e sombre reflections occasioned by these remarks gradually gave way to
those of a more enlivening hue, as the two friends proceeded along the
Strand. The various display, at the tradesmen's shop windows, of useful
and ornamental articles,--the continued bustle of the street,--the
throng of passengers of every description, hurrying on in the activity
of business, or more leisurely lounging their way under the impulse of
curiosity,--the endless succession of new faces, and frequent occurrence
of interesting incident;--these united in forming an inexhaustible fund
of amusement and admiration.

1 "Hatton Garden.--On Saturday, no less than fifteen
unfortunate girls, all elegantly attired, were placed at the
bar, charged by Cadby, the street-keeper on the Foundling
Estate, with loitering about the neighbourhood for their
nocturnal purposes. The constable stated, that repeated
complaints had been made to him by many of the inhabitants,
of the disgraceful practice of vast numbers of frail ones,
who resort every night to Brunswick Square. He had been
therefore instructed to endeavour to suppress the nuisance.
About twelve o'clock on Friday night, while perambulating
the district, he found the fifteen prisoners at the bar in
Brunswick Square, at their usual pursuits, and all of them
were in the act of picking up gentlemen. He procured
assistance, and they were taken into custody, and conveyed
to the watch-house.

None of the prisoners could deny the charge, but expressed
great contrition at being under the painful necessity of
procuring their subsistence in so disgraceful a manner. They
were examined individually, by the magistrates, as to the
origin that brought them to disgrace. Some, from their
admission, were farmers' daughters, and had been decoyed
from their relatives, and brought to London, and
subsequently deserted by their seducers. Some were nursery-
maids--others, girls seduced from boarding schools. Their
tales were truly distressing--some had only been six months
in such infamy, others twelve months, and some two years and
upwards.

The worthy magistrate, with much feeling, admonished them on
the evil course they were following, and pointed out the
means still left for them to return to the paths of virtue;
and on their severally promising never to appear agai