every tone is the cause of offence to those whose charity he must
awaken into exercise, or go without a meal. These instruments are
known to be the property of certain extensive proprietors in the city,
some of whom have hundreds of them grinding daily in every quarter of
the town. Some few are let out on hire--the best at a shilling a day;
the old and worn-out ones as low as two or three pence; but the great
majority of them are ground by young Italians shipped to this country
for the especial purpose by the owners of the instruments. These
descendants of the ancient Romans figure in Britain in a very
different plight from that of their renowned ancestors. They may be
encountered in troops sallying forth from the filthy purlieus of
Leather Lane, at about nine or ten in the morning, each with his
awkward burden strapped to his back, and supporting his steps with a
stout staff, which also serves to support the instrument when playing.
Each one has his appointed beat, and he is bound to bring home a
certain prescribed sum to entitle him to a share in the hot supper
prepared for the evening meal. We have more than once, when startled
by the sound of the everlasting piano within an hour of midnight,
questioned the belated grinder, and invariably received for answer,
that he had not yet been able to collect the sum required of him.
Still there can be no doubt that some of them contrive to save money;
inasmuch as we occasionally see an active fellow set up on his own
account, and furnished with an instrument immensely superior to those
of his less prosperous compatriots. So great is the number of these
wandering Italian pianists, that their condition has attracted the
attention of their more wealthy countrymen, who, in conjunction with a
party of benevolent English gentlemen, have set on foot an association
for the express purpose of imparting instruction to poor Italians of
all grades, of whom the vagabond musicians form the largest section.