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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/35397-h.zip b/35397-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9ba6225 --- /dev/null +++ b/35397-h.zip diff --git a/35397-h/35397-h.htm b/35397-h/35397-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7445c6 --- /dev/null +++ b/35397-h/35397-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6522 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<!-- $Id: header.txt 236 2009-12-07 18:57:00Z vlsimpson $ --> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Christmas Stories, by Edward Berens. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; +} /* page numbers */ + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; +} + +/* Footnotes */ +.footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: + none; +} + + + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Christmas Stories, by Edward Berens + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Christmas Stories + +Author: Edward Berens + +Release Date: February 25, 2011 [EBook #35397] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHRISTMAS STORIES *** + + + + +Produced by Heather Clark, billyeiser and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +book was produced from scanned images of public domain +material from the Google Print project.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + + +<h1>CHRISTMAS STORIES.</h1> + +<h3>CONTAINING</h3> + +<h2>JOHN WILDGOOSE THE POACHER,</h2> + +<h2>THE SMUGGLER,</h2> + +<h3>AND</h3> + +<h2>GOOD-NATURE, OR PARISH MATTERS.</h2> + +<h3>OXFORD,</h3> + +<h4><i>PRINTED BY W. BAXTER</i>,</h4> +<h5>FOR J. PARKER; AND F. C. AND J. RIVINGTON, ST. PAUL'S</h5> +<h5>CHURCH YARD, AND WATERLOO PLACE, LONDON.</h5> + +<h4>1823.</h4> + + +<div> +<br/> +<h3>THE</h3> +<h2>HISTORY</h2> +<h4>OF</h4> +<h2>JOHN WILDGOOSE.</h2> +<br/> +</div> + + +<h3>ADVERTISEMENT.</h3> + +<p>The Author of the following Tale has, for some +time, wished to put together a little Tract on the evil +and danger of <i>poaching</i>; an offence which so often +leads on to the most immoral habits, and the most +heinous crimes. It seemed that his object might be +answered by the aid of narrative and dialogue, more +effectually than by a regular and continued discourse. +If it should be thought, in any degree, worthy of +standing on the same shelf with "Trimmer's Instructive +Tales," and the "Cheap Repository Tracts," the +ambition of the Author will be gratified.</p> + +<p> +<i>Jan.</i> 27, 1821.<br /> +</p> + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span></p><div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/image01.png" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<div> +<br/> +<h3>THE</h3> +<h2>HISTORY</h2> +<h4>OF</h4> +<h2>JOHN WILDGOOSE.</h2> +<br/> +</div> + +<p>Thomas Wildgoose was an honest +and hard-working man, in one of the midland +counties. He had long been attached to +Susan Jenkins, a well-behaved young woman +of the same village; but from prudence and +a proper independence of mind, he determined +not to take a wife until he had a house to +bring her to, as well as some prospect of +providing for a family without being a burthen +to the farmers, who were already complaining +of the pressure of the poor-rates.</p> + +<p>In consequence of his good character he +was never out of work; and though his wages +were not high, yet he almost every week +contrived to put by something, which he +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span>deposited in a bank for savings, lately established +in the neighbouring market town. His +weekly deposits were not very large sums, +yet "many a little makes a mickle." This +was helped out by a legacy of thirty pounds +from an uncle; so that in a few years he was +enabled to purchase a cottage with a small +garden, and had still something over for a +few articles of furniture. Susan, meanwhile, +had gone on steadily in service, always +making a point of putting by some part of +her wages; so that when they married, they +were comparatively rich. For some time +after his marriage Wildgoose continued to +work for his old master; and Susan, by field +work in the hay-making and harvest, and by +taking in sewing at other times of the year, +was able to earn a good deal towards maintaining +their children. The wants of an +increasing family, however, led him to consider +how he might enlarge his means of +subsistence; and the success of an old acquaintance +in the adjoining village, determined +him to endeavour to purchase a horse +and cart, and commence business as a higler.</p> + +<p>A higler's business is liable to so many +chances, and takes a man so much from +home, that perhaps he would have acted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span> +more wisely if he had stuck to work. We +cannot however blame him for endeavouring +to better his circumstances in an honest way. +Though he occasionally met with some losses +from bad debts, yet upon the whole he did +pretty well.