sunday under three heads-第1节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





Sunday　Under　Three　Heads



by　Charles　Dickens






DEDICATION

To　The　Right　Reverend

THE　BISHOP　OF　LONDON



MY　LORD；



You　were　among　the　first；　some　years　ago；　to　expatiate　on　the

vicious　addiction　of　the　lower　classes　of　society　to　Sunday

excursions；　and　were　thus　instrumental　in　calling　forth　occasional

demonstrations　of　those　extreme　opinions　on　the　subject；　which　are

very　generally　received　with　derision；　if　not　with　contempt。



Your　elevated　station；　my　Lord；　affords　you　countless　opportunities

of　increasing　the　comforts　and　pleasures　of　the　humbler　classes　of

society　…　not　by　the　expenditure　of　the　smallest　portion　of　your

princely　income；　but　by　merely　sanctioning　with　the　influence　of

your　example；　their　harmless　pastimes；　and　innocent　recreations。



That　your　Lordship　would　ever　have　contemplated　Sunday　recreations

with　so　much　horror；　if　you　had　been　at　all　acquainted　with　the

wants　and　necessities　of　the　people　who　indulged　in　them；　I　cannot

imagine　possible。　　That　a　Prelate　of　your　elevated　rank　has　the

faintest　conception　of　the　extent　of　those　wants；　and　the　nature　of

those　necessities；　I　do　not　believe。



For　these　reasons；　I　venture　to　address　this　little　Pamphlet　to

your　Lordship's　consideration。　　I　am　quite　conscious　that　the

outlines　I　have　drawn；　afford　but　a　very　imperfect　description　of

the　feelings　they　are　intended　to　illustrate；　but　I　claim　for　them

one　merit　…　their　truth　and　freedom　from　exaggeration。　　I　may　have

fallen　short　of　the　mark；　but　I　have　never　overshot　it：　　and　while

I　have　pointed　out　what　appears　to　me；　to　be　injustice　on　the　part

of　others；　I　hope　I　have　carefully　abstained　from　committing　it

myself。



I　am；

My　Lord；

Your　Lordship's　most　obedient；

Humble　Servant；

TIMOTHY　SPARKS。

JUNE；　1836。







CHAPTER　I　…　AS　IT　IS







There　are　few　things　from　which　I　derive　greater　pleasure；　than

walking　through　some　of　the　principal　streets　of　London　on　a　fine

Sunday；　in　summer；　and　watching　the　cheerful　faces　of　the　lively

groups　with　which　they　are　thronged。　　There　is　something；　to　my

eyes　at　least；　exceedingly　pleasing　in　the　general　desire　evinced

by　the　humbler　classes　of　society；　to　appear　neat　and　clean　on　this

their　only　holiday。　　There　are　many　grave　old　persons；　I　know；　who

shake　their　heads　with　an　air　of　profound　wisdom；　and　tell　you　that

poor　people　dress　too　well　now…a…days；　that　when　they　were

children；　folks　knew　their　stations　in　life　better；　that　you　may

depend　upon　it；　no　good　will　come　of　this　sort　of　thing　in　the　end；

…　and　so　forth：　　but　I　fancy　I　can　discern　in　the　fine　bonnet　of

the　working…man's　wife；　or　the　feather…bedizened　hat　of　his　child；

no　inconsiderable　evidence　of　good　feeling　on　the　part　of　the　man

himself；　and　an　affectionate　desire　to　expend　the　few　shillings　he

can　spare　from　his　week's　wages；　in　improving　the　appearance　and

adding　to　the　happiness　of　those　who　are　nearest　and　dearest　to

him。　　This　may　be　a　very　heinous　and　unbecoming　degree　of　vanity；

perhaps；　and　the　money　might　possibly　be　applied　to　better　uses；　it

must　not　be　forgotten；　however；　that　it　might　very　easily　be

devoted　to　worse：　　and　if　two　or　three　faces　can　be　rendered　happy

and　contented；　by　a　trifling　improvement　of　outward　appearance；　I

cannot　help　thinking　that　the　object　is　very　cheaply　purchased；

even　at　the　expense　of　a　smart　gown；　or　a　gaudy　riband。　　There　is　a

great　deal　of　very　unnecessary　cant　about　the　over…dressing　of　the

common　people。　　There　is　not　a　manufacturer　or　tradesman　in

existence；　who　would　not　employ　a　man　who　takes　a　reasonable　degree

of　pride　in　the　appearance　of　himself　and　those　about　him；　in

preference　to　a　sullen；　slovenly　fellow；　who　works　doggedly　on；

regardless　of　his　own　clothing　and　that　of　his　wife　and　children；

and　seeming　to　take　pleasure　or　pride　in　nothing。



The　pampered　aristocrat；　whose　life　is　one　continued　round　of

licentious　pleasures　and　sensual　gratifications；　or　the　gloomy

enthusiast；　who　detests　the　cheerful　amusements　he　can　never　enjoy；

and　envies　the　healthy　feelings　he　can　never　know；　and　who　would

put　down　the　one　and　suppress　the　other；　until　he　made　the　minds　of

his　fellow…beings　as　besotted　and　distorted　as　his　own；　…　neither

of　these　men　can　by　possibility　form　an　adequate　notion　of　what

Sunday　really　is　to　those　whose　lives　are　spent　in　sedentary　or

laborious　occupations；　and　who　are　accustomed　to　look　forward　to　it

