第19章

toassistintheperformances，anditwaspleasanttonoticefranticgarlandsofinscriptiononthewalls，especiallyaddressingthosepoorinnocentsincharactersimpossibleforthemtodecipher。

Therewasaremarkablyagreeablesmellofpomatuminthiscongregation。

But，inothercases，rotandmildewanddeadcitizensformedtheuppermostscent，while，infusedintoitinadreamywaynotatalldispleasing，wasthestaplecharacteroftheneighbourhood。InthechurchesaboutMark-lane，forexample，therewasadrywhiffofwheat；andIaccidentallystruckanairysampleofbarleyoutofanagedhassockinoneofthem。FromRood-lanetoTower-street，andthereabouts，therewasoftenasubtleflavourofwine:sometimes，oftea。OnechurchnearMincing-lanesmeltlikeadruggist’sdrawer。BehindtheMonumenttheservicehadaflavourofdamagedoranges，which，alittlefurtherdowntowardstheriver，temperedintoherrings，andgraduallytonedintoacosmopolitanblastoffish。Inonechurch，theexactcounterpartofthechurchintheRake’sProgresswheretheheroisbeingmarriedtothehorribleoldlady，therewasnospecialityofatmosphere，untiltheorganshookaperfumeofhidesalloverusfromsomeadjacentwarehouse。

Bethescentwhatitwould，however，therewasnospecialityinthepeople。Therewereneverenoughofthemtorepresentanycallingorneighbourhood。Theyhadallgoneelsewhereover-night，andthefewstragglersinthemanychurcheslanguishedthereinexpressively。

AmongtheUncommercialtravelsinwhichIhaveengaged，thisyearofSundaytraveloccupiesitsownplace，apartfromalltherest。

WhetherIthinkofthechurchwherethesailsoftheoyster-boatsintheriveralmostflappedagainstthewindows，orofthechurchwheretherailroadmadethebellshumasthetrainrushedbyabovetheroof，Irecallacuriousexperience。OnsummerSundays，inthegentlerainorthebrightsunshine-either，deepeningtheidlenessoftheidleCity-Ihavesat，inthatsingularsilencewhichbelongstoresting-placesusuallyastir，inscoresofbuildingsattheheartoftheworld’smetropolis，unknowntofargreaternumbersofpeoplespeakingtheEnglishtongue，thantheancientedificesoftheEternalCity，orthePyramidsofEgypt。ThedarkvestriesandregistriesintowhichIhavepeeped，andthelittlehemmed-inchurchyardsthathaveechoedtomyfeet，haveleftimpressionsonmymemoryasdistinctandquaintasanyithasinthatwayreceived。Inallthosedustyregistersthatthewormsareeating，thereisnotalinebutmadesomeheartsleap，orsometearsflow，intheirday。Stillanddrynow，stillanddry！andtheoldtreeatthewindowwithnoroomforitsbranches，hasseenthemallout。

SowiththetomboftheoldMasteroftheoldCompany，onwhichitdrips。Hissonrestoreditanddied，hisdaughterrestoreditanddied，andthenhehadbeenrememberedlongenough，andthetreetookpossessionofhim，andhisnamecrackedout。

Therearefewmorestrikingindicationsofthechangesofmannersandcustomsthattwoorthreehundredyearshavebroughtabout，thanthesedesertedchurches。Manyofthemarehandsomeandcostlystructures，severalofthemweredesignedbyWREN，manyofthemarosefromtheashesofthegreatfire，othersofthemoutlivedtheplagueandthefiretoo，todieaslowdeathintheselaterdays。

Noonecanbesureofthecomingtime；butitisnottoomuchtosayofitthatithasnosigninitsoutsettingtides，oftherefluxtothesechurchesoftheircongregationsanduses。Theyremainlikethetombsoftheoldcitizenswholiebeneaththemandaroundthem，Monumentsofanotherage。TheyareworthaSunday-

exploration，nowandthen，fortheyyetecho，notunharmoniously，tothetimewhentheCityofLondonreallywasLondon；whenthe’PrenticesandTrainedBandswereofmarkinthestate；wheneventheLordMayorhimselfwasaReality-notaFictionconventionallybe-puffedononedayintheyearbyillustriousfriends，whonolessconventionallylaughathimontheremainingthreehundredandsixty-fourdays。

