I took my threatened walk last night, but it yielded little but
generalities.
However, I thought of something for _to-night_, that I think will make a
splendid paper. I have an idea that it might be connected with the gas
paper (making gas a great agent in an effective police), and made one of
the articles. This is it: "A Night in a Station-house." If you would go
down to our friend Mr. Yardley, at Scotland Yard, and get a letter or
order to the acting chief authority at that station-house in Bow Street,
to enable us to hear the charges, observe the internal economy of the
station-house all night, go round to the cells with the visiting
policeman, etc., I would stay there, say from twelve to-night to four or
five in the morning. We might have a "night-cap," a fire, and some tea
at the office hard by. If you could conveniently borrow an hour or two
from the night we could both go. If not, I would go alone. It would make
a wonderful good paper at a most appropriate time, when the back slums
of London are going to be invaded by all sorts of strangers.
You needn't exactly say that _I_ was going _in propria_ (unless it were
necessary), and, of course, you wouldn't say that I propose to-night,
because I am so worn by the sad arrangements in which I am engaged, and
by what led to them, that I cannot take my natural rest. But to-morrow
night we go to the gas-works. I might not be so disposed for this
station-house observation as I shall be to-night for a long time, and I
see a most singular and admirable chance for us in the descriptive way,
not to be lost.
Therefore, if you will arrange the thing before I come down at four this
afternoon, any of the Scotland Yard people will do it, I should think;
if our friend by any accident should not be there, I will go into it.
If they should recommend any other station-house as better for the
purpose, or would think it better for us to go to more than one under
the guidance of some trustworthy man, of course we will pay any man and
do as they recommend. But I think one topping station-house would be
best.
Faithfully ever.
P.S.--I write from my bed.
[Sidenote: Mr. W. C. Macready.]
_Saturday, May 24th, 1851._