to supply its factories, a fleet, amounting to upwards of a thousand sail,
is employed in bringing annually 3,000,000 tons of coal, exclusive of
2,000,000 tons brought by rail. The thirsty souls of London need have no
fear of becoming thirstier so long as there are upwards of 6,700 public
houses and 2,000 wine merchants to minister to their deathless thirst.

"The bread to this enormous quantity of sack is represented by 2,500
bakers, 1,700 butchers, not including pork butchers, 2,600 tea dealers and
grocers, 1,260 coffee-room keepers, nearly 1,500 dairy-men, and 1,350
tobacconists. To look after the digestion of this enormous amount of food
upwards of 2,400 duly licensed practitioners, surgeons and physicians are
daily running to and fro through this mighty metropolis, whose patients,
in due course of time and physic, are handed over to the tender mercies of
500 undertakers. Nearly 3,000 boot and shoe-makers give their aid to keep
our feet dry and warm, while 2,950 tailors do as much for the rest of our
bodies. The wants of the fairer portion of the population are supplied, by
1,080 linen drapers, 1,500 milliners and dressmakers; 1,540 private
schools take charge of their children; and 290 pawn-brokers' shops find
employment and profit out of the reverses, follies, and vices of the
community. It is said that 700,000 _cats_ are kept in London, to maintain
whom large part of the 3,000 horses which die every week is sold by
cat's-meat vendors. About 520,000 (1873) houses give shelter to upwards of
three millions of people, whose little differences are aggravated or
settled by upwards of 3,000 attorneys and 3,900 barristers.

"The spiritual wants of this mighty aggregate of human souls are cared for
by more than 2,000 clergymen and dissenting ministers, who respectively
preside over 620 churches and 423 chapels, of which latter buildings the
Independents have 121, the Baptists 100, the Wesleyans 77, the Roman,
Catholics about 90, whereas in 1808 they had but 13, the Calvinists and,