echanics, engineers, millwrights, and carpenters were fleeing as from
the native country of starvation.

Fitly enough, we slid off on the subject of strikes and wages and hard
times. Being from the Tyne, and a man who had gained and lost in his own
pocket by these fluctuations, he had much to say, and held strong
opinions on the subject. He spoke sharply of the masters, and, when I
led him on, of the men also. The masters had been selfish and
obstructive; the men selfish, silly, and light-headed. He rehearsed to
me the course of a meeting at which he had been present, and the
somewhat long discourse which he had there pronounced, calling into
question the wisdom and even the good faith of the Union delegates; and
although he had escaped himself through flush times and starvation times
with a handsomely provided purse, he had so little faith in either man
or master, and so profound a terror for the unerring Nemesis of
mercantile affairs, that he could think of no hope for our country
outside of a sudden and complete political subversion. Down must go
Lords and Church and Army; and capital, by some happy direction, must
change hands from worse to better, or England stood condemned. Such
principles, he said, were growing "like a seed."

From this mild, soft, domestic man, these words sounded unusually
ominous and grave. I had heard enough revolutionary talk among my
workmen fellow-passengers; but most of it was hot and turgid, and fell
discredited from the lips of unsuccessful men. This man was calm; he had
attained prosperity and ease; he disapproved the policy which had been
pursued by labour in the past; and yet this was his panacea,--to rend
the old country from end to end, and from top to bottom, and in clamour
and civil discord remodel it with the hand of violence.

THE STOWAWAYS

On the Sunday, among a party of men who were talking in our companion,
Steerage No. 2 and 3, we remarked a new figure. He wore tweed clothes,
well enough made if not very fresh, and a plain smoking-cap. His face
was pale, with pale eyes, and spiritedly enough designed; but though not
yet thirty, a sort of blackguardly degeneration had already overtaken
his features. The fine nose had grown fleshy towards the point, the pale
eyes were sunk in fat. His hands were strong and elegant; his experience
of life evidently varied; his speech full of pith and verve; his manners
forward, but perfectly presentable.