m　in　which　they　have　to　sleep；　and　breed；　and　die；　but　they　cling　to　it　as　a　drowning　man　to　a　half…submerged　raft。　　Every　week　they　contrive　by　pinching　and　scheming　to　raise　the　rent；　for　with　them　it　is　pay　or　go　and　they　struggle　to　meet　the　collector　as　the　sailor　nerves　himself　to　avoid　being　sucked　under　by　the　foaming　wave。　　If　at　any　time　work　fails　or　sickness　comes　they　are　liable　to　drop　helplessly　into　the　ranks　of　the　homeless。　　It　is　bad　for　a　single　man　to　have　to　confront　the　struggle　for　life　in　the　streets　and　Casual　Wards。　　But　how　much　more　terrible　must　it　be　for　the　married　man　with　his　wife　and　children　to　be　turned　out　into　the　streets。　　So　long　as　the　family　has　a　lair　into　which　it　can　creep　at　night；　he　keeps　his　footing；　but　when　he　loses　that　solitary　foothold　then　arrives　the　time　if　there　be　such　a　thing　as　Christian　compassion；　for　the　helping　hand　to　be　held　out　to　save　him　from　the　vortex　that　sucks　him　downwarday；　downward　to　the　hopeless　under…strata　of　crime　and　despair。
  〃The　heart　knoweth　its　own　bitterness　and　the　stranger　inter…meddleth　not　therewith。〃　　But　now　and　then　out　of　the　depths　there　sounds　a　bitter　wail　as　of　some　strong　swimmer　in　his　agony　as　he　is　drawn　under　by　the　current。　　A　short　time　ago　a　respectable　man；　a　chemist　in　Holloway；　fifty　years　of　age；　driven　hard　to　the　wall；　tried　to　end　it　all　by　cutting　his　throat。　　His　wife　also　cut　her　throat；　and　at　the　same　time　they　gave　strychnine　to　their　only　child。　　The　effort　failed；　and　they　were　placed　on　trial　for　attempted　murder。　　In　the　Court　a　letter　was　read　which　the　poor　wretch　had　written　before　attempting　his　life：…
  MY　DEAREST　GEORGE；Twelve　months　have　I　now　passed　of　a　most　miserable　and　struggling　existence；　and　I　really　cannot　stand　it　any　more。　　I　am　completely　worn　out；　and　relations　who　could　assist　me　won't　do　any　more；　for　such　was　uncle's　last　intimation。　　Never　mind；　he　can't　take　his　money　and　comfort　with　him；　and　in　all　probability　will　find　himself　in　the　same　boat　as　myself。　　He　never　enquires　whether　I　am　starving　or　not。　　#3a　mere　flea…bite　to　himwould　have　put　us　straight；　and　with　his　security　and　good　interest　might　have　obtained　me　a　good　situation　long　ago。　　I　can　face　poverty　and　degradation　no　longer；　and　would　sooner　die　than　go　to　the　workhouse；　whatever　may　be　the　awful　consequences　of　the　steps　we　have　taken。　We　have；　God　forgive　us；　taken　our　darling　Arty　with　us　out　of　pure　love　and　affection；　so　that　the　darling　should　never　be　cuffed　about；　or　reminded　or　taunted　with　his　heartbroken　parents'　crime。　　My　poor　wife　has　done　her　best　at　needle…work；　washing；　house…minding；　&c。；　in　fact；　anything　and　everything　that　would　bring　in　a　shilling；　but　it　would　only　keep　us　in　semi…starvation。　　I　have　now　done　six　weeks'　travelling　from　morning　till　night；　and　not　received　one　farthing　for　it；　If　that　is　not　enough　to　drive　you　madwickedly　madI　don't　know　what　is。　　No　bright　prospect　anywhere；　no　ray　of　hope。
