Receivedbytwoveryintelligentgentlemen，brothers，andpartnerswiththeirfatherintheconcern，andwhotestifiedeverydesiretoshowtheirworkstomefreely，Iwentoverthelead-mills。Thepurportofsuchworksistheconversionofpig-leadintowhite-
lead。Thisconversionisbroughtaboutbytheslowandgradualeffectingofcertainsuccessivechemicalchangesintheleaditself。Theprocessesarepicturesqueandinteresting，-themostso，beingtheburyingofthelead，atacertainstageofpreparation，inpots，eachpotcontainingacertainquantityofacidbesides，andallthepotsbeingburiedinvastnumbers，inlayers，undertan，forsometenweeks。
Hoppingupladders，andacrossplanks，andonelevatedperches，untilIwasuncertainwhethertolikenmyselftoabirdorabrick-
layer，Ibecameconsciousofstandingonnothingparticular，lookingdownintooneofaseriesoflargecocklofts，withtheouterdaypeepinginthroughthechinksinthetiledroofabove。A
numberofwomenwereascendingto，anddescendingfrom，thiscockloft，eachcarryingontheupwardjourneyapotofpreparedleadandacid，fordepositionunderthesmokingtan。Whenonelayerofpotswascompletelyfilled，itwascarefullycoveredinwithplanks，andthosewerecarefullycoveredwithtanagain，andthenanotherlayerofpotswasbegunabove；sufficientmeansofventilationbeingpreservedthroughwoodentubes。Goingdownintothecockloftthenfilling，Ifoundtheheatofthetantobesurprisinglygreat，andalsotheodouroftheleadandacidtobenotabsolutelyexquisite，thoughIbelievenotnoxiousatthatstage。Inothercocklofts，wherethepotswerebeingexhumed，theheatofthesteamingtanwasmuchgreater，andthesmellwaspenetratingandpeculiar。Therewerecockloftsinallstages；fullandempty，halffilledandhalfemptied；strong，activewomenwereclamberingaboutthembusily；andthewholethinghadrathertheairoftheupperpartofthehouseofsomeimmenselyricholdTurk，whosefaithfulseragliowerehidinghismoneybecausethesultanorthepashawascoming。
Asisthecasewithmostpulpsorpigments，sointheinstanceofthiswhite-lead，processesofstirring，separating，washing，grinding，rolling，andpressingsucceed。Someoftheseareunquestionablyinimicaltohealth，thedangerarisingfrominhalationofparticlesoflead，orfromcontactbetweentheleadandthetouch，orboth。Againstthesedangers，Ifoundgoodrespiratorsprovidedsimplymadeofflannelandmuslin，soastobeinexpensivelyrenewed，andinsomeinstanceswashedwithscentedsoap，andgauntletgloves，andloosegowns。Everywhere，therewasasmuchfreshairaswindows，wellplacedandopened，couldpossiblyadmit。Anditwasexplainedthattheprecautionoffrequentlychangingthewomenemployedintheworstpartsoftheworkaprecautionoriginatingintheirownexperienceorapprehensionofitsilleffectswasfoundsalutary。Theyhadamysteriousandsingularappearance，withthemouthandnosecovered，andtheloosegownon，andyetboreoutthesimileoftheoldTurkandtheseraglioallthebetterforthedisguise。
Atlastthisvexedwhite-lead，havingbeenburiedandresuscitated，andheatedandcooledandstirred，andseparatedandwashedandground，androlledandpressed，issubjectedtotheactionofintensefieryheat。Arowofwomen，dressedasabovedescribed，stood，letussay，inalargestonebakehouse，passingonthebaking-dishesastheyweregivenoutbythecooks，fromhandtohand，intotheovens。Theoven，orstove，coldasyet，lookedashighasanordinaryhouse，andwasfullofmenandwomenontemporaryfootholds，brisklypassingupandstowingawaythedishes。Thedoorofanotheroven，orstove，abouttobecooledandemptied，wasopenedfromabove，fortheuncommercialcountenancetopeerdowninto。Theuncommercialcountenancewithdrewitself，withexpeditionandasenseofsuffocation，fromthedull-glowingheatandtheoverpoweringsmell。Onthewhole，perhapsthegoingintothesestovestowork，whentheyarefreshlyopened，maybetheworstpartoftheoccupation。
