’Sotheymight；butthebadfoodtolduponthem，andwhenwegotintoacoldlatitude，itbegantotellmore，andthemendropped。’
’Thesickhadageneraldisinclinationforfood，Iamtold，sergeant？’
’Haveyouseenthefood，sir？’
’Someofit。’
’Haveyouseenthestateoftheirmouths，sir？’
Ifthesergeant，whowasamanofafeworderlywords，hadspokentheamountofthisvolume，hecouldnothavesettledthatquestionbetter。Ibelievethesickcouldassoonhaveeatentheship，astheship’sprovisions。
ItooktheadditionallibertywithmyfriendPangloss，whenIhadleftthesergeantwithgoodwishes，ofaskingPanglosswhetherhehadeverheardofbiscuitgettingdrunkandbarteringitsnutritiousqualitiesforputrefactionandvermin；ofpeasbecominghardenedinliquor；ofhammocksdrinkingthemselvesoffthefaceoftheearth；oflime-juice，vegetables，vinegar，cookingaccommodation，watersupply，andbeer，alltakingtodrinkingtogetherandgoingtoruin？’IfnotIaskedhim，whatdidhesayindefenceoftheofficerscondemnedbytheCoroner’sjury，who，bysigningtheGeneralInspectionreportrelativetotheshipGreatTasmania，charteredforthesetroops，haddeliberatelyassertedallthatbadandpoisonousdunghillrefuse，tobegoodandwholesomefood？’Myofficialfriendrepliedthatitwasaremarkablefact，thatwhereassomeofficerswereonlypositivelygood，andotherofficersonlycomparativelybetter，thoseparticularofficersweresuperlativelytheverybestofallpossibleofficers。
Myhandandmyheartfailme，inwritingmyrecordofthisjourney。
Thespectacleofthesoldiersinthehospital-bedsofthatLiverpoolworkhouseaverygoodworkhouse，indeed，beitunderstood，wassoshockingandsoshameful，thatasanEnglishmanIblushtorememberit。Itwouldhavebeensimplyunbearableatthetime，butfortheconsiderationandpitywithwhichtheyweresoothedintheirsufferings。
Nopunishmentthatourinefficientlawsprovide，isworthyofthenamewhensetagainsttheguiltofthistransaction。But，ifthememoryofitdieoutunavenged，andifitdonotresultintheinexorabledismissalanddisgraceofthosewhoareresponsibleforit，theirescapewillbeinfamoustotheGovernmentnomatterofwhatpartythatsoneglectsitsduty，andinfamoustothenationthattamelysufferssuchintolerablewrongtobedoneinitsname。
IftheconfessionthatIhaveoftentravelledfromthisCoventGardenlodgingofmineonSundays，shouldgiveoffencetothosewhonevertravelonSundays，theywillbesatisfiedIhopebymyaddingthatthejourneysinquestionweremadetochurches。
NotthatIhaveanycuriositytohearpowerfulpreachers。Timewas，whenIwasdraggedbythehairofmyhead，asonemaysay，toheartoomany。Onsummerevenings，wheneveryflower，andtree，andbird，mighthavebetteraddressedmysoftyoungheart，Ihaveinmydaybeencaughtinthepalmofafemalehandbythecrown，havebeenviolentlyscrubbedfromthenecktotherootsofthehairasapurificationfortheTemple，andhavethenbeencarriedoffhighlychargedwithsaponaceouselectricity，tobesteamedlikeapotatointheunventilatedbreathofthepowerfulBoanergesBoilerandhiscongregation，untilwhatsmallmindIhad，wasquitesteamedoutofme。InwhichpitiableplightIhavebeenhaledoutoftheplaceofmeeting，attheconclusionoftheexercises，andcatechisedrespectingBoanergesBoiler，hisfifthly，hissixthly，andhisseventhly，untilIhaveregardedthatreverendpersoninthelightofamostdismalandoppressiveCharade。Timewas，whenIwascarriedofftoplatformassemblagesatwhichnohumanchild，whetherofwrathorgrace，couldpossiblykeepitseyesopen，andwhenIfeltthefatalsleepstealing，stealingoverme，andwhenI