Somuchofmytravellingisdoneonfoot，thatifIcherishedbettingpropensities，IshouldprobablybefoundregisteredinsportingnewspapersundersomesuchtitleastheElasticNovice，challengingallelevenstonemankindtocompetitioninwalking。Mylastspecialfeatwasturningoutofbedattwo，afterahardday，pedestrianandotherwise，andwalkingthirtymilesintothecountrytobreakfast。Theroadwassolonelyinthenight，thatIfellasleeptothemonotonoussoundofmyownfeet，doingtheirregularfourmilesanhour。MileaftermileIwalked，withouttheslightestsenseofexertion，dozingheavilyanddreamingconstantly。ItwasonlywhenImadeastumblelikeadrunkenman，orstruckoutintotheroadtoavoidahorsemancloseuponmeonthepath-whohadnoexistence-thatIcametomyselfandlookedabout。Thedaybrokemistily(itwasautumntime)，andIcouldnotdisembarrassmyselfoftheideathatIhadtoclimbthoseheightsandbanksofcloud，andthattherewasanAlpineConventsomewherebehindthesun，whereIwasgoingtobreakfast。Thissleepynotionwassomuchstrongerthansuchsubstantialobjectsasvillagesandhaystacks，that，afterthesunwasupandbright，andwhenIwassufficientlyawaketohaveasenseofpleasureintheprospect，I

stilloccasionallycaughtmyselflookingaboutforwoodenarmstopointtherighttrackupthemountain，andwonderingtherewasnosnowyet。ItisacuriosityofbrokensleepthatImadeimmensequantitiesofversesonthatpedestrianoccasion(ofcourseInevermakeanywhenIaminmyrightsenses)，andthatIspokeacertainlanguageonceprettyfamiliartome，butwhichIhavenearlyforgottenfromdisuse，withfluency。OfboththesephenomenaI

havesuchfrequentexperienceinthestatebetweensleepingandwaking，thatIsometimesarguewithmyselfthatIknowIcannotbeawake，for，ifIwere，Ishouldnotbehalfsoready。Thereadinessisnotimaginary，becauseIoftenrecalllongstringsoftheverses，andmanyturnsofthefluentspeech，afterIambroadawake。

Mywalkingisoftwokinds:one，straightonendtoadefinitegoalataroundpace；one，objectless，loitering，andpurelyvagabond。Inthelatterstate，nogipsyonearthisagreatervagabondthanmyself；itissonaturaltome，andstrongwithme，thatIthinkImustbethedescendant，atnogreatdistance，ofsomeirreclaimabletramp。

OneofthepleasantestthingsIhavelatelymetwith，inavagabondcourseofshymetropolitanneighbourhoodsandsmallshops，isthefancyofahumbleartist，asexemplifiedintwoportraitsrepresentingMr。ThomasSayers，ofGreatBritain，andMr。JohnHeenan，oftheUnitedStatesofAmerica。Theseillustriousmenarehighlycolouredinfightingtrim，andfightingattitude。Tosuggestthepastoralandmeditativenatureoftheirpeacefulcalling，Mr。Heenanisrepresentedonemeraldsward，withprimrosesandothermodestflowersspringingupundertheheelsofhishalf-

boots；whileMr。Sayersisimpelledtotheadministrationofhisfavouriteblow，theAuctioneer，bythesilenteloquenceofavillagechurch。ThehumblehomesofEngland，withtheirdomesticvirtuesandhoneysuckleporches，urgebothheroestogoinandwin；

andthelarkandothersingingbirdsareobservableintheupperair，ecstaticallycarollingtheirthankstoHeavenforafight。Onthewhole，theassociationsentwinedwiththepugilisticartbythisartistaremuchinthemannerofIzaakWalton。

But，itiswiththeloweranimalsofbackstreetsandby-waysthatmypresentpurposerests。Forhumannoteswemayreturntosuchneighbourhoodswhenleisureandopportunityserve。

