第17章

’Sotheymight；butthebadfoodtolduponthem，andwhenwegotintoacoldlatitude，itbegantotellmore，andthemendropped。’

’Thesickhadageneraldisinclinationforfood，Iamtold，sergeant？’

’Haveyouseenthefood，sir？’

’Someofit。’

’Haveyouseenthestateoftheirmouths，sir？’

Ifthesergeant，whowasamanofafeworderlywords，hadspokentheamountofthisvolume，hecouldnothavesettledthatquestionbetter。Ibelievethesickcouldassoonhaveeatentheship，astheship’sprovisions。

ItooktheadditionallibertywithmyfriendPangloss，whenIhadleftthesergeantwithgoodwishes，ofaskingPanglosswhetherhehadeverheardofbiscuitgettingdrunkandbarteringitsnutritiousqualitiesforputrefactionandvermin；ofpeasbecominghardenedinliquor；ofhammocksdrinkingthemselvesoffthefaceoftheearth；oflime-juice，vegetables，vinegar，cookingaccommodation，watersupply，andbeer，alltakingtodrinkingtogetherandgoingtoruin？’Ifnot(Iaskedhim)，whatdidhesayindefenceoftheofficerscondemnedbytheCoroner’sjury，who，bysigningtheGeneralInspectionreportrelativetotheshipGreatTasmania，charteredforthesetroops，haddeliberatelyassertedallthatbadandpoisonousdunghillrefuse，tobegoodandwholesomefood？’Myofficialfriendrepliedthatitwasaremarkablefact，thatwhereassomeofficerswereonlypositivelygood，andotherofficersonlycomparativelybetter，thoseparticularofficersweresuperlativelytheverybestofallpossibleofficers。

Myhandandmyheartfailme，inwritingmyrecordofthisjourney。

Thespectacleofthesoldiersinthehospital-bedsofthatLiverpoolworkhouse(averygoodworkhouse，indeed，beitunderstood)，wassoshockingandsoshameful，thatasanEnglishmanIblushtorememberit。Itwouldhavebeensimplyunbearableatthetime，butfortheconsiderationandpitywithwhichtheyweresoothedintheirsufferings。

Nopunishmentthatourinefficientlawsprovide，isworthyofthenamewhensetagainsttheguiltofthistransaction。But，ifthememoryofitdieoutunavenged，andifitdonotresultintheinexorabledismissalanddisgraceofthosewhoareresponsibleforit，theirescapewillbeinfamoustotheGovernment(nomatterofwhatparty)thatsoneglectsitsduty，andinfamoustothenationthattamelysufferssuchintolerablewrongtobedoneinitsname。

IftheconfessionthatIhaveoftentravelledfromthisCoventGardenlodgingofmineonSundays，shouldgiveoffencetothosewhonevertravelonSundays，theywillbesatisfied(Ihope)bymyaddingthatthejourneysinquestionweremadetochurches。

NotthatIhaveanycuriositytohearpowerfulpreachers。Timewas，whenIwasdraggedbythehairofmyhead，asonemaysay，toheartoomany。Onsummerevenings，wheneveryflower，andtree，andbird，mighthavebetteraddressedmysoftyoungheart，Ihaveinmydaybeencaughtinthepalmofafemalehandbythecrown，havebeenviolentlyscrubbedfromthenecktotherootsofthehairasapurificationfortheTemple，andhavethenbeencarriedoffhighlychargedwithsaponaceouselectricity，tobesteamedlikeapotatointheunventilatedbreathofthepowerfulBoanergesBoilerandhiscongregation，untilwhatsmallmindIhad，wasquitesteamedoutofme。InwhichpitiableplightIhavebeenhaledoutoftheplaceofmeeting，attheconclusionoftheexercises，andcatechisedrespectingBoanergesBoiler，hisfifthly，hissixthly，andhisseventhly，untilIhaveregardedthatreverendpersoninthelightofamostdismalandoppressiveCharade。Timewas，whenIwascarriedofftoplatformassemblagesatwhichnohumanchild，whetherofwrathorgrace，couldpossiblykeepitseyesopen，andwhenIfeltthefatalsleepstealing，stealingoverme，andwhenI