</p> + +<p>One day in November, as he was returning +home from market rather late in the evening, +and was walking quietly by the side of the +cart, he was suddenly startled by a rattling +noise behind him; and turning round, saw +the True Blue stage driving furiously along +the road, and the Opposition coach a short +distance behind. Wildgoose immediately +went to his horse's head, and drew his cart as +close as he could to the hedge; but just at +that moment the Opposition coach had got +up with the other, and in endeavouring to +pass it, one of the leaders knocked poor +Wildgoose down, and the wheels went over +him. The unfeeling coachmen were too +eager in the race to attend to the mischief +which they had occasioned; and the poor +man was left lying in the road, until two +neighbouring farmers, returning from market, +found him, and brought him home, more dead +than alive, in his own cart. At first some<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> +faint expectations were entertained of his +recovery; but soon it was found that the +injury which he had sustained was too serious +to admit of hope.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hooker, the clergyman of the parish, +came to visit him frequently, for the purpose +both of assisting his devotions, and of comforting +his poor wife: and on one of these +occasions he took an opportunity of asking +him, in as kind a manner as possible, whether +he had settled his worldly affairs. This +certainly had not occurred to Wildgoose: +when, however, Mr. Hooker explained to +him, that if he died without a will, his house +and garden would all go to his eldest son, +subject to dower to his wife; and that in +strictness of law his household furniture, +shop-goods, and cart and horse, would be to +be divided in three parts, one to his wife, +and two between his children; he saw the +propriety of arranging these matters while he +was able. Mr. Smith the attorney was accordingly +sent for. Poor Wildgoose, who +had reason to have full confidence in the good +sense and judgment of his wife, and in her +impartial affection to her children, felt that he +could not do better than leave every thing to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span> +her, at the same time constituting her sole +executrix. He knew that she would consider +herself as a trustee for the children, felt sure +that she would not marry again, and thought +it best not to fetter her by any minute +directions. Mr. Smith prepared the will +accordingly; and as three witnesses are necessary +to a will bequeathing a freehold, their +good neighbour Simpson the tailor was +called in, who together with Mr. Hooker and +Mr. Smith attested Wildgoose's execution of +the will. When this was done, the poor man +felt his mind relieved: and endeavoured more +and more to detach his thoughts from all +earthly cares, and to fix them on subjects +connected with those unseen things which +are eternal. The next day he received the +sacrament, which he had been in the habit of +receiving frequently during his life; and +before the end of the week he died.</p> + +<p>Poor Susan had been for some time preparing +for this sad event; but still when it +actually happened, it seemed to come upon +her by surprise. She felt quite stunned by +the blow. At first, she could attend to, +could think of, nothing but her own loss, +her own sad and desolate condition. She<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> +was however soon enabled to turn for support +to that Being, who bids the widow to +trust in him, and who promises to protect the +fatherless children. Her mind found a comfort +in prayer; and the sort of strain and +oppression which she felt through her whole +frame was soon relieved by a flood of tears. +The necessity of acting forced her to rouse +and exert herself. Her husband had desired +to be buried in as plain and simple a manner +as possible; and she felt that she shewed him +more real respect by complying with this +direction, than by spending in useless shew +that money which was wanted to provide +necessaries for the children.</p> + +<p>Thomas had been one of the singers. The +band accordingly met, and shewed their +respect to his memory by singing the funeral +psalm, after the conclusion of the beautiful +and impressive lesson in the burial service. +Poor Susan, who was naturally a strong-minded +woman, had been able so far to +exert herself as to attend the last sad ceremony, +but had nearly sunk while the psalm +was singing. She felt, however, the ground +of consolation suggested to her by the service. +When the clergyman read, "Blessed are the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span> +dead which die in the Lord," and again, +when he spoke of "the souls of the faithful +after they are delivered from the burden of +the flesh being in joy and felicity with the +Lord," she felt an humble trust that these +words were applicable to her dear departed +husband. Deep therefore and acute as her +sorrow was, she endeavoured to comply with +the admonition of the holy apostle St. Paul, +"not to be sorry as one without hope."