  May　God　Almighty　forgive　us　for　this　heinous　sin；　and　have　mercy　on　our　sinful　souls；　is　the　prayer　of　your　miserable；　broken…hearted；　but　loving　brother；　Arthur。　　We　have　now　done　everything　that　we　can　possibly　think　of　to　avert　this　wicked　proceeding；　but　can　discover　no　ray　of　hope。　　Fervent　prayer　has　availed　us　nothing；　our　lot　is　cast；　and　we　must　abide　by　it。　　It　must　be　God's　will　or　He　would　have　ordained　it　differently。　　Dearest　Georgy；　I　am　exceedingly　sorry　to　leave　you　all；　but　I　am　madthoroughly　mad。　　You；　dear；　must　try　and　forget　us；　and；　if　possible；　forgive　us；　for　I　do　not　consider　it　our　own　fault　we　have　not　succeeded。　　If　you　could　get　#3　for　our　bed　it　will　pay　our　rent；　and　our　scanty　furniture　may　fetch　enough　to　bury　us　in　a　cheap　way。　　Don't　grieve　over　us　or　follow　us；　for　we　shall　not　be　worthy　of　such　respect。　　Our　clergyman　has　never　called　on　us　or　given　us　the　least　consolation；　though　I　called　on　him　a　month　ago。　　He　is　paid　to　preach；　and　there　he　considers　his　responsibility　ends；　the　rich　excepted。　　We　have　only　yourself　and　a　very　few　others　who　care　one　pin　what　becomes　of　us；　but　you　must　try　and　forgive　us；　is　the　last　fervent　prayer　of　your　devotedly　fond　and　affectionate　but　broken…hearted　and　persecuted　brother。　（Signed）　　　　　　　R。　　A。　　O。
  That　is　an　authentic　human　documenta　transcript　from　the　life　of　one　among　thousands　who　go　down　inarticulate　into　the　depths；　They　die　and　make　no　sign；　or；　worse　still；　they　continue　to　exist；　carrying　about　with　them；　year　after　year；　the　bitter　ashes　of　a　life　from　which　the　furnace　of　misfortune　has　burnt　away　all　joy；　and　hope；　and　strength。　　Who　is　there　who　has　not　been　confronted　by　many　despairing　ones；　who　come；　as　Richard　O　went；　to　the　clergyman；　crying　for　help；　and　how　seldom　have　we　been　able　to　give　it　them？　　It　is　unjust；　no　doubt；　for　them　to　blame　the　clergy　and　the　comfortable　well…to…do　for　what　can　they　do　but　preach　and　offer　good　advice？　　To　assist　all　the　Richard　Os'　by　direct　financial　advance　would　drag　even　Rothschild　into　the　gutter。　　And　what　else　can　be　done？　　Yet　something　else　must　be　done　if　Christianity　is　not　to　be　a　mockery　to　perishing　men。
  Here　is　another　case；　a　very　common　case；　which　illustrates　how　the　Army　of　Despair　is　recruited。
  Mr。　T。；　Margaret　Place；　Gascoign　Place；　Bethnal　Green；　is　a　bootmaker　by　trade。　　Is　a　good　hand；　and　has　earned　three　shillings　and　sixpence　to　four　shillings　and　sixpence　a　day。　　He　was　taken　ill　last　Christmas；　and　went　to　the　London　Hospital；　was　there　three　months。　　A　week　after　he　had　gone　Mrs。　T。　had　rheumatic　fever；　and　was　taken　to　Bethnal　Green　Infirmary；　where　she　remained　about　three　months。　　Directly　after　they　had　been　taken　ill；　their　furniture　was　seized　for　the　three　weeks'　rent　which　was　owing。　　Consequently；　on　becoming　convalescent；　they　were　homeless。　　They　came　out　about　the　same　time。　　He　went　out　to　a　lodging…house　for　a　night　or　two；　until　she　came　out。　　He　then　had　twopence；　and　she　had　sixpence；　which　a　nurse　had　given　her。　　They　went　to　a　lodging…house　together；　but　the　society　there　was　dreadful。　