or feed its imagination; not least, the invalid from his distant wintering-place; men, in short, immersed in all kinds and grades of occupation, were either bodily present at the deliberations referred to, or were writing about the plan in terms of warm interest, anxious to promote whatever usefulness could be shown them. About the means there was discussion--about the object, none; nor lukewarmness. All were competing, by gifts of time and labour, to snatch some opportunity of serving this neglected cause. [11] I quote from a pamphlet printed by him for private circulation. It was entitled ‘_Health-Fund for London; some Thoughts for next Summer: by Friends in Council_.’ [12] These have since been laid before the House of Lords, on the motion, I think, of Lord Harrowby, who took much interest in the subject. Such--to return to my text--such, I am deeply assured, would be the spirit which a minister of Public Health would find abundantly on his side in Parliamentary discussion, and in the Press. There is no attachment to the incongruities I have sketched as belonging to our abortion of a sanitary system. Still less is there any want of feeling for the poor--any reluctance to raise their state and better their circumstances--any unconsciousness that these things are great solemn duties. On the contrary, everywhere there is the conviction that _something_ must be done; everywhere a waiting for authority to say _what_. But, the trumpet giving an uncertain sound, who can prepare himself to battle? Knowledge, and method, and comprehensiveness, are wanted--the precise, definite, categorical impulses of a Parliamentary leader, who can recognise principles and stick to them. And for such a minister, what a career! It would be idleness to speak of the blessings he could diffuse, the anguish he could relieve, the gratitude and glory he could earn. A heathen can tell him this. _Homines enim ad Deos nullâ re propius accedunt quam salutem hominibus dando. Nihil habet nec fortuna tua majus quam ut possis, nec natura tua melius quam ut velis, conservare quam plurimos._ Upper Grosvenor Street, May 15th, 1854. REPORTS RELATING TO THE SANITARY CONDITION OF THE CITY OF LONDON. FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. TO THE HON. THE COMMISSIONERS OF SEWERS OF THE CITY OF LONDON. _November 6th, 1849._ GENTLEMEN, During the 52 weeks dating from October 1st, 1848, to September 29th, 1849, there died of the population of the City of London 3763 persons. The rate of mortality, estimated from these _data_ for a population of 125,500, would be about the proportion of 30 deaths to every thousand living persons.[13] [13] The Census of 1851, compared with that of 1841, would lead me to believe that in 1848-9 the population of the City must have been about 129,000. With this correction, the death-rate would have been about 29·16 _per_ thousand.--J. S., 1854.