TheconsequencesofthiscontemplativehabitonthepartoftheExecutive-ahabittobelookedforinahermit，butnotinaPoliceSystem-arefamiliartousall。TheRuffianbecomesoneoftheestablishedordersofthebodypolitic。UndertheplayfulnameofRoughasifheweremerelyapracticaljokerhismovementsandsuccessesarerecordedonpublicoccasions。Whetherhemusteredinlargenumbers，orsmall；whetherhewasingoodspirits，ordepressed；whetherheturnedhisgenerousexertionstoveryprosperousaccount，orFortunewasagainsthim；whetherhewasinasanguinarymood，orrobbedwithamiablehorse-playandagraciousconsiderationforlifeandlimb；allthisischronicledasifhewereanInstitution。IsthereanycityinEurope，outofEngland，inwhichthesetermsareheldwiththepestsofSociety？Orinwhich，atthisday，suchviolentrobberiesfromthepersonareconstantlycommittedasinLondon？
ThePreparatorySchoolsofRuffianismaresimilarlybornewith。
TheyoungRuffiansofLondon-notThievesyet，buttrainingforscholarshipsandfellowshipsintheCriminalCourtUniversities-
molestquietpeopleandtheirproperty，toanextentthatishardlycredible。Thethrowingofstonesinthestreetshasbecomeadangerousanddestructiveoffence，whichsurelycouldhavegottonogreaterheightthoughwehadhadnoPolicebutourownriding-
whipsandwalking-sticks-thePolicetowhichImyselfappealontheseoccasions。Thethrowingofstonesatthewindowsofrailwaycarriagesinmotion-anactofwantonwickednesswiththeveryArch-Fiend’shandinit-hadbecomeacryingevil，whentherailwaycompaniesforceditonPolicenotice。Constabularcontemplationhaduntilthenbeentheorderoftheday。
Withinthesetwelvemonths，therearoseamongtheyounggentlemenofLondonaspiringtoRuffianism，andcultivatingthatmuch-
encouragedsocialart，afacetiouscryof’I’llhavethis！’
accompaniedwithaclutchatsomearticleofapassinglady’sdress。Ihaveknownalady’sveiltobethushumorouslytornfromherfaceandcarriedoffintheopenstreetsatnoon；andIhavehadthehonourofmyselfgivingchase，onWestminsterBridge，toanotheryoungRuffian，who，infulldaylightearlyonasummerevening，hadnearlythrownamodestyoungwomanintoaswoonofindignationandconfusion，byhisshamefulmannerofattackingherwiththiscryassheharmlesslypassedalongbeforeme。MR。
CARLYLE，sometimesince，awakenedalittlepleasantrybywritingofhisownexperienceoftheRuffianofthestreets。IhaveseentheRuffianactinexactaccordancewithMr。Carlyle’sdescription，innumerabletimes，andIneversawhimchecked。
Theblaringuseoftheveryworstlanguagepossible，inourpublicthoroughfares-especiallyinthosesetapartforrecreation-isanotherdisgracetous，andanotherresultofconstabularcontemplation，thelikeofwhichIhaveneverheardinanyothercountrytowhichmyuncommercialtravelshaveextended。Yearsago，whenIhadanearinterestincertainchildrenwhoweresentwiththeirnurses，forairandexercise，intotheRegent’sPark，Ifoundthiseviltobesoabhorrentandhorriblethere，thatIcalledpublicattentiontoit，andalsotoitscontemplativereceptionbythePolice。LookingafterwardsintothenewestPoliceAct，andfindingthattheoffencewaspunishableunderit，Iresolved，whenstrikingoccasionshouldarise，totrymyhandasprosecutor。Theoccasionarosesoonenough，andIranthefollowinggauntlet。
Theuttererofthebasecoininquestionwasagirlofseventeenoreighteen，who，withasuitableattendanceofblackguards，youths，andboys，wasflauntingalongthestreets，returningfromanIrishfuneral，inaProgressinterspersedwithsinginganddancing。Shehadturnedroundtomeandexpressedherselfinthemostaudiblemanner，tothegreatdelightofthatselectcircle。Iattendedtheparty，ontheoppositesideoftheway，foramilefurther，andthenencounteredaPolice-constable。Thepartyhadmadethemselvesmerryatmyexpenseuntilnow，butseeingmespeaktotheconstable，itsmalemembersinstantlytooktotheirheels，leavingthegirlalone。Iaskedtheconstabledidheknowmyname？Yes，hedid。’Takethatgirlintocustody，onmycharge，forusingbadlanguageinthestreets。’Hehadneverheardofsuchacharge。I
had。Wouldhetakemywordthatheshouldgetintonotrouble？
Yes，sir，hewoulddothat。Sohetookthegirl，andIwenthomeformyPoliceAct。
Withthispotentinstrumentinmypocket，Iliterallyaswellasfiguratively’returnedtothecharge，’andpresentedmyselfatthePoliceStationofthedistrict。There，IfoundondutyaveryintelligentInspectortheyareallintelligentmen，who，likewise，hadneverheardofsuchacharge。Ishowedhimmyclause，andwewentoverittogethertwiceorthrice。Itwasplain，andIengagedtowaituponthesuburbanMagistrateto-morrowmorningatteno’clock。
InthemorningIputmyPoliceActinmypocketagain，andwaitedonthesuburbanMagistrate。IwasnotquitesocourteouslyreceivedbyhimasIshouldhavebeenbyTheLordChancellororTheLordChiefJustice，butthatwasaquestionofgoodbreedingonthesuburbanMagistrate’spart，andIhadmyclausereadywithitsleafturneddown。WhichwasenoughforME。