graduallyheardtheoratorinpossession，spinningandhumminglikeagreattop，untilherolled，collapsed，andtumbledover，andI

discoveredtomyburningshameandfear，thatastothatlaststageitwasnothe，butI。IhavesatunderBoanergeswhenhehasspecificallyaddressedhimselftous-us，theinfants-andatthispresentwritingIhearhislumberingjocularity(whichneveramusedus，thoughwebaselypretendedthatitdid)，andIbeholdhisbigroundface，andIlookuptheinsideofhisoutstretchedcoat-sleeveasifitwereatelescopewiththestopperon，andI

hatehimwithanunwholesomehatredfortwohours。ThroughsuchmeansdiditcometopassthatIknewthepowerfulpreacherfrombeginningtoend，alloverandallthrough，whileIwasveryyoung，andthatIlefthimbehindatanearlyperiodoflife。Peacebewithhim！Morepeacethanhebroughttome！

Now，Ihaveheardmanypreacherssincethattime-notpowerful；

merelyChristian，unaffected，andreverential-andIhavehadmanysuchpreachersonmyrolloffriends。But，itwasnottohearthese，anymorethanthepowerfulclass，thatImademySundayjourneys。TheywerejourneysofcuriositytothenumerouschurchesintheCityofLondon。Itcameintomyheadoneday，herehadI

beencultivatingafamiliaritywithallthechurchesofRome，andI

knewnothingoftheinsidesoftheoldchurchesofLondon！ThisbefellonaSundaymorning。Ibeganmyexpeditionsthatverysameday，andtheylastedmeayear。

IneverwantedtoknowthenamesofthechurchestowhichIwent，andtothishourIamprofoundlyignorantinthatparticularofatleastnine-tenthsofthem。Indeed，sayingthatIknowthechurchofoldGOWER’Stomb(heliesineffigywithhisheaduponhisbooks)tobethechurchofSaintSaviour’s，Southwark；andthechurchofMILTON’StombtobethechurchofCripplegate；andthechurchonCornhillwiththegreatgoldenkeystobethechurchofSaintPeter；IdoubtifIcouldpassacompetitiveexaminationinanyofthenames。NoquestiondidIeveraskoflivingcreatureconcerningthesechurches，andnoanswertoanyantiquarianquestiononthesubjectthatIeverputtobooks，shallharassthereader’ssoul。Afullhalfofmypleasureinthemaroseoutoftheirmystery；mysteriousIfoundthem；mysterioustheyshallremainforme。

WhereshallIbeginmyroundofhiddenandforgottenoldchurchesintheCityofLondon？

ItistwentyminutesshortofelevenonaSundaymorning，whenI

strolldownoneofthemanynarrowhillystreetsintheCitythattendduesouthtotheThames。Itismyfirstexperiment，andI

havecometotheregionofWhittingtoninanomnibus，andwehaveputdownafierce-eyed，spareoldwoman，whoseslate-colouredgownsmellsofherbs，andwhowalkedupAldersgate-streettosomechapelwhereshecomfortsherselfwithbrimstonedoctrine，Iwarrant。Wehavealsoputdownastouterandsweeteroldlady，withaprettylargeprayer-bookinanunfoldedpocket-handkerchief，whogotoutatacornerofacourtnearStationers’Hall，andwhoIthinkmustgotochurchthere，becausesheisthewidowofsomedeceasedoldCompany’sBeadle。Therestofourfreightweremerechancepleasure-seekersandruralwalkers，andwentontotheBlackwallrailway。Somanybellsareringing，whenIstandundecidedatastreetcorner，thateverysheepintheecclesiasticalfoldmightbeabell-wether。Thediscordanceisfearful。Mystateofindecisionisreferableto，andaboutequallydivisibleamong，fourgreatchurches，whichareallwithinsightandsound，allwithinthespaceofafewsquareyards。