</p> + +<p>She had little time, however, for the indulgence +of grief. The circumstances of her +family made it absolutely necessary for her to +consider by what means she should provide +for them. One of her first cares was to administer +to the will. Mr. Hooker told her +that she was liable to a heavy penalty if she +neglected this; and that though the penalty +was seldom levied, she was hardly complete +executrix until it was done. The next thing +to be considered was, how she could get a +living without being a burden to the parish. +Once she had some thoughts of carrying on +the higling business herself; but the being +taken so much from her home and children, +and several other circumstances, convinced +her that this plan was not advisable. She<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> +therefore determined to sell the horse and +cart, and set up a shop, for which there was +a fair opening in the village, without doing +injury to any of her neighbours.</p> + +<p>It went to her heart to part with the horse, +which had been her dear husband's fellow-traveller +in so many journeys, and of which +he had taken such good care; but prudence +forbad her to give way to feelings of this +nature. She therefore endeavoured to find +for him a kind master, and got quite as good +a price as she could expect. The cart too +sold for as much as it was worth; and with +the money which was thus produced, she +was enabled to open her shop with a good +supply of articles purchased at the ready +money price. One plan, which she very +early adopted, may be worth the attention of +those who are engaged in the same business. +She soon contrived to learn, what was the +usual rate of profit, which the shops in the +neighbourhood made upon the articles which +they sold. They all sold upon credit, and of +course lost a good deal by bad debts. Mrs. +Wildgoose would gladly have sold nothing +but for ready money; but as she soon found +that this was out of the question, partly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> +because some of the poor were irregularly +paid by their employers, and partly from +other causes, she adopted the following plan. +In general she gave the same credit as the +other shops, and thought it fair to make the +same profit, but always gladly gave up half +the profit to a ready money customer.</p> + +<p>Three of her children were able to make +themselves of use. John, the eldest, who +was now eleven years old, was employed by +a farmer at seven-pence per day. Mary, the +next, assisted in washing and mending, and +in taking care of little Sarah while her mother +was in the shop; and Sam could earn two +shillings a week, sometimes by pig-keeping, +and sometimes by jingling a sheep-bell, to +keep the birds from the corn.</p> + +<p>And here I must just mention by the bye +a scrape that little Sam once got into. He +was sitting on the watch, under a hedge close +to the public road, when a flight of pigeons +settled on the wheat. Up jumped Sam, and, +all at once, began hallooing as loud as his +lungs would let him, and making the most +alarming noise with his bell. He succeeded +in driving off the plunderers but, unluckily, +the suddenness of the noise close by the road<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> +so frightened the horse of a gentleman who +was riding by, that he turned short round, +and threw his rider into the dirt. The gentleman +was not much hurt, but a good deal +out of temper; and vented his anger by +giving a few cuts with his whip to the boy, +who caused his disaster. Poor Sam meant no +harm; but perhaps he deserved some punishment, +as his thoughtlessness in making a +sudden noise so near the public road, might +have been the occasion of a broken limb, or +even a more serious accident.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding a few occasional rubs and +grievances, the family for some time got on +pretty well; but there was something in the +character of her eldest son, which gave Mrs. +Wildgoose much uneasiness. He had, I am +afraid, been rather spoilt from his infancy. +Both father and mother were so fond of their +first child, that they humoured him in every +thing. Whatever he cried for he was almost +sure to have, and this mistaken indulgence +made him, from very early years, selfish, and +wilful. Care and diligence afterwards, prospered +by the grace of God, may certainly +correct the effects of early spoiling; but, +though they had so many other good qua<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span>lities, +the parents of John Wildgoose had not +been sufficiently aware of the necessity of +paying attention to the forming of his temper +and principles. For a few years he was sent +to the day school, and learnt to read tolerably +well; but when he was between eight and +nine years old, he was taken to work; and +employed, sometimes by the farmers, sometimes +to go on errands for his father. He +felt his father's death a good deal, and for +some time seemed anxious to do what he +could to assist his mother. He stuck to his +work, and regularly brought his earnings +home; and was kind to his brother and +sisters. Soon, however, the wilfulness of his +character began again to shew itself, and +gained strength by being no longer checked +by the authority of a father. His mother +was grieved to find that he would often go +his own way instead of complying with her +wishes. One of his principal faults at this +time was a neglect of the Lord's day. He +seldom came to church; and when he did +happen to come, was inattentive to every part +of the service. Mr. Hooker several times +endeavoured to persuade him to come to the +Sunday school; he told him that one prin<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span>cipal +use of such schools was the enabling +those boys, who were engaged in labour +during the week, to keep up and to improve +the learning which they had acquired at the +day school before they went to work; but he +would not be persuaded. In spring he was +bird's nesting; in summer he was lying on +the grass, or bathing in the river; in autumn +he was nutting, and, I am sorry to say, was +sometimes guilty of making an inroad on a +neighbour's orchard; and in winter he was +engaged in sliding on the ice, hunting +squirrels, or some other diversion. Both his +mother and Mr. Hooker lamented this, and +in the kindest manner endeavoured to make +him sensible of the folly of his conduct. He +received their admonitions in sullen silence; +and instead of feeling, as he ought to have +felt, that their advice proceeded from a regard +for his welfare, seemed to think that it was +meant to answer some object of their own.</p> + +<p>When he was just past seventeen, he unluckily +struck up a close intimacy with a +young man in the village, a few years older +than himself. His name was William Atkins, +but he was usually called Black Will. +Atkins was a lively fellow, with a good deal<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> +of coarse humour. He was one of those +men who neither fear God nor regard man, +and who take pleasure in turning religion and +every thing serious into ridicule. With him +young Wildgoose passed many of his leisure +hours; and sometimes on a Sunday evening +they used to join a party of idlers at the +Fighting Cocks, a lone public house, about a +quarter of a mile from the village.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Wildgoose saw the intimacy which +her son had formed with great pain, and repeatedly +cautioned him against it. "Jack," +she one day said to him, "I do wish from +my heart that you would not keep company +with that Will Atkins. I am sure no good +can come of it." "Why, mother," answered +Jack, "what harm is there in poor Will? +He is a good-humoured fellow, that loves a +joke; and, I'm sure, he's always very kind +and friendly to me." "As pleasant as you +may find him," replied his mother, "you +know that he bears but a middling character." +"Yes," said the son, "but I shall take care +not to be hurt by that." "Don't be too +sure," rejoined she; "the <i>Good Book</i> tells us, +that <i>evil communications corrupt good manners, +that he that toucheth pitch shall be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> +defiled therewith</i>, and that <i>the companion of +fools shall be destroyed</i>." Jack never +liked any thing approaching to a lecture; +and sulkily saying, "I think, mother, I'm old +enough now to judge for myself," left the +house.</p> + +<p>Black Will, among other qualifications, +possessed that of being an experienced +poacher; and it was not long before he let +John Wildgoose into the art and mystery of +this species of marauding. He used to tell +him stories of his dexterity in eluding the +keepers, of his skill in entrapping the game, +of the fine sums of money he made by it, and +of the jolly parties which that money enabled +them to have at the Fighting Cocks. Jack +was amused with his stories, and began very +soon to think that he should like to have a +share in these adventures. As a boy he was +always fond of bird's nesting, and bat fowling, +and was eager to try his hand upon game of +a higher description. Will was ready enough +to lead him on. The next autumn he gave +him a few wires, taught him how to set them +in the most likely places, and how to make +more. Young Wildgoose was at this time +employed in keeping sheep, and was with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> +them early and late. His friend instructed +him to set his wires in the evening, and +when he returned to his flock in the morning, +to go round and see how they had succeeded. +When he found a hare, he directly hid it in a +ditch, or some snug place, till dark, and then +carried it to Atkins, who used to meet him +for this purpose near the Fighting Cocks. +Secretly as he managed this, he did not +escape the vigilant eye of Sir John's keeper; +but besides that he felt for the young man's +mother, and therefore was unwilling to expose +him, he thought that he should do his master +and the public more service by discovering +the receiver of the hares, than by proceeding +against the catcher of them. He had seen +the direction which young Wildgoose usually +took when he left his sheep, and contrived +one night to station himself so, that he witnessed +his meeting with Atkins, and saw the +latter directly carry the booty into the public +house. Stephen Tomkins the landlord was +a keen, knowing kind of person. Though he +sold a good deal of beer, yet he chose to say +that he could not get his bread by keeping to +his regular business, and had many other +ways of earning a few shillings. Among the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> +rest, he kept a horse and cart, with which he +travelled every week as a higler, either to the +county town, or wherever else suited his purpose. +The game-keeper had long suspected +him of carrying game, but had never been +able actually to catch him. What he now +saw, added to some private information which +he had received, satisfied him that his suspicions +were just. Early next morning therefore +he applied for a warrant to search for +game, and waited with the constable and +two other men at the turn of the road, +before you come to the turnpike at the +entrance of the town. About the hour they +reckoned upon, Tomkins's cart made its appearance, +and they sallied out from the hovel +where they had concealed themselves. Tomkins, +upon being desired to stop, at first looked +a little frightened, but soon contrived to put +a good face upon the business. When they +shewed him their warrant, he pretended to be +surprised, and affronted that they should suspect +such a man as him of any thing improper; +at the same time asserting with many +oaths, that he had nothing in his cart but a +few fowls and the butter which he had collected +from the dairymen. The keepers,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> +however, insisted upon searching; and were +so long before they succeeded, that they +almost thought that he had got some hint of +their intentions. At last, however, quite at +the bottom of the cart, under butter baskets, +fowls, and other commodities of the same +nature, they discovered first one hare, then a +second, then a third. As it was market day, +the magistrates were holding their usual petty +sessions. The keepers immediately carried +Stephen Tomkins and the hares into the +justice room. The regular steps having been +gone through, and the witnesses sworn and +examined, Tomkins had not a word to say in +his defence. Mr. Hale, therefore, who acted +as chairman of the bench, proceeded to conviction, +and addressed him in the following +words.</p> + +<p>"Stephen Tomkins, you have been convicted +upon the clearest evidence of having +game in your possession in your higler's cart, +by which offence you have incurred the penalty +of 15[English Pound]; that is, 5[English Pound] for each head of +game, half to the informer and half to the +poor of the parish<a name="FNanchor_A_1" id="FNanchor_A_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_1" class="fnanchor">[a]</a>. The law does not give +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span>us the power of mitigating this penalty; and +even if it did, we probably should not feel +that there was any cause for mitigation. The +offence of which you are convicted is one, +the effects of which are very mischievous. +It has been said, that if there were no receivers +of stolen goods there would be no +thieves: and it may be said, with equal +truth, that there would be few poachers if +there were no clandestine receivers of game. +Such men as you encourage thoughtless +young men in this manner to break the laws +of their country, and to take to a course +of life which often brings them to an untimely +end. We hope that this conviction +will be a warning to you, and will induce +you to desist from such practices."</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_A_1" id="Footnote_A_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A_1"><span class="label">[a]</span></a> See Note <a name="FNanchor_A._8" id="FNanchor_A._8"></a><a href="#Footnote_A._8" class="fnanchor">[A.]</a></p></div> + +<p>Tomkins said, that it was very hard that +he should have to pay so heavy a fine, only +for having a few hares in his cart; and did +not see how he was more to blame than the +poulterer, to whom he was going to send +them, or than the gentlemen who bought +them of the poulterers. Mr. Hale replied, +that he and his brother justices sat there to +execute the laws, and had not time to discuss +the propriety of them, or the cases of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> +other offenders who were not before them. +"As for you, Mr. Tomkins," he continued, +"for the reasons which I have given, I do +not think your punishment at all too severe: +at all events, it is the punishment prescribed +by law, which we are bound to inflict. As +for those other persons to whom you allude, +a poulterer exposing game for sale, and a +gentleman or other person <i>buying it</i><a name="FNanchor_B_2" id="FNanchor_B_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_B_2" class="fnanchor">[b]</a>, are +liable to the same penalty, and if they should +be brought before us with sufficient evidence +against them, it would be our duty to convict +them. Perhaps I might also feel it right +to give them the same admonition that I +have given you. I might feel it right to hint +to them, as I have done to you, that they are +encouraging poor men to break the laws by +poaching, and that they are in one point of +view more to blame than the poachers themselves. +A poacher often pleads distress and +poverty. This is no excuse for him, but can +certainly often be pleaded with truth. Now, +certainly, a poor, uneducated man, who +breaks the laws through distress—though +mind, I again say, that that is no excuse for +him—must in one point of view at least, be +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span>considered as less blameable than he who +knowingly breaks them for the purpose of +mere gain, or, than he who violates them +for the sake of gratifying his appetite or his +vanity, by seeing game upon his table."