English for
stocks and exchequer bills, the foreign for stocks, and the railway and
mining, and miscellaneous share department. I may also add that a
news-room is attached, where the daily papers, especially the city
articles, are very eagerly perused. I am told that the _Daily News_ is
the favourite, and that the demand for that paper is very great. The
Stock Exchange does not recognise in its dealings any other parties than
its own members. Every bargain, therefore, whether for account of the
member effecting it, or for account of a principal, must be fulfilled
according to the regulations and usages of the house. Its affairs are
conducted by a committee of thirty, annually elected. "Every member of
the Stock Exchange and every clerk to a member shall attend the committee
for general purposes when required, and shall give the committee such
information as may be in his possession relative to any matter then under
investigation." The committee have the right to expel any member guilty
of dishonourable or disgraceful conduct, or who may violate any of the
regulations, or fail to comply with any of the committee's decisions.

As regards small people outside like ourselves, the functions of the
Stock Exchange are soon fulfilled. I have worked hard--I have saved a
few hundreds--I want to invest them--I call upon a stock-broker--they are
(I mean nothing offensive by the comparison) as thick as thieves in this