AsIstandatthestreetcorner，Idon’tseeasmanyasfourpeopleatoncegoingtochurch，thoughIseeasmanyasfourchurcheswiththeirsteeplesclamouringforpeople。Ichoosemychurch，andgouptheflightofstepstothegreatentranceinthetower。A

mouldytowerwithin，andlikeaneglectedwashhouse。Aropecomesthroughthebeamedroof，andamaninthecornerpullsitandclashesthebell-awhity-brownman，whoseclotheswereonceblack-amanwithflueonhim，andcobweb。Hestaresatme，wonderinghowIcomethere，andIstareathim，wonderinghowhecomesthere。

Throughascreenofwoodandglass，Ipeepintothedimchurch。

Abouttwentypeoplearediscernible，waitingtobegin。Christeningwouldseemtohavefadedoutofthischurchlongago，forthefonthasthedustofdesuetudethickuponit，anditswoodencover(shapedlikeanold-fashionedtureen-cover)looksasifitwouldn’tcomeoff，uponrequirement。IperceivethealtartobericketyandtheCommandmentsdamp。Enteringafterthissurvey，Ijostletheclergymaninhiscanonicals，whoisenteringtoofromadarklanebehindapewofstatewithcurtains，wherenobodysits。Thepewisornamentedwithfourbluewands，oncecarriedbyfoursomebodys，I

suppose，beforesomebodyelse，butwhichthereisnobodynowtoholdorreceivehonourfrom。Iopenthedoorofafamilypew，andshutmyselfin；ifIcouldoccupytwentyfamilypewsatonceI

mighthavethem。Theclerk，abriskyoungman(howdoesHEcomehere？)，glancesatmeknowingly，aswhoshouldsay，’Youhavedoneitnow；youmuststop。’Organplays。Organ-loftisinasmallgalleryacrossthechurch；gallerycongregation，twogirls。I

wonderwithinmyselfwhatwillhappenwhenwearerequiredtosing。

Thereisapaleheapofbooksinthecornerofmypew，andwhiletheorgan，whichishoarseandsleepy，playsinsuchfashionthatI

canhearmoreoftherustyworkingofthestopsthanofanymusic，Ilookatthebooks，whicharemostlyboundinfadedbaizeandstuff。Theybelongedin1754，totheDowgatefamily；andwhowerethey？JaneComportmusthavemarriedYoungDowgate，andcomeintothefamilythatway；YoungDowgatewascourtingJaneComportwhenhegaveherherprayer-book，andrecordedthepresentationinthefly-leaf；ifJanewerefondofYoungDowgate，whydidshedieandleavethebookhere？Perhapsatthericketyaltar，andbeforethedampCommandments，she，Comport，hadtakenhim，Dowgate，inaflushofyouthfulhopeandjoy，andperhapsithadnotturnedoutinthelongrunasgreatasuccessaswasexpected？

Theopeningoftheservicerecallsmywanderingthoughts。Ithenfind，tomyastonishment，thatIhavebeen，andstillam，takingastrongkindofinvisiblesnuff，upmynose，intomyeyes，anddownmythroat。Iwink，sneeze，andcough。Theclerksneezes；theclergymanwinks；theunseenorganistsneezesandcoughs(andprobablywinks)；allourlittlepartywink，sneeze，andcough。Thesnuffseemstobemadeofthedecayofmatting，wood，cloth，stone，iron，earth，andsomethingelse。Isthesomethingelse，thedecayofdeadcitizensinthevaultsbelow？AssureasDeathitis！Notonlyinthecold，dampFebruaryday，dowecoughandsneezedeadcitizens，allthroughtheservice，butdeadcitizenshavegotintotheverybellowsoftheorgan，andhalfchokedthesame。Westampourfeettowarmthem，anddeadcitizensariseinheavyclouds。