ain living and high thinking of
an age gone by; less show and more reality; the destruction of the wall
of partition, either of poverty or of false pride, and the widening and
enhancing the charms of the domestic circle. If now and then the result
is a marriage not very intelligible on pecuniary principles, let us
consider even that as a lesser evil than that resulting from the
companionship, on the part of our youths, with the women who infest such
places as the Eagle, and without which it is clear such places could not
pay.

I will call evidence as to the character of the amusements at the Eagle
Tavern. In the parliamentary report on public-houses, I find Mr Balfour
is examined respecting it. He says, "The most detrimental place of which
I know, as far as women are concerned, is the Eagle Tavern in the
City-road. There are gardens, and statues round the gardens, and
everything to attract. There is a large theatre, and there are
theatrical representations during the week. I have seen women there whom
I have recognised next day as common street-walkers. The gardens are
open, with alcoves and boxes on each side, and lads and young persons are
taken in there and plied with drink. The house is opened on Sunday
evening, but on Sunday evening there is no dramatic representation nor
music. I have seen gentlemen come out drunk." On a Sunday night when Mr
Balfour visited the place, he said, "There were various rooms. There is
what is called the Chinese-room, the ball-room, and the concert-room.
They were all filled with persons drinking, and I saw a great number of
female servants, and females of a certain description; there is no doubt
upon that subject at all." Now, Mr Conquest, the present proprietor,
must have read all this evidence, yet I do not see that he has taken any
steps to reform the evil complained of. It pays, I suppose, and that is
enough. Much money has been made by it. The late proprietor retired a
wealthy man. The present proprietor, we presume, trusts to do the same,
and if the establishment panders to vice, if women date their ruin to
Sunday evenings there, if mothers see their sons robbed of all that would
make them decent men owing to their visits there, what's the odds? cries
the dram-seller, who, like another Cain, asks if he be his brother's
keeper.

The regular attendants see this not. "It's a beautiful place," says Mrs
Smith to Mrs Robinson, "a'nt it, my dear?" as they sit eating
qu