I cannot quit this subject without relating one or two more very bad habits to which children are addicted, and which are, perhaps, fit subjects for the consideration of the Mendicity Society.  As it is the object of that society to clear the streets of beggars, it would be well if they would put a stop to those juvenile beggars, many of whom are children of respectable parents, who assemble together to build what they call a GROTTO; to the great annoyance of all passengers in the street.  However desirous persons may be of encouraging ingenuity in children, I think it is doing them much harm to give them money when they ask for it in this way.  Indeed it would appear, that some of the children have learned the art of begging so well, that they are able to vie with the most experienced mendicants.  Ladies in particular are very much annoyed by children getting before them and asking for money; nor will they take the answer given them, but put their hats up to the ladies’ faces, saying, “Please, ma’am, remember the grotto;” and when told by the parties that they have no money to give, they will still continue to follow, and be as importunate as any common beggar.  However innocent and trifling this may appear to some, I am inclined to believe that such practices tend to evil, for they teach children to be mean, and may cause some of them to choose begging rather than work.  I think that the best way to stop this species of begging is, never to give them any thing.  A fact which came under my own observation will shew that the practice may be productive of mischief.  A foreign gentleman walking up Old Street Road, was surrounded by three or four boys, saying, “Please, sir, remember the grotto.”—­“Go away,” was the reply, “I will give you none.”  To this followed, “Do, pray sir, remember the grotto.”  “No, I tell you, I will give you nothing.”  “Do, sir, only once a-year.”  At length, I believe, he put something into one of their hats, and thus got rid of them; but he had scarcely gone 200 yards, before he came to another grotto, and out sallied three more boys, with the same importunate request:  he replied, “I will give you nothing; plague have you and your grotto.”  The boys however persevered, till the gentleman, having lost all patience, gave one of them a gentle tap to get out of the way, but the boy being on the side of the foot-path fell into the mud, which had been scraped off the road, and in this pickle followed the gentleman, bellowing out, “That man knocked me down in the mud, and I had done nothing to him.”  In consequence, a number of persons soon collected, who insulted the gentleman very much, and he would certainly have been roughly handled, had he not given the boy something as a recompence.  He then called a coach, declaring he could not walk the streets of London in safety.

Those who know what mischief has arisen from very trifling causes, will, of course, perceive the necessity of checking this growing evil; for this man went away with very unfavourable impressions concerning our country, and would, no doubt, prejudice many against us, and make them suppose we are worse than we are.