Ecco come poteva apparire Londra ad una turista americana di inizio '800:

"The biggest impact on the growth of London was the coming of the railroad, which displaced thousands and accelerated the expansion of the city. The price of this explosive growth and domination of world trade is untold squalor and filth. The homes of the upper and middle class exist in close proximity to areas of unbelievable poverty. Rich and poor alike are thrown together in the crowded city streets. Street sweepers attempt to keep the streets clean of manure, the result of thousands of horse-drawn vehicles. When the rain comes, foul stale smells will come from the gutters, and in many parts of the city raw sewage flows in the gutters, emptying into the Thames River. In close, crowded rooms, the smell of unwashed bodes is stifling. It is unbearably hot by the fire and cold away from it, and the candles blacken the ceilings. At night, the major streets are lit with feeble gas lamps, and side and secondary streets are not lit at all. Link bearers are hired to guide the traveler to his destination. Previously, it had been the burden of the parishes to take care of the poor. The answer for dealing with the poor and indigent was the New Poor Law. The new law required parishes to band together and create regional workhouses. The workhouse was little more than a prison for the poor. Families were separated and human dignity destroyed. The true poor often tried hard to avoid them."

Extract from: That Quixotic Lady by Shirley Butler La Rocca