obscure place called West Street, Saffron Hill, pitifully struggling for life, under every disadvantage. It had no means, it had no suitable rooms, it derived no power or protection from being recognized by any authority, it attracted within its wretched walls, a fluctuating swarm of faces — young in years, but youthful in nothing else, that scowled Hope out of countenance. It was held in a low-roofed den, in a sickening atmosphere, in the midst of taint and dirt and pestilence: with all the deadly sins let loose, howling and shrieking at the doors. Zeal did not supply the place of method and training; the teachers knew little of their office; the pupils with an evil sharpness, found them out, got the better of them, derided them, made blasphemous answers to scriptural questions, sang, fought, danced, robbed each other; seemed possessed by legions of devils. The place was stormed and carried, over and over again; the lights were blown out, the books strewn in the gutters, and the female scholars carried off triumphantly to their old wickedness. With no strength in it but its purpose, the school stood it all out, and made its way. Some two years since, I found t, one of many such, in a large convenient loft in this transition part of Farringdon Street quiet and orderly, full, lighted with gas, well whitewashed, numerously attended, and thoroughly established.
" The number of houseless creatures who resorted to it, and who were necessarily turned out when it was closed, to hide where they could in heaps of moral and physical pollution, filled the managers with pity. To relieve some of the more constant and deserving scholars, they rented a wretched house, where a few common beds — a dozen and a half perhaps — were made upon the floor. This was the Ragged School Dormitory; and when I found the school in Farringdon Street, I found the Dormitory in a court hard by, which in the time of the Cholera had acquired a dismal fame. The Dormitory was, in all respects, save as a small beginning, a very discouraging Institution. The lair was bad; the dark and ruinous building, with its small close rooms, was quite unsuited to the purpose; and a general supervision of the sleepers was impossible. I had great doubts at the time whether, excepting that they found a crazy shelter for their heads, they were better there than in the streets.
" Having heard, in the course of the last month, that this Dormitory (there were others elsewhere) had grown as the School had grown, I went the other night to make another visit to it. I found the School in the same place, still advancing. It was now an Industrial School too; and besides the men and boys who were learning, some aptly enough; some, with painful difficulty; some, sluggishly and wearily; some, not at all — to read and write and cipher; there were two groups, one of shoemakers, and one (in a gallery) of tailors, working with great industry and satisfaction. Each was taught and superintended by a regular workman engaged for the purpose, who delivered out the necessary means and implements. All were employed in mending, either their own dilapidated clothes or shoes, or the dilapidated clothes or shoes of some of the other pupils. They were of all ages, from young boys to old men. They were quiet, and intent upon their work. Some of them were almost as unused to it as I should have shown myself to be if I had tried my hand, but all were deeply interested and profoundly anxious to do it somehow or other. They presented a very remarkable instance of the general desire there is, after all, even in the vagabond breast, to know something useful. One shock-headed man when he had mended his own scrap of a coat, drew it on with such an air of satisfaction, and put himself to so much inconvenience to look at the elbow he had darned, that I thought a new coat (and the mind could not imagine a period when that coat of his was new!) would not have pleased him better. In the other part of the school, where each class was partitioned off by screens adjusted like the boxes in a coffee-room, with some very good writing, and some singing of the multiplication table, the latter, on a principle much too juvenile and innocent for some of the singers. There was also a ciphering class, where a young pupil teacher out of the streets, who refreshed himself by spitting every half-minute, had written a legible sum in compound addition, on a broken slate, and was walking backward and forward before it as he worked it, for the instruction of his class."
His support of the Union proved invaluable and it was through reading one of his articles on their work that Spurgeon was induced to come forward and give it his powerful support. While he was in Doughty Street and Marylebone, Dickens continually visited the schools and the following letters written concerning their work show the intensely practical nature of the interest he evinced in the development of the schools.
" Broadstairs, Kent.
" September 24th, 1843.
" Dear Sir,
" Allow me to ask you a few questions in reference to that most able undertaking in which you are engaged — with a view, I need scarcely say, to its advancement and extended usefulness. For the present I could wish it, if you please, to be considered as put in confidence, but not to the exclusion of the gentlemen associated with you in the management of the Ragged School on Saffron Hill.
"It occurred to me, when I was there, as being of the most immense importance that, if practicable, the boys should have an opportunity of washing themselves before beginning their tasks. Do you agree with me? If so, will you ascertain at about what cost a washing-place — a large trough or sink, for instance, with a good supply of running water, soap, and towels — could be put up! In case you consider it necessary that some person should be engaged to mind it, and to see that the boys availed themselves of it in an orderly manner, please to add the payment of such a person to the expense.
"Have you seen any place, or do you know of any place in that neighbourhood — any one or two good spacious lofts or rooms — which you would like to engage (if you could afford it), as being well suited for the school? If so, at what charge could it be hired, and how soon?
" In the event of my being able to procure you the funds for making these great improvements, would you see any objection to expressly limiting visitors (I mean visiting teachers — volunteers, whoever they may be) to confining their questions and instructions, as a point of honour, to the broad truths taught in the School by yourself and the gentlemen associated with you? I set great store by the question, because it seems to me of vital importance that no persons, however well-intentioned, should perplex the minds of these unfortunate creatures with religious mysteries that young people with the best advantages can but imperfectly understand. I heard a lady visitor, the night I was among you, propounding questions in reference to ' The Lamb of God ' which I most unquestionably would not suffer any one to put to my children; recollecting the immense absurdities that were suggested to my childhood by the like injudicious catechizing.
" I return to Town on Monday, the 2nd of next month; if you write to me before then, please to address your letter here. If after that date, to my house in town.
" With a cordial sympathy in your great and Christian labour,
" I am, dear Sir,
" Faithfully yours,
" Charles Dickens."
" Mr. Storey."
" Devonshire Terrace,
" 1st February, 1844.
" Dear Sir,
" Will you have the goodness to turn over in your mind, and to note down for me, as briefly as you please, any little facts or details connected with the Ragged School which you think it would benefit the Union to have publicly known! If you could make it convenient to favour me with a call any evening next week, or on Sunday week, and will let me hear from you to that effect, I shall be glad to make an appointment with you. But pray do not hesitate to let me know what time suits you best, as I can easily accommodate myself to your engagements.
"The kind of thing I wish to know is — your average number of scholars — whether it increases or falls off — whether any boys are pretty constant in their attendance, whether after absenting themselves these