graduallyheardtheoratorinpossession，spinningandhumminglikeagreattop，untilherolled，collapsed，andtumbledover，andI
discoveredtomyburningshameandfear，thatastothatlaststageitwasnothe，butI。IhavesatunderBoanergeswhenhehasspecificallyaddressedhimselftous-us，theinfants-andatthispresentwritingIhearhislumberingjocularitywhichneveramusedus，thoughwebaselypretendedthatitdid，andIbeholdhisbigroundface，andIlookuptheinsideofhisoutstretchedcoat-sleeveasifitwereatelescopewiththestopperon，andI
hatehimwithanunwholesomehatredfortwohours。ThroughsuchmeansdiditcometopassthatIknewthepowerfulpreacherfrombeginningtoend，alloverandallthrough，whileIwasveryyoung，andthatIlefthimbehindatanearlyperiodoflife。Peacebewithhim！Morepeacethanhebroughttome！
Now，Ihaveheardmanypreacherssincethattime-notpowerful；
merelyChristian，unaffected，andreverential-andIhavehadmanysuchpreachersonmyrolloffriends。But，itwasnottohearthese，anymorethanthepowerfulclass，thatImademySundayjourneys。TheywerejourneysofcuriositytothenumerouschurchesintheCityofLondon。Itcameintomyheadoneday，herehadI
beencultivatingafamiliaritywithallthechurchesofRome，andI
knewnothingoftheinsidesoftheoldchurchesofLondon！ThisbefellonaSundaymorning。Ibeganmyexpeditionsthatverysameday，andtheylastedmeayear。
IneverwantedtoknowthenamesofthechurchestowhichIwent，andtothishourIamprofoundlyignorantinthatparticularofatleastnine-tenthsofthem。Indeed，sayingthatIknowthechurchofoldGOWER’StombheliesineffigywithhisheaduponhisbookstobethechurchofSaintSaviour’s，Southwark；andthechurchofMILTON’StombtobethechurchofCripplegate；andthechurchonCornhillwiththegreatgoldenkeystobethechurchofSaintPeter；IdoubtifIcouldpassacompetitiveexaminationinanyofthenames。NoquestiondidIeveraskoflivingcreatureconcerningthesechurches，andnoanswertoanyantiquarianquestiononthesubjectthatIeverputtobooks，shallharassthereader’ssoul。Afullhalfofmypleasureinthemaroseoutoftheirmystery；mysteriousIfoundthem；mysterioustheyshallremainforme。
WhereshallIbeginmyroundofhiddenandforgottenoldchurchesintheCityofLondon？
ItistwentyminutesshortofelevenonaSundaymorning，whenI
strolldownoneofthemanynarrowhillystreetsintheCitythattendduesouthtotheThames。Itismyfirstexperiment，andI
havecometotheregionofWhittingtoninanomnibus，andwehaveputdownafierce-eyed，spareoldwoman，whoseslate-colouredgownsmellsofherbs，andwhowalkedupAldersgate-streettosomechapelwhereshecomfortsherselfwithbrimstonedoctrine，Iwarrant。Wehavealsoputdownastouterandsweeteroldlady，withaprettylargeprayer-bookinanunfoldedpocket-handkerchief，whogotoutatacornerofacourtnearStationers’Hall，andwhoIthinkmustgotochurchthere，becausesheisthewidowofsomedeceasedoldCompany’sBeadle。Therestofourfreightweremerechancepleasure-seekersandruralwalkers，andwentontotheBlackwallrailway。Somanybellsareringing，whenIstandundecidedatastreetcorner，thateverysheepintheecclesiasticalfoldmightbeabell-wether。Thediscordanceisfearful。Mystateofindecisionisreferableto，andaboutequallydivisibleamong，fourgreatchurches，whichareallwithinsightandsound，allwithinthespaceofafewsquareyards。
