In the evening, some of the ladies alluded to the dressmaker's letter
in the Times. I inquired if there was nothing done for them as a class
in London, and some of them said,--
"O, Lord Shaftesbury can tell you all about it; he is president of the
society for their protection."
So I said to Lord Shaftesbury, playfully, "I thought, my lord, you had
reformed every thing here in London."
"Ah, indeed," he replied, "but this was not in one of my houses. I
preside over the West End."
He talked on the subject for some time with considerable energy; said
it was one of the most difficult he had ever attempted to regulate,
and promised to send me a few documents, which would show the measures
he had pursued. He said, however, that there was progress making; and
spoke of one establishment in particular, which had recently been
erected in London, and was admirably arranged with regard to
ventilation, being conducted in the most perfect manner.
Quite a number of distinguished persons were present this evening;
among others, Sir David Brewster, famed in the scientific world. He is
a fine-looking old gentleman, with silver-white hair, who seemed to be
on terms of great familiarity with the duke.
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