The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 14, No. 401, November 28, 1829Various
General
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 14, No. 401, November 28, 1829
Various
Popular literature -- Great Britain -- Periodicals
An example has just passed my window, in the shape of a dashing English
landau. It contains a "lady," who married a poor half-pay lieutenant,
and who now drinks tea that would cost in England twenty shillings
the pound. They emigrated to New South Wales in 1815. But how did she
get that carriage, and how does she manage to send to China for the
gunpowder? Thus:--Her husband is both landowner and merchant. Being
constantly supplied with a number of convict labourers, he breeds cattle
and cultivates grain; and as he gives to his labourers but just enough
for their subsistence, he has a large surplus produce. Having sold
to the local government wheat and beef for the supply of prisons,
hospitals, and barracks, he is paid partly with bills upon the English
treasury, and partly with dollars, sent from England for the support of
the great penitentiary. He remits one of those bills to his London
agent, and desires him to purchase, with the proceeds thereof, a superb
landau. In less than a year, his wife "rides in her coach." He sends
some of the dollars to Canton, and purchases therewith a cargo of tea,
of which he gives to his wife as much as she likes, and sells the rest
to the wives of other men, who pay him with bills or dollars, received
again from the government for wheat and beef. Thus, you see, Mrs. ----
is indebted for two decided proofs of wealth to the prevalence of crime
in England. Even the coat of arms on her landau was found by your
Herald's College, in return for a part of the proceeds of that bill,
which was drawn _to pay for the food of the soldiers who drove the
convicts, who produced the food_. Our old friend Sir George Nayler would
no doubt start at being told of his obligation to the pickpockets of
London. And the rogues are little aware of their influence in political
economy; but I have stated a plain fact, which, if you have any doubts
about it, pray submit both to Sir George himself, and to Mr. M'Culloch.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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