the uncommercial traveller-第57节

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if　the　ill…used　boy　didn't　…　captains　of　the　best　character　now

take　these　boys　more　than　willingly；　with　no　premium　at　all？　　That

they　are　also　much　esteemed　in　the　Royal　Navy；　which　they　prefer；

'because　everything　is　so　neat　and　clean　and　orderly'？　　Or；　is

there　any　proof　in　Naval　captains　writing　'Your　little　fellows　are

all　that　I　can　desire'？　　Or；　is　there　any　proof　in　such　testimony

as　this：　　'The　owner　of　a　vessel　called　at　the　school；　and　said

that　as　his　ship　was　going　down　Channel　on　her　last　voyage；　with

one　of　the　boys　from　the　school　on　board；　the　pilot　said；　〃It　would

be　as　well　if　the　royal　were　lowered；　I　wish　it　were　down。〃

Without　waiting　for　any　orders；　and　unobserved　by　the　pilot；　the

lad；　whom　they　had　taken　on　board　from　the　school；　instantly

mounted　the　mast　and　lowered　the　royal；　and　at　the　next　glance　of

the　pilot　to　the　masthead；　he　perceived　that　the　sail　had　been　let

down。　　He　exclaimed；　〃Who's　done　that　job？〃　　The　owner；　who　was　on

board；　said；　〃That　was　the　little　fellow　whom　I　put　on　board　two

days　ago。〃　　The　pilot　immediately　said；　〃Why；　where　could　he　have

been　brought　up？〃　　The　boy　had　never　seen　the　sea　or　been　on　a　real

ship　before'？　　Or；　is　there　any　proof　in　these　boys　being　in

greater　demand　for　Regimental　Bands　than　the　Union　can　meet？　　Or；

in　ninety…eight　of　them　having　gone　into　Regimental　Bands　in　three

years？　　Or；　in　twelve　of　them　being　in　the　band　of　one　regiment？

Or；　in　the　colonel　of　that　regiment　writing；　'We　want　six　more

boys；　they　are　excellent　lads'？　　Or；　in　one　of　the　boys　having

risen　to　be　band…corporal　in　the　same　regiment？　　Or；　in　employers

of　all　kinds　chorusing；　'Give　us　drilled　boys；　for　they　are　prompt；

obedient；　and　punctual'？　　Other　proofs　I　have　myself　beheld　with

these　Uncommercial　eyes；　though　I　do　not　regard　myself　as　having　a

right　to　relate　in　what　social　positions　they　have　seen　respected

men　and　women　who　were　once　pauper　children　of　the　Stepney　Union。



Into　what　admirable　soldiers　others　of　these　boys　have　the

capabilities　for　being　turned；　I　need　not　point　out。　　Many　of　them

are　always　ambitious　of　military　service；　and　once　upon　a　time　when

an　old　boy　came　back　to　see　the　old　place；　a　cavalry　soldier　all

complete；　WITH　HIS　SPURS　ON；　such　a　yearning　broke　out　to　get　into

cavalry　regiments　and　wear　those　sublime　appendages；　that　it　was

one　of　the　greatest　excitements　ever　known　in　the　school。　　The

girls　make　excellent　domestic　servants；　and　at　certain　periods　come

back；　a　score　or　two　at　a　time；　to　see　the　old　building；　and　to

take　tea　with　the　old　teachers；　and　to　hear　the　old　band；　and　to

see　the　old　ship　with　her　masts　towering　up　above　the　neighbouring

roofs　and　chimneys。　　As　to　the　physical　health　of　these　schools；　it

is　so　exceptionally　remarkable　（simply　because　the　sanitary

regulations　are　as　good　as　the　other　educational　arrangements）；

that　when　Mr。　TUFNELL；　the　Inspector；　first　stated　it　in　a　report；

he　was　supposed；　in　spite　of　his　high　character；　to　have　been

betrayed　into　some　extraordinary　mistake　or　exaggeration。　　In　the

moral　health　of　these　schools　…　where　corporal　punishment　is

unknown　…　Truthfulness　stands　high。　　When　the　ship　was　first

erected；　the　boys　were　forbidden　to　go　aloft；　until　the　nets；　which

are　now　always　there；　were　stretched　as　a　precaution　against

accidents。　　Certain　boys；　in　their　eagerness；　disobeyed　the

injunction；　got　out　of　window　in　the　early　daylight；　and　climbed　to

the　masthead。　　One　boy　unfortunately　fell；　and　was　killed。　　There

was　no　clue　to　the　others；　but　all　the　boys　were　assembled；　and　the

chairman　of　the　Board　addressed　them。　　'I　promise　nothing；　you　see

what　a　dreadful　thing　has　happened；　you　know　what　a　grave　offence

it　is　that　has　led　to　such　a　consequence；　I　cannot　say　what　will　be

done　with　the　offenders；　but；　boys；　you　have　been　trained　here；

above　all　things；　to　respect　the　truth。　　I　want　the　truth。　　Who　are

the　delinquents？'　　Instantly；　the　whole　number　of　boys　concerned；

separated　from　the　rest；　and　stood　out。



Now；　the　head　and　heart　of　that　gentleman　（it　is　needless　to　say；　a

good　head　and　a　good　heart）　have　been　deeply　interested　in　these

schools　for　many　years；　and　are　so　still；　and　the　establishment　is

very　fortunate　in　a　most　admirable　master；　and　moreover　the　schools

of　the　Stepney　Union　cannot　have　got　to　be　what　they　are；　without

the　Stepney　Board　of　Guardians　having　been　earnest　and　humane　men

