ABSTRACT
It is just half a century since Hood wrote his famous song. In that time what great events Lave occurred! What great changes, political and commercial, have been made-changes from which much was hoped. Besides these changes the country has in the last half century been covered with railways. Electric telegraphs and all kinds of clever things have been invented. There have been several Reform Bills, a great many books on political economy, and no end of charitable undertakings, and the result of all is that the " Song of the Shirt" is as true now as ever it was. And not only is it equally true, hut the evil it exposed is Bpreading. It is now not only the shirt,. maker who "sews with a double thread a shroud as well as a shirt ; " waistcoat-makers and ready-made clothes makers of all sorts do the same.
