Page:A tour through the northern counties of England, and the borders of Scotland - Volume I.djvu/46

 ever been known to be imprisoned there before. In order to preserve cleanliness and health, each prisoner has his own separate apartment, containing an iron bedstead, a small oaken box, and other necessaries; and to prevent disorderly conduct amongst this large society, small dark cells are provided for the refractory, who there do penance in solitary confinement for a certain number of hours, according to their offences.

Traits of character, you know, occur as frequently in a gaol as on the outside of the walls; and V and myself could not help remarking a very singular one, which the little apartment of one of the debtors afforded. It belonged to a noted horse-jockey, who at the time was walking in the prison-yard. Peeping into it, we observed four volumes lying upon the window-seat; "Oh!" said V, " here is a philosophical prisoner; probably one who employs the hours of confinement in edifying reading, or serious contemplation;" when, opening one of the books, we perceived it was the "Racing Calendar," and lifting up the lid of the box, discovered in it two pair of nicely-blacked boots, and a polished pair of spurs. So true is it that no situation is able to destroy the ruling passion; for, as Horace has justly observed: