The first
asked two shillings for his performance; so we sent him away. The second
demanded, in the first place, half a crown; but finally consented to take
a shilling, and gave us the show at that price, though much maimed in its
proportions. Besides the spectators in our windows, he had a little
crowd on the sidewalk, to whom he went round for contributions, but I did
not observe that anybody gave him so much as a halfpenny. It is strange
to see how many people are aiming at the small change in your pocket. In
every square a beggar-woman meets you, and turns back to follow your steps
with her miserable murmur. At the street-crossings there are old men or
little girls with their brooms; urchins propose to brush your boots; and
if you get into a cab, a man runs to open the door for you, and touches
his hat for a fee, as he closes it again.
September 15th.--It was raining yesterday, and I kept within doors till
after four o'clock, when J----- and I took a walk into the city. Seeing
the entrance to Clement's Inn, we went through it, and saw the garden,
with a kneeling bronze figure in it; and when just in the midst of the
Inn, I remembered that Justice Shallow was of old a student there. I do
not well understand these Inns of Court, or how they differ from other
places. Anybody seems to be free to reside in them, and a residence does
not seem to involve any obligation to study law, or to have any
connection therewith.
Pages:
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336