Arthur MACHEN, The Hill of Dreams ( 1907 )

It's the story of a young man who dreams of a better life, he comes from a poor family in Ireland. He decides to emigrate and come in London.

Maybe he comes because it's an artist / politique reasons / to have a different way of living...

This young man is an idealist ( he goes because he believes that London is marvelous ). He has an idealistic image of the England capital.

They were a lot of deseaster; there was the lack of hygiene...

In this description there is nothing positive. It's quite violent. indeed, we have an impression of opression / ghost town / strange / desaster...