p-boots on. Following our conductor by a
door opposite to that at which we had entered, we arrived at a small
room, without any other furniture than a little desk, with a book for
visitors' autographs, and a shelf, on which were a few boxes for papers,
and casts of the heads and faces of the two notorious murderers, Bishop
and Williams; the former, in particular, exhibiting a style of head and
set of features, which might have afforded sufficient moral grounds for
his instant execution at any time, even had there been no other evidence
against him. Leaving this room also, by an opposite door, we found
ourself in the lodge which opens on the Old Bailey; one side of which is
plentifully garnished with a choice collection of heavy sets of irons,
including those worn by the redoubtable Jack Sheppard--genuine; and those
_said_ to have been graced by the sturdy limbs of the no less celebrated
Dick Turpin--doubtful. From this lodge, a heavy oaken gate, bound with
iron, studded with nails of the same material, and guarded by another
turnkey, opens on a few steps, if we remember right, which terminate in a
narrow and dismal stone passage, running parallel with the Old Bailey,
and leading to the different yards, through a number of tortuous and
intricate windings, guarded in their turn by huge gates and gratings,
whose appearance is sufficient to dispel at once the slightest hope of
escape that any new-comer may have entertained; and the very recollection
of which, on eventually traversing the place again, involves one in a
maze of confusion.

It is necessary to explain here, that the buildings in the prison, or in
other words the different wards--form a square, of which the four sides
abut respectively on the Old Bailey, the old College of Physicians (now
forming a part of Newgate-market), the Sessions-house, and
Newgate-street. The intermediate space is divided into several paved
yards, in which the prisoners take such air and exercise as can be had in
such a place. These yards, with the exception of that in which prisoners
under sentence of death are confined (of which we shall presently give a
more detailed description), run parallel with Newgate-street, and
consequently from the Old Bailey, as it were, to Newgate-market. The
women's side is in the right wing of the prison nearest the
Sessions-house. As we were introduced into this part of the building
first, we will adopt the same order, and introduce our readers to it