unt the number of fires, guessing the place of each. The
alarm was so great, though at a distance, that it was always late before
the family retired to rest. I remained at St. Pancras until the riots
had been subdued and peace restored; and now, though very many matters
crowd my mind, as report after report then reached us, I will leave them
to record only what I personally saw and heard.

Before the vacation was ended, the trials of the prisoners had
proceeded, and I went to a friend's house to see some condemned ones
pass to execution. The house from which I had this painful view has been
removed; the site is now the road to Waterloo Bridge. I believe it was
because a lad was to be executed that I was allowed to go. The mournful
procession passed up St. Catherine's Street, and from the distance I
was, I could only see that the lad in height did not reach above the
shoulders of the two men between whom he sat, who, with him, were to be
executed in Russell Street. Universal and deep was the sympathy
expressed towards the youth from the throng of people, which was
considerable. As it was long before the street was sufficiently cleared
to allow us to return home, the report came that the execution was over,
and that the boy was so light that the executioner jumped on him to
break his neck: and such was the effect of previous sympathy, that a
feeling of horror was excited at the brutality (as they called it) of
the action; but, viewing it calmly, it was wise, and intended kindly to
shorten the time of suffering. While thus waiting, I heard an account of
this boy's trial. A censure was expressed on the government for hanging
one so young, when it was stated that this boy was the only one
executed, though so many were guilty, as an example, as the proof of his
guilt was unquestionable. A witness against him on the trial said, "I
will swear that I have seen that boy actively engaged at several
conflagrations." He was rebuked for thus positively speaking by the
opposite counsel, when he said, "I am quite sure it is the active boy I
have seen so often for I was so impressed with his flagrant conduct that
I cut a piece out of his clothes:" and putting his hand into his pocket,
he pulled out the piece which he had cut off, which exactly fitted to
the boy's jacket. This decided his execution: yet justice was not
vindictive, for very few persons were executed.

I will trespass yet further on your pages to recite one other incident