through　their　whole　existence；　as　their　only　day　of　rest　from　toil；

and　innocent　enjoyment。



The　sun　that　rises　over　the　quiet　streets　of　London　on　a　bright

Sunday　morning；　shines　till　his　setting；　on　gay　and　happy　faces。

Here　and　there；　so　early　as　six　o'clock；　a　young　man　and　woman　in

their　best　attire；　may　be　seen　hurrying　along　on　their　way　to　the

house　of　some　acquaintance；　who　is　included　in　their　scheme　of

pleasure　for　the　day；　from　whence；　after　stopping　to　take　〃a　bit　of

breakfast；〃　they　sally　forth；　accompanied　by　several　old　people；

and　a　whole　crowd　of　young　ones；　bearing　large　hand…baskets　full　of

provisions；　and　Belcher　handkerchiefs　done　up　in　bundles；　with　the

neck　of　a　bottle　sticking　out　at　the　top；　and　closely…packed　apples

bulging　out　at　the　sides；　…　and　away　they　hurry　along　the　streets

leading　to　the　steam…packet　wharfs；　which　are　already　plentifully

sprinkled　with　parties　bound　for　the　same　destination。　　Their　good

humour　and　delight　know　no　bounds　…　for　it　is　a　delightful　morning；

all　blue　over　head；　and　nothing　like　a　cloud　in　the　whole　sky；　and

even　the　air　of　the　river　at　London　Bridge　is　something　to　them；

shut　up　as　they　have　been；　all　the　week；　in　close　streets　and

heated　rooms。　　There　are　dozens　of　steamers　to　all　sorts　of　places

…　Gravesend；　Greenwich；　and　Richmond；　and　such　numbers　of　people；

that　when　you　have　once　sat　down　on　the　deck；　it　is　all　but　a　moral

impossibility　to　get　up　again　…　to　say　nothing　of　walking　about；

which　is　entirely　out　of　the　question。　　Away　they　go；　joking　and

laughing；　and　eating　and　drinking；　and　admiring　everything　they

see；　and　pleased　with　everything　they　hear；　to　climb　Windmill　Hill；

and　catch　a　glimpse　of　the　rich　corn…fields　and　beautiful　orchards

of　Kent；　or　to　stroll　among　the　fine　old　trees　of　Greenwich　Park；

and　survey　the　wonders　of　Shooter's　Hill　and　Lady　James's　Folly；　or

to　glide　past　the　beautiful　meadows　of　Twickenham　and　Richmond；　and

to　gaze　with　a　delight　which　only　people　like　them　can　know；　on

every　lovely　object　in　the　fair　prospect　around。　　Boat　follows

boat；　and　coach　succeeds　coach；　for　the　next　three　hours；　but　all

are　filled；　and　all　with　the　same　kind　of　people　…　neat　and　clean；

cheerful　and　contented。



They　reach　their　places　of　destination；　and　the　taverns　are

crowded；　but　there　is　no　drunkenness　or　brawling；　for　the　class　of

men　who　commit　the　enormity　of　making　Sunday　excursions；　take　their

families　with　them：　　and　this　in　itself　would　be　a　check　upon　them；

even　if　they　were　inclined　to　dissipation；　which　they　really　are

not。　　Boisterous　their　mirth　may　be；　for　they　have　all　the

excitement　of　feeling　that　fresh　air　and　green　fields　can　impart　to

the　dwellers　in　crowded　cities；　but　it　is　innocent　and　harmless。

The　glass　is　circulated；　and　the　joke　goes　round；　but　the　one　is

free　from　excess；　and　the　other　from　offence；　and　nothing　but　good

humour　and　hilarity　prevail。



In　streets　like　Holborn　and　Tottenham　Court　Road；　which　form　the

central　market　of　a　large　neighbourhood；　inhabited　by　a　vast　number

of　mechanics　and　poor　people；　a　few　shops　are　open　at　an　early　hour

of　the　morning；　and　a　very　poor　man；　with　a　thin　and　sickly　woman

by　his　side；　may　be　seen　with　their　little　basket　in　hand；

purchasing　the　scanty　quantity　of　necessaries　they　can　afford；

which　the　time　at　which　the　man　receives　his　wages；　or　his　having　a

good　deal　of　work　to　do；　or　the　woman's　having　been　out　charing

till　a　late　hour；　prevented　their　procuring　over…night。　　The

coffee…shops　too；　at　which　clerks　and　young　men　employed　in

counting…houses　can　procure　their　breakfasts；　are　also　open。　　This

class　comprises；　in　a　place　like　London；　an　enormous　number　of

people；　whose　limited　means　prevent　their　engaging　for　their

lodgings　any　other　apartment　than　a　bedroom；　and　who　have

consequently　no　alternative　but　to　take　their　breakfasts　at　a

coffee…shop；　or　go　without　it　altogether。　　All　these　places；

however；　are　quickly　closed；　and　by　the　time　the　church　bells　begin

to　ring；　all　appearance　of　traffic　has　ceased。　　And　then；　what　are

the　signs　of　immorality　that　meet　the　eye？　　Churches　are　well

filled；　and　Dissenters'　chapels　are　crowded　to　suffocation。　　There

is　no　preaching　to　empty　benches；　while　the　drunken　and　dissolute

populace　run　riot　in　the　streets。



Here　is　a　fashionable　church；　where　the　service　commences　at　a　late

hour；　for　the　accommodation　of　such　members　of　the　congregation　…