Passages from the Life of a Philosopher

Deep-snow -- Beggar in Belgravia wanted work -- He said he was a Watchmaker -- Gave his address -- It was false -- Met him months after -- The same story -- The same untruth -- Children hired for the purpose of Begging -- Cellar in St. Giles's -- Inquired for a Poor Woman and Child -- Landlady told me of a Man almost starving in her back kitchen -- He turned out to be an accomplished Swindler -- Potboys -- Caught him at last -- Took him to Bow Street.

Soon after taking up my residence in London, I met with many applications from street-beggars, with various tales of distress. I could not imagine that all these were fictitious, and found great difficulty in selecting the few objects on whom I could bestow my very moderate means of charity. One severe winter I resolved on making my own personal observations on the most promising cases which presented themselves.