AsIstandatthestreetcorner，Idon’tseeasmanyasfourpeopleatoncegoingtochurch，thoughIseeasmanyasfourchurcheswiththeirsteeplesclamouringforpeople。Ichoosemychurch，andgouptheflightofstepstothegreatentranceinthetower。A
mouldytowerwithin，andlikeaneglectedwashhouse。Aropecomesthroughthebeamedroof，andamaninthecornerpullsitandclashesthebell-awhity-brownman，whoseclotheswereonceblack-amanwithflueonhim，andcobweb。Hestaresatme，wonderinghowIcomethere，andIstareathim，wonderinghowhecomesthere。
Throughascreenofwoodandglass，Ipeepintothedimchurch。
Abouttwentypeoplearediscernible，waitingtobegin。Christeningwouldseemtohavefadedoutofthischurchlongago，forthefonthasthedustofdesuetudethickuponit，anditswoodencovershapedlikeanold-fashionedtureen-coverlooksasifitwouldn’tcomeoff，uponrequirement。IperceivethealtartobericketyandtheCommandmentsdamp。Enteringafterthissurvey，Ijostletheclergymaninhiscanonicals，whoisenteringtoofromadarklanebehindapewofstatewithcurtains，wherenobodysits。Thepewisornamentedwithfourbluewands，oncecarriedbyfoursomebodys，I
suppose，beforesomebodyelse，butwhichthereisnobodynowtoholdorreceivehonourfrom。Iopenthedoorofafamilypew，andshutmyselfin；ifIcouldoccupytwentyfamilypewsatonceI
mighthavethem。Theclerk，abriskyoungmanhowdoesHEcomehere？，glancesatmeknowingly，aswhoshouldsay，’Youhavedoneitnow；youmuststop。’Organplays。Organ-loftisinasmallgalleryacrossthechurch；gallerycongregation，twogirls。I
wonderwithinmyselfwhatwillhappenwhenwearerequiredtosing。
Thereisapaleheapofbooksinthecornerofmypew，andwhiletheorgan，whichishoarseandsleepy，playsinsuchfashionthatI
canhearmoreoftherustyworkingofthestopsthanofanymusic，Ilookatthebooks，whicharemostlyboundinfadedbaizeandstuff。Theybelongedin1754，totheDowgatefamily；andwhowerethey？JaneComportmusthavemarriedYoungDowgate，andcomeintothefamilythatway；YoungDowgatewascourtingJaneComportwhenhegaveherherprayer-book，andrecordedthepresentationinthefly-leaf；ifJanewerefondofYoungDowgate，whydidshedieandleavethebookhere？Perhapsatthericketyaltar，andbeforethedampCommandments，she，Comport，hadtakenhim，Dowgate，inaflushofyouthfulhopeandjoy，andperhapsithadnotturnedoutinthelongrunasgreatasuccessaswasexpected？
Theopeningoftheservicerecallsmywanderingthoughts。Ithenfind，tomyastonishment，thatIhavebeen，andstillam，takingastrongkindofinvisiblesnuff，upmynose，intomyeyes，anddownmythroat。Iwink，sneeze，andcough。Theclerksneezes；theclergymanwinks；theunseenorganistsneezesandcoughsandprobablywinks；allourlittlepartywink，sneeze，andcough。Thesnuffseemstobemadeofthedecayofmatting，wood，cloth，stone，iron，earth，andsomethingelse。Isthesomethingelse，thedecayofdeadcitizensinthevaultsbelow？AssureasDeathitis！Notonlyinthecold，dampFebruaryday，dowecoughandsneezedeadcitizens，allthroughtheservice，butdeadcitizenshavegotintotheverybellowsoftheorgan，andhalfchokedthesame。Westampourfeettowarmthem，anddeadcitizensariseinheavyclouds。