J AMES GRANT'S SKETCHES IN LONDON.

WHEN we glanced over the contents of this volume, by the noto- rious author of Random Recollections of Me Lords and Commons, we expected more reality and entertainment, of a certain kind, than we have found. Impostors, debtors and their prisons, penny theatres, put. houses, the Lumber Troop, fairs aLd police-offices, with other subjects uf a like description, seemed more akin to the pursuits and capabilii ies of the author, than senates, courts, and Al- mack's. The fact, however, contradicts the theory. Whether it be that there is no truth in him, or that he painted novelties as well as he could, interlarding them only with his own reflections, whilst he deems it needful to aim at embellishing familiar things, weknow not : let it suffice to say, that he has spoiled a congenial subject, by not resting satisfied with Nature, or by drawing from her too literally. There may be uses in the vice, vulgarity, and degradation of a stroller's booth or a penny theatre ; but it re- quires a satirist or moralist to turn them to account. Roy- stering, jollity, and butlbonery, not unmixed with hearty con- viviality, or jests of deeper meaning, may be found in the pranks of the Lumber Troopers: but they are all beyond the appre- ciation of this " reporter." Sympathy or moral-the spirit of humanity, not quite quenched in the meanest outcast, or the profitable reflections we may draw from his lot-are beyond the ken of this vulear-msded person. He sees in wealth nothing but its jewels and its line linen ; in poverty uothing but its dirt and rags. The chemist might as well expect the blubber-eating Esquitnaux to extract the latent heat front the snows around hint, as to get from this writer one particle beyond the externals of things. Yet even this might be passed, if he did not vulgarize even the vulgarest by tinging it with the hue of his own mind. Who, however, can greatly blame this modern Iscariot Hackney, when numbers are found to encourage his lueuhrations? Compelled by duty, we have read, not the whole, but a very considerable portion of this bulky volume; and the only points we observed of any mark are two, and neither produced by any merit in the author. He states, that in the large and liberally. managed parish of Marylebone, the average cost of a healthy pauper per week is only 3s. 6ef. ; of those in the infirmary, inclu- ding wines and medicines. only Gs. 6(1.; a sum which, after lull allowance for the inevitable difference-between private and public economics, seems to prove that the poor of this country sadly want instruction in the husbandry of their means. The other point is, the labours of begging writers; who really seem to earn their gains. There must be much industry in the professor; for, besides the number of letters he must write, he has to find out the different characters of the wealthy individuals he pro- poses to attempt, so as to know who will give, and to whom. He must have genius to address him fitly, as well as to touch the

moving key. Lastly, he must be very regular in recording his correspondence, to avoid detection; ter it is obvious that if the

same story were repeated to the same person, not only failure, but the police would follow. This is an extract, with the Re- porter's setting, from the private book of one of this tribe.

It will he seen that, in most cases, the writer first mentions the name of the party applied to; then the assumed name in which the application is made; thirdly, the fictitious case of distress got up; aud lastly, the result of the ap- plication where successful. In some cases 'inc ur two terms are made use of, as "Deity " in the first entry, which are not so intelligible. [" Mary Cole" doubt- less represented herself as a native of Derry.] Feb. 6.-Matquit; of Bristol. Derry; Mary Cole ; blind ; seven children ; three cripples. Feb. a-Admiral Curzon. Ship Pallas; Sam Bowden, mate ; seized for 4/. 4s. rent ; paralytic stroke. Result, 2/. Feb. 15.-Advaira1 Curzon. Ship Douglas; Powders, Mackey, and Bill Stroud, cripples, and two stone blind. Received 21. Feb. 26.-8ir Peter Durham. Lieutenant Sputa; leg off; bard up. Re- sult, 20/.

March 12.-Countess of Mansfield. Widow ; nine children; hoopings cough ; cholera morbus; measles.

March 14.-Lord Melbourne. Jane Simpson; father blind; mother dead ; no money to bury her. March 18.-Countess of Mansfield. Daughter supporting mother and grand- mother by needlework ; lost use of both hands; furnitute seized for 6/. 10r. Received 3/.

March 24.-Earl Fitzwillism. Goods seized for 4/. 4s. ; no bed ; wife just lying-in. Result, 21.

Whether our lueubrator may have thrown in any touches here, we cannot undertake to say : the business-like brevity, however, wears the appearance of truth ; whereas the inventions of this im- pudent impostor (in letters of another kind) are extended witia remarks, and intended hits, which, in private memoranda, are without object or likelihood.

June 20.-Addressed the Duke of Richmond under the name of Jobn Smith ; case, leg amputated, out of work fur six months, and wife and seven children starving. Result, 21. Not amiss; but hope to be more successful next time.

June 25.-Letter to Bishop of London; name, William Anderson; cases licensed clergyman of the Church of England, but unemployed for :our years, and wife dead three weeks ago, leaving five motherless children. result, no go : too olda bird to be caught with chair; but try it on again next week. June 26.-Try Sir Peter Laurie ; case, industrious Seotchman. but no em- ployment; lived on bread and water foreight days, but no btead, nor any thing to eat for the last three days ; name, John 1.aurie. Result, referred to the Meudicity Society, Sir Peter being too fur Nen th lobe done ; knowing rogacs

tleese Scotchmen ; there is no gammonitty them. I •

July G.-Letter to Lord Holland ; name, Jonathan Manson ; case, endured for a long series of years a species of living martyrdom for my zeal for Reform Pt incipka ; was intinyarly acquainted with Muir, Palmer, and the other Scotch Reformers who sufferol in 1794, fur their principles; ant now struck with patsy; wife dying, and six children without a bed to lie on, a rag to cover them, or a morsel of food of any kind to put into their mouths; most deplorable case altogether ; dire necessity that induces to mite; great outrage to feelings. lleecieed al., with a eery cwapassionote letter ; thc compassion may go to the

dogs, but the smacthi:v substantial ; jolly old cock yvt ! long in ty lie lire

to lean on his crutches : go it again ; stick it into him at Ictst once a

fortnight.

July 3.-Wrote to Lund Brougham; directed to apply to the MendicIty So- ciety; particularly obliged to his Lutdship for his advice, but would have pre- fared a sovereign or two; have nu wish to make the acquaintance of these Society gentry : wonder how his Lordship himself would like their bone-gruel, which they dignify with the name of soup, and to be kept to hard work at the mill to the bargain.

Enough of Sketches in London.