ConferencetookplacebetweentheMagistrateandclerkrespectingthecharge。DuringconferenceIwasevidentlyregardedasamuchmoreobjectionablepersonthantheprisoner；-onegivingtroublebycomingtherevoluntarily，whichtheprisonercouldnotbeaccusedofdoing。Theprisonerhadbeengotup，sinceIlasthadthepleasureofseeingher，withagreateffectofwhiteapronandstrawbonnet。SheremindedmeofaneldersisterofRedRidingHood，andIseemedtoremindthesympathisingChimneySweepbywhomshewasattended，oftheWolf。
TheMagistratewasdoubtful，Mr。UncommercialTraveller，whetherthischargecouldbeentertained。Itwasnotknown。Mr。
UncommercialTravellerrepliedthathewisheditwerebetterknown，andthat，ifhecouldaffordtheleisure，hewouldusehisendeavourstomakeitso。Therewasnoquestionaboutit，however，hecontended。Herewastheclause。
Theclausewashandedin，andmoreconferenceresulted。AfterwhichIwasaskedtheextraordinaryquestion:’Mr。Uncommercial，doyoureallywishthisgirltobesenttoprison？’TowhichI
grimlyanswered，staring:’IfIdidn’t，whyshouldItakethetroubletocomehere？’Finally，Iwassworn，andgavemyagreeableevidenceindetail，andWhiteRidingHoodwasfinedtenshillings，undertheclause，orsenttoprisonforsomanydays。’Why，Lordblessyou，sir，’saidthePolice-officer，whoshowedmeout，withagreatenjoymentofthejestofherhavingbeengotupsoeffectively，andcausedsomuchhesitation:’ifshegoestoprison，thatwillbenothingnewtoHER。ShecomesfromCharlesStreet，DruryLane！’
ThePolice，allthingsconsidered，areanexcellentforce，andI
havebornemysmalltestimonytotheirmerits。Constabularcontemplationistheresultofabadsystem；asystemwhichisadministered，notinvented，bythemaninconstable’suniform，employedattwentyshillingsaweek。Hehashisorders，andwouldbemarkedfordiscouragementifheoversteppedthem。Thatthesystemisbad，thereneedsnolengthenedargumenttoprove，becausethefactisself-evident。Ifitwereanythingelse，theresultsthathaveattendeditcouldnotpossiblyhavecometopass。Whowillsaythatunderagoodsystem，ourstreetscouldhavegotintotheirpresentstate？
TheobjectiontothewholePolicesystem，asconcerningtheRuffian，maybestated，anditsfailureexemplified，asfollows。
Itiswellknownthatonallgreatoccasions，whentheycometogetherinnumbers，themassoftheEnglishpeoplearetheirowntrustworthyPolice。Itiswellknownthatwheresoeverthereiscollectedtogetheranyfairgeneralrepresentationofthepeople，arespectforlawandorder，andadeterminationtodiscountenancelawlessnessanddisorder，maybereliedupon。Astooneanother，thepeopleareaverygoodPolice，andyetarequitewillingintheirgood-naturethatthestipendiaryPoliceshouldhavethecreditofthepeople’smoderation。ButweareallofuspowerlessagainsttheRuffian，becausewesubmittothelaw，anditishisonlytrade，bysuperiorforceandbyviolence，todefyit。
Moreover，weareconstantlyadmonishedfromhighplaceslikesomanySunday-schoolchildrenoutforaholidayofbunsandmilk-and-
waterthatwearenottotakethelawintoourownhands，butaretohandourdefenceovertoit。ItisclearthatthecommonenemytobepunishedandexterminatedfirstofallistheRuffian。Itisclearthatheis，ofallothers，THEoffenderforwhoserepressalwemaintainacostlysystemofPolice。Him，therefore，weexpresslypresenttothePolicetodealwith，consciousthat，onthewhole，wecan，anddo，dealreasonablywellwithoneanother。
HimthePolicedealwithsoinefficientlyandabsurdlythatheflourishes，andmultiplies，and，withallhisevildeedsuponhisheadasnotoriouslyashishatis，pervadesthestreetswithnomoreletorhindrancethanourselves。
MyjourneysasUncommercialTravellerforthefirmofHuman-
InterestBrothershavenotslackenedsinceIlastreportedofthem，buthavekeptmecontinuallyonthemove。Iremaininthesameidleemployment。Ineversolicitanorder，Inevergetanycommission，Iamtherollingstonethatgathersnomoss，-unlessanyshouldbychancebefoundamongthesesamples。
Somehalfayearago，Ifoundmyselfinmyidlest，dreamiest，andleastaccountableconditionaltogether，onboardship，intheharbourofthecityofNewYork，intheUnitedStatesofAmerica。
Ofallthegoodshipsafloat，minewasthegoodsteamship’RUSSIA，’
CAPT。COOK，CunardLine，boundforLiverpool。WhatmorecouldI
wishfor？
Ihadnothingtowishforbutaprosperouspassage。Mysalad-days，whenIwasgreenofvisageandsea-sick，beinggonewithbetterthingsandnoworse，nocomingeventcastitsshadowbefore。
ImightbutafewmomentspreviouslyhaveimitatedSterne，andsaid，’“Andyet，methinks，Eugenius，“-layingmyforefingerwistfullyonhiscoat-sleeve，thus，-“andyet，methinks，Eugenius，’tisbutsorryworktopartwiththee，forwhatfreshfields，