f dinners, to win at once
undying reputation. At the dock appears the trembling culprit, guarded
sedulously by the police, who quietly assume his or her guilt, and do all
they can in endeavouring to make out a case,--occasionally going so far
in their zeal as to state things not exactly true, the _esprit de corps_
of course leading them to aid each other whenever they have a chance.

In a low neighbourhood the principal cases heard are those arising from
intoxication. On this particular morning we will suppose the court opens
with what is very common, an assault case between two Irish families who
were hereditary foes, and who, emigrating, or rather, like Eneas, "driven
by fate," from the mother country at the same time, locate, unfortunately
for themselves, in the same neighbourhood,--and who, in accordance with
the well-known remark of Horace, continue in St Giles's the amicable
quarrels of Tipperary, to the amusement of a congenial neighbourhood,
which likes a good fight rather than not, but to the intense terror and
annoyance of all such of her Majesty's lieges as are well disposed. As
generally happens, the case, after a considerable amount of hard swearing
on both sides, is dismissed, leaving to each party the inestimable
privilege of paying costs. This case creates great interest;
complainants and defendants are well-known performers, and the mob comes
to see them as people go to see Wright at the Adelphi. When it
terminates, the Guelphs and Ghibelines leave the court to discuss the
oft-told tale in the nearest public-house. The remaining cases are those
of sailors and navvies, charged with being drunk and disorderly, of
robberies committed by prostitutes when their victims were stupified by
beer, and of ragged urchins with precocious developments, the head and
front of whose offending was that they "heaved" stones, or that they
declined to "move on" when particularly requested to do so by the police.
Poor little outcasts, they are better off in jail than on the streets;
and they know it, and own to an astonishing number of convictions, and
gladly look forward to the time when they shall be able to achieve
greater enormities and manlier offences against law. These cases are
soon disposed of; in the majority the magistrate hears the complaint, and
simply tells the little urchin he "may go down." But let us not leave
yet. That is a publican, and he has a charge against this decent-looking
woman,--she is not