Next　day　he　had　a　day's　work；　and　got　two　shillings　and　sixpence；　and　on　the　strength　of　this　they　took　a　furnished　room　at　tenpence　per　day　（payable　nightly）。　　His　work　lasted　a　few　weeks；　when　he　was　again　taken　ill；　lost　his　job；　and　spent　all　their　money。　　Pawned　a　shirt　and　apron　for　a　shilling；　spent　that；　too。　　At　last　pawned　their　tools　for　three　shillings；　which　got　them　a　few　days'　food　and　lodging。　　He　is　now　minus　tools　and　cannot　work　at　his　own　job；　and　does　anything　he　can。　　Spent　their　last　twopence　on　a　pen'orth　each　of　tea　and　sugar。　In　two　days　they　had　a　slice　of　bread　and　butter　each；　that's　all。　They　are　both　very　weak　through　want　of　food。
  〃Let　things　alone；〃　the　laws　of　supply　and　demand；　and　all　the　rest　of　the　excuses　by　which　those　who　stand　on　firm　ground　salve　their　consciences　when　they　leave　their　brother　to　sink；　how　do　they　look　when　we　apply　them　to　the　actual　loss　of　life　at　sea？　　Does　〃Let　things　alone〃　man　the　lifeboat？　　Will　the　inexorable　laws　of　political　economy　save　the　shipwrecked　sailor　from　the　boiling　surf？　　They　often　enough　are　responsible　for　his　disaster。　　Coffin　ships　are　a　direct　result　of　the　wretched　policy　of　non…interference　with　the　legitimate　operations　of　commerce；　but　no　desire　to　make　it　pay　created　the　National　Lifeboat　Institution；　no　law　of　supply　and　demand　actuates　the　volunteers　who　risk　their　lives　to　bring　the　shipwrecked　to　shore。
  What　we　have　to　do　is　to　apply　the　same　principle　to　society。　　We　want　a　Social　Lifeboat　Institution；　a　Social　Lifeboat　Brigade；　to　snatch　from　the　abyss　those　who；　if　left　to　themselves；　will　perish　as　miserably　as　the　crew　of　a　ship　that　founders　in　mid…ocean。
  The　moment　that　we　take　in　hand　this　work　we　shall　be　compelled　to　turn　our　attention　seriously　to　the　question　whether　prevention　is　not　better　than　cure。　　It　is　easier　and　cheaper；　and　in　every　way　better；　to　prevent　the　loss　of　home　than　to　have　to　re…create　that　home。　It　is　better　to　keep　a　man　out　of　the　mire　than　to　let　him　fall　in　first　and　then　risk　the　chance　of　plucking　him　out。　　Any　Scheme；　therefore；　that　attempts　to　deal　with　the　reclamation　of　the　lost　must　tend　to　develop　into　an　endless　variety　of　ameliorative　measures；　of　some　of　which　I　shall　have　somewhat　to　say　hereafter。　　I　only　mention　the　subject　here　in　order　that　no　one　may　say　I　am　blind　to　the　necessity　of　going　further　and　adopting　wider　plans　of　operation　than　those　which　I　put　forward　in　this　book。　　The　renovation　of　our　Social　System　is　a　work　so　vast　that　no　one　of　us；　nor　all　of　us　put　together；　can　define　all　the　measures　that　will　have　to　be　taken　before　we　attain　even　the　Cab…Horse　Ideal　of　existence　for　our　children　and　children's　children。　　All　that　we　can　do　is　to　attack；　in　a　serious；　practical　spirit　the　worst　and　most　pressing　evils；　knowing　that　if　we　do　our　duty　we　obey　the　voice　of　God。　　He　is　the　Captain　of　our　Salvation。　If　we　but　follow　where　He　leads　we　shall　not　want　for　marching　orders；　nor　need　we　imagine　that　He　will　narrow　the　field　of　operations。
  I　am　labouring　under　no　delusions　as　to　the　possibility　of　inaugurating　the　Millennium　by　any　socia