and sinking under her load of misery; at other times she has
recourse to liquor to drown her complicated misfortunes; when wild and
infuriated, she more nearly resembles a demon than a woman, spreading
forth terror and destruction upon all around; in this state she is often
brought to the police-office, where the humanity of the magistrates,
softened perhaps by a recollection of her wrongs, generally operates to
procure for her some very trifling and lenient sentence.{5}

5 THE LIFE OF A WOMAN OF THE TOWN.

Ah! what avails how once appear'd the fair,
When from gay equipage she falls obscure?

In vain she moves her livid lips in prayer;
What man so mean to recollect the poor?

From place to place, by unfee'd bailiffs drove,
As fainting fawns from thirsty bloodhounds fly;

See the sad remnants of unhallow'd love
In prisons perish, or on dunghills die.

Pimps and dependents once her beauties praised,
And on those beauties, vermin-like, they fed;

From wretchedness the crew her bounty raised,
When by her spoils enrich'd--deny her bread.

Through street to street she wends, as want betides,
Like Shore's sad wife, in winter's dismal hours;

The bleak winds piercing her unnourish'd sides,
Her houseless head dripping with drizzy showers.

Sickly she strolls amidst the miry lane,
While streaming spouts dash on her unclothed neck;

By famine pinch'd, pinch'd by disease-bred pain,
Contrition's portrait, and rash beauty's wreck.

~345~~We had now passed from the first receptacle to an inner and
more elegant apartment, where we could be accommodated with suitable
refreshments, wine, spirits, or, in fact, any thing we pleased to
order and were disposed to pay for; a practice at most of these early
coffee-houses, as they are denominated. The company in this room were,
as far as appearances went, of rather a better order; but an event
soon occurred which convinced us that their morality was perhaps more
exceptionable than the motley group which filled the outer chamber. A
bevy of damsels were singing, flirting, and drinking, to amuse their
companions,--when all at once the doors were forced open, and in rushed
three of the principal officers of Bow-street, the indefatigable Bishop,
the determined Smith, and the reso