"Old Regime and the Revolution" by Alexis de Tocqueville delves into the intricate relationship between the social and political structures of France prior to the Revolution and the upheaval that followed. Tocqueville explores how the old regime's rigid hierarchies and privileges contributed to the revolutionary fervor that reshaped the nation. This analysis remains relevant today as it prompts reflection on the balance between tradition and change, the nature of power, and the struggle for equality. Listening to Tocqueville's insights offers a profound understanding of how historical contexts shape societal transformations, making it a timeless exploration of revolution and its enduring implications.

Here, as in France, begging is made a profession. And it is very important that the public should realize the fact, that ' thoughtless almsgiving, instead of relieving misery, promotes mendicity.' The author of 'Paris qui Mendie' speaks with the experience of one who has put the question of mendicity to a personal test, and who has beaten the beggar in the various branches of his own trade. No one therefore is a better authority on the subject, and M. Louis Paulian's experiences will, I am sure, be welcome in England. Good work has been done in the direction indicated by M. Paulian by the Charity Organisation and Mendicity Societies, and as regards infant suffering by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, but much remains to be accomplished. Professional beggars still abound in England, and too ready an ear is lent to their appeals. - Summary by Lady Herschell