Page:Lettersfromlondo00aust.djvu/40

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

[ 30 ]

to external grandeur as to domestic convenience, are so completely guarded with high brick walls, that you might imagine the Baron's wars had not yet termi- nated, for his house in a double sense is the owner's castle. Nor can you look into their gardens by rea- son of the fortifications ; though you frequently see an elevated sign at the corner, requesting you to take notice that "Man Traps" are placed there.

The houses in the city, even if they enjoy ten feet of rear ground, suffer the inconvenience of dark, con- fined air by reason of high walls, the tops of which are usually cemented with broken glass bottles — I do not say to guard against their neighbours.

The security of the house in which I reside is guar- antied in the following manner. The door has a double lock, a chain and two bolts, beside an alarum bell, which is carefully fixed to the pannel every night. A watchman, if he does his duty, passes by the door once in thirty minutes. Another watchman is stationed in the yard and doomed to perpetual im- prisonment with a chain round his neck.

This wariness is perhaps as necessary in London, as the guarded circumspection in wording, and the various formality of executing, a deed. But there is another caution, though in appearance much of the same complexion, which does the people infinite honour. I refer to the christian part of the commu-