ButImadeitouttobeindubitablethattheownersoftheselead-
millshonestlyandsedulouslytrytoreducethedangersoftheoccupationtothelowestpoint。
Awashing-placeisprovidedforthewomenIthoughttheremighthavebeenmoretowels，andaroominwhichtheyhangtheirclothes，andtaketheirmeals，andwheretheyhaveagoodfire-
rangeandfire，andafemaleattendanttohelpthem，andtowatchthattheydonotneglectthecleansingoftheirhandsbeforetouchingtheirfood。Anexperiencedmedicalattendantisprovidedforthem，andanypremonitorysymptomsoflead-poisoningarecarefullytreated。Theirteapotsandsuchthingsweresetoutontablesreadyfortheirafternoonmeal，whenIsawtheirroom；andithadahomelylook。Itisfoundthattheybeartheworkmuchbetterthanmen:somefewofthemhavebeenatitforyears，andthegreatmajorityofthoseIobservedwerestrongandactive。Ontheotherhand，itshouldberememberedthatmostofthemareverycapriciousandirregularintheirattendance。
Americaninventivenesswouldseemtoindicatethatbeforeverylongwhite-leadmaybemadeentirelybymachinery。Thesooner，thebetter。Inthemeantime，Ipartedfrommytwofrankconductorsoverthemills，bytellingthemthattheyhadnothingtheretobeconcealed，andnothingtobeblamedfor。Astotherest，thephilosophyofthematteroflead-poisoningandworkpeopleseemstometohavebeenprettyfairlysummedupbytheIrishwomanwhomI
quotedinmyformerpaper:’Someofthemgetslead-pisonedsoon，andsomeofthemgetslead-pisonedlater，andsome，butnotmany，niver；and’tisallaccordingtotheconstitooshun，sur；andsomeconstitooshunsisstrongandsomeisweak。’Retracingmyfootstepsovermybeat，Iwentoffduty。
Onceuponatimenomatterwhen，Iwasengagedinapursuitnomatterwhat，whichcouldbetransactedbymyselfalone；inwhichI
couldhavenohelp；whichimposedaconstantstrainontheattention，memory，observation，andphysicalpowers；andwhichinvolvedanalmostfabulousamountofchangeofplaceandrapidrailwaytravelling。Ihadfollowedthispursuitthroughanexceptionallytryingwinterinanalwaystryingclimate，andhadresumeditinEnglandafterbutabriefrepose。Thusitcametobeprolongeduntil，atlength-and，asitseemed，allofasudden-
itsoworemeoutthatIcouldnotrely，withmyusualcheerfulconfidence，uponmyselftoachievetheconstantlyrecurringtask，andbegantofeelforthefirsttimeinmylifegiddy，jarred，shaken，faint，uncertainofvoiceandsightandtreadandtouch，anddullofspirit。ThemedicaladviceIsoughtwithinafewhours，wasgivenintwowords:’instantrest。’BeingaccustomedtoobservemyselfascuriouslyasifIwereanotherman，andknowingtheadvicetomeetmyonlyneed，IinstantlyhaltedinthepursuitofwhichIspeak，andrested。
Myintentionwas，tointerpose，asitwere，afly-leafinthebookofmylife，inwhichnothingshouldbewrittenfromwithoutforabriefseasonofafewweeks。Butsomeverysingularexperiencesrecordedthemselvesonthissamefly-leaf，andIamgoingtorelatethemliterally。Irepeattheword:literally。
Myfirstoddexperiencewasoftheremarkablecoincidencebetweenmycase，inthegeneralmind，andoneMr。Merdle’sasIfinditrecordedinaworkoffictioncalledLITTLEDORRIT。Tobesure，Mr。Merdlewasaswindler，forger，andthief，andmycallinghadbeenofalessharmfulandlessremunerativenature；butitwasalloneforthat。
HereisMr。Merdle’scase:
’Atfirst，hewasdeadofallthediseasesthateverwereknown，andofseveralbran-newmaladiesinventedwiththespeedofLighttomeetthedemandoftheoccasion。Hehadconcealedadropsyfrominfancy，hehadinheritedalargeestateofwateronthechestfromhisgrandfather，hehadhadanoperationperformeduponhimeverymorningofhislifeforeighteenyears，hehadbeensubjecttotheexplosionofimportantveinsinhisbodyafterthemanneroffireworks，hehadhadsomethingthematterwithhislungs，hehadhadsomethingthematterwithhisheart，hehadhadsomethingthematterwithhisbrain。Fivehundredpeoplewhosatdowntobreakfastentirelyuninformedonthewholesubject，believedbeforetheyhaddonebreakfast，thattheyprivatelyandpersonallyknewPhysiciantohavesaidtoMr。Merdle，“Youmustexpecttogoout，someday，likethesnuffofacandle；“andthattheyknewMr。
MerdletohavesaidtoPhysician，“Amancandiebutonce。“Byabouteleveno’clockintheforenoon，somethingthematterwiththebrain，becamethefavouritetheoryagainstthefield；andbytwelvethesomethinghadbeendistinctlyascertainedtobe“Pressure。“
’Pressurewassoentirelysatisfactorytothepublicmind，andseemedtomakeeveryonesocomfortable，thatitmighthavelastedalldaybutforBar’shavingtakentherealstateofthecaseintoCourtathalf-pastnine。Pressure，however，sofarfrombeingoverthrownbythediscovery，becameagreaterfavouritethanever。
TherewasageneralmoralisinguponPressure，ineverystreet。Allthepeoplewhohadtriedtomakemoneyandhadnotbeenabletodoit，said，Thereyouwere！Younosoonerbegantodevoteyourselftothepursuitofwealth，thanyougotPressure。Theidlepeopleimprovedtheoccasioninasimilarmanner。See，saidthey，whatyoubroughtyourselftobywork，work，work！Youpersistedinworking，youoverdidit，Pressurecameon，andyouweredonefor！
Thisconsiderationwasverypotentinmanyquarters，butnowheremoresothanamongtheyoungclerksandpartnerswhohadneverbeenintheslightestdangerofoverdoingit。These，oneandalldeclared，quitepiously，thattheyhopedtheywouldneverforgetthewarningaslongastheylived，andthattheirconductmightbesoregulatedastokeepoffPressure，andpreservethem，acomforttotheirfriends，formanyyears。’
Justmycase-ifIhadonlyknownit-whenIwasquietlybaskinginthesunshineinmyKentishmeadow！
ButwhileIsorested，thankfullyrecoveringeveryhour，Ihadexperiencesmoreoddthanthis。Ihadexperiencesofspiritualconceit，forwhich，asgivingmeanewwarningagainstthatcurseofmankind，IshallalwaysfeelgratefultothesuppositionthatI
wastoofargonetoprotestagainstplayingsickliontoanystraydonkeywithanitchinghoof。Allsortsofpeopleseemedtobecomevicariouslyreligiousatmyexpense。IreceivedthemostuncompromisingwarningthatIwasaHeathen:ontheconclusiveauthorityofafieldpreacher，who，likethemostofhisignorantandvainanddaringclass，couldnotconstructatolerablesentenceinhisnativetongueorpenafairletter。Thisinspiredindividualcalledmetoorderroundly，andknewinthefreestandeasiestwaywhereIwasgoingto，andwhatwouldbecomeofmeifI
failedtofashionmyselfonhisbrightexample，andwasontermsofblasphemousconfidencewiththeHeavenlyHost。Hewasinthesecretsofmyheart，andinthelowestsoundingsofmysoul-he！-
andcouldreadthedepthsofmynaturebetterthanhisABC，andcouldturnmeinsideout，likehisownclammyglove。Butwhatisfarmoreextraordinarythanthis-forsuchdirtywaterasthiscouldalonebedrawnfromsuchashallowandmuddysource-Ifoundfromtheinformationofabeneficedclergyman，ofwhomIneverheardandwhomIneversaw，thatIhadnot，asIrathersupposedI