Nothinginshyneighbourhoodsperplexesmymindmore，thanthebadcompanybirdskeep。Foreignbirdsoftengetintogoodsociety，butBritishbirdsareinseparablefromlowassociates。ThereisawholestreetoftheminSt。Giles’s；andIalwaysfindtheminpoorandimmoralneighbourhoods，convenienttothepublic-houseandthepawnbroker’s。Theyseemtoleadpeopleintodrinking，andeventhemanwhomakestheircagesusuallygetsintoachronicstateofblackeye。Whyisthis？Also，theywilldothingsforpeopleinshort-skirtedvelveteencoatswithbonebuttons，orinsleevedwaistcoatsandfurcaps，whichtheycannotbepersuadedbytherespectableordersofsocietytoundertake。InadirtycourtinSpitalfields，once，Ifoundagoldfinchdrawinghisownwater，anddrawingasmuchofitasifhewereinaconsumingfever。Thatgoldfinchlivedatabird-shop，andoffered，inwriting，tobarterhimselfagainstoldclothes，emptybottles，orevenkitchenstuff。

Surelyalowthingandadepravedtasteinanyfinch！Iboughtthatgoldfinchformoney。Hewassenthome，andhunguponanailoveragainstmytable。Helivedoutsideacounterfeitdwelling-

house，supposed(asIargued)tobeadyer’s；otherwiseitwouldhavebeenimpossibletoaccountforhisperchstickingoutofthegarretwindow。Fromthetimeofhisappearanceinmyroom，eitherheleftoffbeingthirsty-whichwasnotinthebond-orhecouldnotmakeuphismindtohearhislittlebucketdropbackintohiswellwhenheletitgo:ashockwhichinthebestoftimeshadmadehimtremble。Hedrewnowaterbutbystealthandunderthecloakofnight。Afteranintervaloffutileandatlengthhopelessexpectation，themerchantwhohadeducatedhimwasappealedto。

Themerchantwasabow-leggedcharacter，withaflatandcushionynose，likethelastnewstrawberry。Heworeafurcap，andshorts，andwasofthevelveteenrace，velveteeny。Hesentwordthathewould’lookround。’Helookedround，appearedinthedoorwayoftheroom，andslightlycockeduphisevileyeatthegoldfinch。

Instantlyaragingthirstbesetthatbird；whenitwasappeased，hestilldrewseveralunnecessarybucketsofwater；andfinally，leapedabouthisperchandsharpenedhisbill，asifhehadbeentothenearestwinevaultsandgotdrunk。

Donkeysagain。IknowshyneighbourhoodswheretheDonkeygoesinatthestreetdoor，andappearstoliveup-stairs，forIhaveexaminedtheback-yardfromoverthepalings，andhavebeenunabletomakehimout。Gentility，nobility，Royalty，wouldappealtothatdonkeyinvaintodowhathedoesforacostermonger。Feedhimwithoatsatthehighestprice，putaninfantprinceandprincessinapairofpanniersonhisback，adjusthisdelicatetrappingstoanicety，takehimtothesoftestslopesatWindsor，andtrywhatpaceyoucangetoutofhim。Then，starvehim，harnesshimanyhowtoatruckwithaflattrayonit，andseehimbowlfromWhitechapeltoBayswater。Thereappearstobenoparticularprivateunderstandingbetweenbirdsanddonkeys，inastateofnature；butintheshyneighbourhoodstate，youshallseethemalwaysinthesamehandsandalwaysdevelopingtheirverybestenergiesfortheveryworstcompany。Ihaveknownadonkey-bysight；wewerenotonspeakingterms-wholivedoverontheSurreysideofLondon-bridge，amongthefastnessesofJacob’sIslandandDockhead。Itwasthehabitofthatanimal，whenhisserviceswerenotinimmediaterequisition，togooutalone，idling。Ihavemethimamilefromhisplaceofresidence，loiteringaboutthestreets；andtheexpressionofhiscountenanceatsuchtimeswasmostdegraded。Hewasattachedtotheestablishmentofanelderlyladywhosoldperiwinkles，andheusedtostandonSaturdaynightswithacartfulofthosedelicaciesoutsideagin-shop，prickinguphisearswhenacustomercametothecart，andtooevidentlyderivingsatisfactionfromtheknowledgethattheygotbadmeasure。

Hismistresswassometimesovertakenbyinebriety。ThelasttimeI