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eyes。 I felt as though the cross were too high up； and perched
upon the intervening golden ball too far away。
Facing eastward； I left behind me Smithfield and Old Bailey； … fire
and faggot； condemned hold； public hanging； whipping through the
city at the cart…tail； pillory； branding…iron； and other beautiful
ancestral landmarks； which rude hands have rooted up； without
bringing the stars quite down upon us as yet； … and went my way
upon my beat； noting how oddly characteristic neighbourhoods are
divided from one another； hereabout； as though by an invisible line
across the way。 Here shall cease the bankers and the money…
changers； here shall begin the shipping interest and the nautical…
instrument shops； here shall follow a scarcely perceptible
flavouring of groceries and drugs； here shall come a strong
infusion of butchers； now； small hosiers shall be in the ascendant；
henceforth； everything exposed for sale shall have its ticketed
price attached。 All this as if specially ordered and appointed。
A single stride at Houndsditch Church； no wider than sufficed to
cross the kennel at the bottom of the Canon…gate； which the debtors
in Holyrood sanctuary were wont to relieve their minds by skipping
over； as Scott relates； and standing in delightful daring of
catchpoles on the free side； … a single stride； and everything is
entirely changed in grain and character。 West of the stride； a
table； or a chest of drawers on sale； shall be of mahogany and
French…polished； east of the stride； it shall be of deal； smeared
with a cheap counterfeit resembling lip…salve。 West of the stride；
a penny loaf or bun shall be compact and self…contained； east of
the stride； it shall be of a sprawling and splay…footed character；
as seeking to make more of itself for the money。 My beat lying
round by Whitechapel Church； and the adjacent sugar…refineries； …
great buildings； tier upon tier； that have the appearance of being
nearly related to the dock…warehouses at Liverpool； … I turned off
to my right； and； passing round the awkward corner on my left； came
suddenly on an apparition familiar to London streets afar off。
What London peripatetic of these times has not seen the woman who
has fallen forward； double； through some affection of the spine；
and whose head has of late taken a turn to one side； so that it now
droops over the back of one of her arms at about the wrist？ Who
does not know her staff； and her shawl； and her basket； as she
gropes her way along； capable of seeing nothing but the pavement；
never begging； never stopping； for ever going somewhere on no
business？ How does she live； whence does she come； whither does
she go； and why？ I mind the time when her yellow arms were naught
but bone and parchment。 Slight changes steal over her； for there
is a shadowy suggestion of human skin on them now。 The Strand may
be taken as the central point about which she revolves in a half…
mile orbit。 How comes she so far east as this？ And coming back
too！ Having been how much farther？ She is a rare spectacle in
this neighbourhood。 I receive intelligent information to this
effect from a dog … a lop…sided mongrel with a foolish tail；
plodding along with his tail up； and his ears pricked； and
displaying an amiable interest in the ways of his fellow…men； … if
I may be allowed the expression。 After pausing at a pork…shop； he
is jogging eastward like myself； with a benevolent countenance and
a watery mouth； as though musing on the many excellences of pork；
when he beholds this doubled…up bundle approaching。 He is not so
much astonished at the bundle （though amazed by that）； as the
circumstance that it has within itself the means of locomotion。 He
stops； pricks his ears higher； makes a slight point； stares； utters
a short； low growl； and glistens at the nose； … as I conceive with
terror。 The bundle continuing to approach； he barks； turns tail；
and is about to fly； when； arguing with himself that flight is not
becoming in a dog； he turns； and once more faces the advancing heap
of clothes。 After much hesitation； it occurs to him that there may
be a face in it somewhere。 Desperately resolving to undertake the
adventure； and pursue the inquiry； he goes slowly up to the bundle；
goes slowly round it； and coming at length upon the human
countenance down there where never human countenance should be；
gives a yelp of horror； and flies for the East India Docks。
Being now in the Commercial Road district of my beat； and
bethinking myself that Stepney Station is near； I quicken my pace
that I may turn out of the road at that point； and see how my small
eastern star is shining。
The Children's Hospital； to which I gave that name； is in full
force。 All its beds are occupied。 There is a new face on the bed
where my pretty baby lay； and that sweet little child is now at
rest for ever。 Much kind sympathy has been here since my former
visit； and it is good to see the walls profusely garnished with
dolls。 I wonder what Poodles may think of them； as they stretch
out their arms above the beds； and stare； and display their
splendid dresses。 Poodles has a greater interest in the patients。
I find him making the round of the beds； like a house…surgeon；
attended by another dog； … a friend； … who appears to trot about
with him in the character of his pupil dresser。 Poodles is anxious
to make me known to a pretty little girl looking wonderfully
healthy； who had had a leg taken off for cancer of the knee。 A
difficult operation； Poodles intimates； wagging his tail on the
counterpane； but perfectly successful； as you see； dear sir！ The
patient； patting Poodles； adds with a smile； 'The leg was so much
trouble to me； that I am glad it's gone。' I never saw anything in
doggery finer than the deportment of Poodles； when another little
girl opens her mouth to show a peculiar enlargement of the tongue。
Poodles （at that time on a table； to be on a level with the
occasion） looks at the tongue （with his own sympathetically out） so
very gravely and knowingly； that I feel inclined to put my hand in
my waistcoat…pocket； and give him a guinea； wrapped in paper。
On my beat again； and close to Limehouse Church； its termination； I
found myself near to certain 'Lead…Mills。' Struck by the name；
which was fresh in my memory； and finding； on inquiry； that these
same lead…mills were identified with those same lead…mills of which
I made mention when I first visited the East London Children's
Hospital and its neighbourhood as Uncommercial Traveller； I
resolved to have a look at them。
Received by two very intelligent gentlemen； brothers； and partners
with their father in the concern； and who testified every desire to
show their works to me freely； I went over the lead…mills。 The
purport of such works is the conversion of pig…lead into white…
lead。 This conversion is brought about by the slow and gradual
effecting of certain successive chemical changes in the lead
itself。 The processes are picturesque and interesting； … the most
so； being the burying of the lead； at a certain stage of
preparation； in pots； each pot containing a certain quantity of
acid besides； and all the pots being buried in vast numbers； in
layers； under tan； for some ten weeks。
Hopping up ladders； and across planks； and on elevated perches；
until I was uncertain whether to liken myself to a bird or a brick…
layer； I became conscious of standing on nothing particular；
looking down into one of a series of large cocklofts； with the
outer day peeping in through the chinks in the tiled roof above。 A
number of women were ascending to； and descending from； this
cockloft； each carrying on the upward journey a pot of prepared
lead and acid； for deposition under the smoking tan。 When one
layer of pots was completely filled； it was carefully covered in
with planks； and those were carefully covered with tan again； and
then another layer of pots was begun above； sufficient means of
ventilation being preserved through wooden tubes。 Going down into
the cockloft then filling； I found the heat of the tan to be
surprisingly great； and also the odour of the lead and acid to be
not absolutely exquisite； though I believe not noxious at that
stage。 In other cocklofts； where the pots were being exhumed； the
heat of the steaming tan was much greater； and the smell was
penetrating and peculiar。 There were cocklofts in all stages； full
and empty； half filled and half emptied； strong； active women were
clambering about them busily； and the whole thing had rather the
air of the upper part of the house of some immensely rich old Turk；
whose faithful seraglio were hiding his money because the sultan or
the pasha was coming。
As is the case with most pulps or pigments； so in the instance of
this white…lead； processes of stirring； separating； washing；
grinding； rolling； and pressing succeed。 Some of these are
unques