strongly　imbued　with　a　sense　of　their　responsibility。　　But　what　one

set　of　men　can　do　in　this　wise；　another　set　of　men　can　do；　and　this

is　a　noble　example　to　all　other　Bodies　and　Unions；　and　a　noble

example　to　the　State。　　Followed；　and　enlarged　upon　by　its

enforcement　on　bad　parents；　it　would　clear　London　streets　of　the

most　terrible　objects　they　smite　the　sight　with　…　myriads　of　little

children　who　awfully　reverse　Our　Saviour's　words；　and　are　not　of

the　Kingdom　of　Heaven；　but　of　the　Kingdom　of　Hell。



Clear　the　public　streets　of　such　shame；　and　the　public　conscience

of　such　reproach？　　Ah！　　Almost　prophetic；　surely；　the　child's

jingle：





When　will　that　be；

Say　the　bells　of　Step…ney！







CHAPTER　XXII　…　BOUND　FOR　THE　GREAT　SALT　LAKE







Behold　me　on　my　way　to　an　Emigrant　Ship；　on　a　hot　morning　early　in

June。　　My　road　lies　through　that　part　of　London　generally　known　to

the　initiated　as　'Down　by　the　Docks。'　　Down　by　the　Docks；　is　home

to　a　good　many　people　…　to　too　many；　if　I　may　judge　from　the

overflow　of　local　population　in　the　streets　…　but　my　nose

insinuates　that　the　number　to　whom　it　is　Sweet　Home　might　be　easily

counted。　　Down　by　the　Docks；　is　a　region　I　would　choose　as　my　point

of　embarkation　aboard　ship　if　I　were　an　emigrant。　　It　would　present

my　intention　to　me　in　such　a　sensible　light；　it　would　show　me　so

many　things　to　be　run　away　from。



Down　by　the　Docks；　they　eat　the　largest　oysters　and　scatter　the

roughest　oyster…shells；　known　to　the　descendants　of　Saint　George

and　the　Dragon。　　Down　by　the　Docks；　they　consume　the　slimiest　of

shell…fish；　which　seem　to　have　been　scraped　off　the　copper　bottoms

of　ships。　　Down　by　the　Docks；　the　vegetables　at　green…grocers'

doors　acquire　a　saline　and　a　scaly　look；　as　if　they　had　been

crossed　with　fish　and　seaweed。　　Down　by　the　Docks；　they　'board

seamen'　at　the　eating…houses；　the　public…houses；　the　slop…shops；

the　coffee…shops；　the　tally…shops；　all　kinds　of　shops　mentionable

and　unmentionable　…　board　them；　as　it　were；　in　the　piratical　sense；

making　them　bleed　terribly；　and　giving　no　quarter。　　Down　by　the

Docks；　the　seamen　roam　in　mid…street　and　mid…day；　their　pockets

inside　out；　and　their　heads　no　better。　　Down　by　the　Docks；　the

daughters　of　wave…ruling　Britannia　also　rove；　clad　in　silken

attire；　with　uncovered　tresses　streaming　in　the　breeze；　bandanna

kerchiefs　floating　from　their　shoulders；　and　crinoline　not　wanting。

Down　by　the　Docks；　you　may　hear　the　Incomparable　Joe　Jackson　sing

the　Standard　of　England；　with　a　hornpipe；　any　night；　or　any　day　may

see　at　the　waxwork；　for　a　penny　and　no　waiting；　him　as　killed　the

policeman　at　Acton　and　suffered　for　it。　　Down　by　the　Docks；　you　may

buy　polonies；　saveloys；　and　sausage　preparations　various；　if　you

are　not　particular　what　they　are　made　of　besides　seasoning。　　Down

by　the　Docks；　the　children　of　Israel　creep　into　any　gloomy　cribs

and　entries　they　can　hire；　and　hang　slops　there　…　pewter　watches；

sou'…wester　hats；　waterproof　overalls　…　'firtht　rate　articleth；

Thjack。'　　Down　by　the　Docks；　such　dealers　exhibiting　on　a　frame　a

complete　nautical　suit　without　the　refinement　of　a　waxen　visage　in

the　hat；　present　the　imaginary　wearer　as　drooping　at　the　yard…arm；

with　his　seafaring　and　earthfaring　troubles　over。　　Down　by　the

Docks；　the　placards　in　the　shops　apostrophise　the　customer；　knowing

him　familiarly　beforehand；　as；　'Look　here；　Jack！'　　'Here's　your

sort；　my　lad！'　　'Try　our　sea…going　mixed；　at　two　and　nine！'　　'The

right　kit　for　the　British　tar！'　　'Ship　ahoy！'　　'Splice　the　main…

brace；　brother！'　　'Come；　cheer　up；　my　lads。　　We've　the　best　liquors

here；　And　you'll　find　something　new　In　our　wonderful　Beer！'　　Down

by　the　Docks；　the　pawnbroker　lends　money　on　Union…Jack　pocket…

handkerchiefs；　on　watches　with　little　ships　pitching　fore　and　aft

on　the　dial；　on　telescopes；　nautical　instruments　in　cases；　and

such…like。　　Down　by　the　Docks；　the　apothecary　sets　up　in　business

on　the　wretchedest　scale　…　chiefly　on　lint　and　plaster　for　the

strapping　of　wounds　…　and　with　no　bright　bottles；　and　with　no

little　drawers。　　Down　by　the　Docks；　the　shabby　undertaker's　shop

will　bury　you　for　next　to　nothing；　after　the　Malay　or　Chinaman　has

stabbed　you　for　nothing　at　all：　　so　you　can　hardly　hope　to　make　a

cheaper　end。　　Down　by　the　Docks；　anybody　drunk　will　quarrel　with

anybody　drunk　or　sober；　and　everybody　else　will　have　a　hand　in　it；

and　on　the　shortest　notice　you　may　revolve　in　a　whirlpool　of　red

shirts；　shaggy　b