Transcribed from the 1860 William Tinsley edition by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org ABOUT LONDON. * * * * * BY J. EWING RITCHIE, Author of “Night Side of London;” “The London Pulpit;” “Here and There in London,” &c. * * * * * * * * * * “The boiling town keeps secrets ill.”—AURORA LEIGH. * * * * * * * * * * LONDON: WILLIAM TINSLEY, 314, STRAND. 1860. ADVERTISEMENT. The author of the following pages, must plead as his apology for again trespassing on the good nature of the public, the success of his other books. He is aware that, owing to unavoidable circumstances, the volume here and there bears marks of haste, but he trusts that on the whole it may be considered reliable, and not altogether unworthy of the public favour. * * * * * FINCHLEY, _June_ 16_th_, 1860. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. PAGE. NEWSPAPER PEOPLE 1 CHAPTER II. SPIRITUALISM 12 CHAPTER III. ABOUT COAL 23 CHAPTER IV. HIGHGATE 44 CHAPTER V. TOM TIDDLER’S GROUND 60 CHAPTER VI. WESTMINSTER ABBEY 68 CHAPTER VII. LONDON CHARITIES 76 CHAPTER VIII. PEDESTRIANISM 84 CHAPTER IX. OVER LONDON BRIDGE 92 CHAPTER X. THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AND THE EARLY-CLOSING MOVEMENT 101 CHAPTER XI. TOWN MORALS 110 CHAPTER XI. THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED 121 CHAPTER XII. LONDON MATRIMONIAL 131 CHAPTER XIII. BREACH OF PROMISE CASES 141 CHAPTER XIV. COMMERCIAL LONDON 149 CHAPTER XV. LONDON GENTS 158 CHAPTER XVI. THE LONDON VOLUNTEERS 165