more sorry to say, spoil, and even steal and sell--in
London at least--the stop-cocks and lead-pipes which bring the water into
their houses. So that keeping a water-shop is a very troublesome and
uncertain business; and one which is not likely to pay us or any one
round here.

But why not let some company manage it, as they manage railways, and gas,
and other things?

Ah--you have been overhearing a good deal about companies of late, I see.
But this I will tell you; that when you grow up, and have a vote and
influence, it will be your duty, if you intend to be a good citizen, not
only not to put the water-supply of England into the hands of fresh
companies, but to help to take out of their hands what water-supply they
manage already, especially in London; and likewise the gas-supply; and
the railroads; and everything else, in a word, which everybody uses, and
must use. For you must understand--at least as soon as you can--that
though the men who make up companies are no worse than other men, and
some of them, as you ought to know, very good men; yet what they have to
look to is their profits; and the less water they supply, and the worse
it is, the more profit they make. For most water, I am sorry to say, is
fouled before the water companies can get to it, as this water which runs
past us will be, and as the Thames water above London is. Therefore it
has to be cleansed, or partly cleansed, at a very great expense. So
water companies have to be inspected--in plain English, watched--at a
very heavy expense to the nation, by government officers; and compelled
to do their best, and take their utmost care. And so it has come to pass
that the London water is not now nearly as bad as some of it was thirty
years ago, when it was no more fit to drink than that in the cattle yard
tank. But still we must have more water, and better, in London; for it
is growing year by year. There are more than three millions of people
already in what we call London; and ere you are an old man there may be
between four and five millions. Now to supply all these people with
water is a duty which we must not leave to any private companies. It
must be done by a public authority, as is fit and proper in a free self-
governing country. In this matter, as in all others, we will try to do
what the Royal Commission told us four years ago we ought to do. I hope
that you will see, though I may not, the day when what we call London,
but which