Few persons, particularly those in elevated life, can witness, or even entertain a true idea of the various modes by which the lowest classes gain a livelihood. It is scarcely to be believed that some few years ago a woman, of the name of Smith, regularly went over London early in the morning, to strike out the teeth of dead dogs that had been stolen and killed for the sake of their skins. These teeth she sold to bookbinders, carvers, and gilders, as burnishing tools. There are women who, on Sunday mornings when there are no carts about, frequent Thames Street, and the adjoining lanes inhabited by Lisbon merchants, to pick up from the kennels the refuse of lemons, after they have been squeezed for their juice. These they sell to the Jew distillers, who extract a further portion of liquor, and thus afford them the means of selling, at a considerably reduced price, lemon drops to the lower order of confectioners. It is seldom that the common beggars eat the food given to them; and it is a well-known fact, that they sell their broken bread to the lowest order of the biscuit bakers, who grind it for the purpose of making "tops and bottoms," &c. This was also the practice in former days, as appears in an old ballad, from which the following is an extract:-- THE BEGGAR'S WEDDING; OR, THE JOVIAL CREW. _Printed with allowance, October 19, 1676._ "Then Tom a Bedlam winds his horn at best, Their trumpet 'twas to bring away their feast; Pickt marybones they had, found in the street, Carrots kickt out of kennels with their feet; Crusts gathered up for bisket, twice so dry'd; Alms-tubs, and olla podridas, beside Many such dishes more; but it would cumber Any to name them, more than I can number. Then comes the banquet, which must never fail, That the town gave, of whitebread and strong ale. All were so tipsie, that they could not go, And yet would dance, and cry'd for music hoe: With tonges and gridirons they were play'd unto, And blind men sung, as they are us'd to do. Some whistled, and some hollow sticks did sound, And so melodiously they play around: Lame men, lame women, manfully cry advance, And so, all limping, jovially did dance." Some women gain a living by going from house to house and begging phials. They pretend that they have an order for medicines at the dispensary, for their dear husband, or only child, but know not in what way to get it without a bottle, as they are obliged to take one of their own; at the same time, some will beg white linen rags to dress wounds with. These they soon turn into money at the old iron shops,--the "dealers in marine stores."