JF Ptak Science Books   Quick Post

Reading Dickens now and stopping for a view of socially-conscious England via the excellent Victorian London website in the work of George Godwin’s  79-page critical exposition London Shadows, a Glance at the “Homes” of the Thousands (1854).  The images are awakening and abrupt–all the bitter observation of George Orwell, only told much more quickly, like a person trying to describe a raging house fire before the thing burned itself out.  Its a powerful work, and I can’t help but think that those reading it in 1854 must have been appalled not only by the deep visualization of the state of the working poor, but also by its scope, and the possible revelation of England’s basic bedrock.

There are any more works to chose from at Victorian London–I decided to pry out the images from the Godwin work along with his commentary on them.  It is truly a stunning work.

“When every man is his own end, all things will come to a bad end.”
                                                                                                    COLERIDGE.