Lights and Shadows of London Life, by the Author of 'Random Recollections of the Lords and Commons'.

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1842. Excerpt: ... BEGGING IMPOSTORS. Begging-letter Impostors--Their supposed number--Probable amount of the money they receive--Probable number of letters they send, with the proportion of successful to unsuccessful applications--General materials of their letters--Occasional remarks on the result of their applications--Means by which they obtain available information regarding the parties to whom they apply--Modes of going to work--Illustrative anecdotes--Underwood and other begging-letter impostors--Specimens of their letters, &e.--Street-begging impostors--Their probable number, and the amount of their aggregate gains--Large sums which some of them have amassed--Expedients resorted to by them in the prosecution of their calling--Instances of feigned distress--Blind beggars--Speculations in the business of begging--Begging copartneries--Professional rehearsals--Meetings and carnivals of the fraternity--Crossings-sweepers. In one of my publications which appeared periodically some time ago, I devoted a chapter to the begging impostors of the metropolis. As that work, for the form in which it was pub VOL. II. B lished, and the class of persons by whom it was principally, if not exclusively read, is not likely to have fallen into the hands of those among whom this work will chiefly circulate; I shall make use of the greater part of the information therein contained, in the present chapter. London is proverbial all the world over for the number and ingenuity of the tricks which are daily practised in it; but perhaps there is no department of metropolitan roguery in which a greater amount of ingenuity is displayed than in that of begging. The London beggars are divided into a great variety of classes: but I shall confine myself to the begging impostors who ply their avocatio...