Mrs Caudle's Curtain Lectures

k must get his death through a broken window--our fire-insurance couldn't be paid, so that we should all fall victims to the devouring element--we couldn't go to Margate, and Caroline would go to an early grave--the dog would come home and bite us all mad--the shutter would go banging for ever--the soot would always fall--the mice never let us have a wink of sleep--thieves be always breaking in the house--our dear Mary Anne be for ever left an unprotected maid,--and with other evils falling upon us, all, all because I would go on lending five pounds!"

LECTURE II--MR. CAUDLE HAS BEEN AT A TAVERN WITH A FRIEND, AND IS "ENOUGH TO POISON A WOMAN" WITH TOBACCO-SMOKE

"Poor me! Ha! I'm sure I don't know who'd be a poor woman! I don't know who'd tie themselves up to a man, if they knew only half they'd have to bear. A wife must stay at home, and be a drudge, whilst a man can go anywhere. It's enough for a wife to sit like Cinderella by the ashes, whilst her husband can go drinking and singing