</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_B_2" id="Footnote_B_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_B_2"><span class="label">[b]</span></a> See Note <a name="FNanchor_B._9" id="FNanchor_B._9"></a><a href="#Footnote_B._9" class="fnanchor">[B.]</a></p></div> + +<p>Tomkins had nothing more to say, excepting +that he had not the money by him, +and wanted a little time to raise it. The +justices therefore allowed him to defer the +payment till that day fortnight.</p> + +<p>When the culprit returned into the market-place, +he pretended to make light of the +affair; and calling at the Red Lion for a pot +of ale with some gin in it, drank "good luck +to poaching," and affected to laugh at the +magistrates. Fifteen pounds, however, was +really a heavy pull upon Tomkins's purse, +and whatever he might pretend, it weighed +upon his mind a good deal.</p> + +<p>When he got back to his own house, he +was loud in expressing his ill humour against +Mr. Hale, and the whole bench of justices: +and uttered against them the most dreadful +curses. "Come, come, Stephen," said old +Truman, his father-in-law, who was quietly +sitting in the chimney-corner, "come, come, +you are going a little too far; I am sorry for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> +many reasons that you have got into this +scrape, and don't wonder at your being +vexed; but what right have you to cry out so +against Mr. Hale?"—"Right!" said Tomkins, +"right enough, I think. Why, has'nt +he fined me fifteen pounds?"—"Yes; but +could he do otherwise? Every magistrate, +you know, is sworn to execute the laws to +the best of his judgment. If, after such +clear evidence, he had let you off, he would +have broken his oath, and have acted ill +towards the public at large, and unjustly +towards those who are entitled to receive the +money. Besides, Stephen, you don't suppose, +because a magistrate punishes you as +an <i>offender</i>, that he bears any ill will to you +as a <i>man</i>. Excepting on licensing-day, he +probably never saw you before, and never +thought about you one way or the other."—"Well +then," said Tomkins, "I hate him +for being a magistrate at all."—"Now there +you're wrong again," said the old man; +"I'm sure we all ought to be very thankful +to those gentlemen, who will undertake such +a troublesome office, especially as they get +nothing by it. There are few people in these +days that will work without pay. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> +judges get some thousands a year, and a +pension when they are too old for service. +I do not wish them one farthing less, for +they deserve richly all they get, and are, +generally speaking, an honour to the country. +The attorneys too, if you have any dealings +with them, come pretty quick upon you with +their three-and-fourpences, and their six-and-eightpences; +and the counsellors seldom +open their mouths under a guinea or two. +Tho' here again I must say, that I don't +think either of these sorts of lawyers over-paid, +when you consider how many years +most of them work before they get any thing, +(many, I believe, never get any thing at all.) +The gentlemen, however, who act as justices, +give their time and attention for nothing, and +run the risk of giving offence to many of +their neighbours into the bargain. No one, +I'm sure, will undertake the office, who +values his own ease, and quiet, and comfort, +at a higher rate than the being of use to his +neighbours and the public."—"I wish," +said Tomkins peevishly, "there were no +such things as laws or magistrates in the +world."—"Like enough, like enough," replied +Truman, "men are apt to quarrel with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> +the laws when the laws are too hard for 'em. +You don't often look into the Bible, Stephen, +but that would tell you, that the +magistrate <i>beareth not the sword in vain, +but is an avenger to execute wrath upon +every soul that doeth evil</i>. It is, therefore, +natural for a man, who has done evil, or who +means to do evil, to wish that there was +no such check upon him. But those who, +instead of doing evil, wish to lead quiet and +peaceable lives in an honest way, are glad to +have the laws to protect them from evil doers, +and are thankful to those who duly +execute them."</p> + +<p>Tomkins did not much like Truman's +lecture, and instead of being benefited by it, +retained in his heart all his ill-will against +Mr. Hale. In this he was not only very +wrong, but, I am disposed to think, more +unreasonable than the generality of men who +may be in the same unlucky circumstances +with himself. For men, who are convicted +upon sufficient evidence, have generally the +sense to see that the magistrate who convicts +them, merely does his bounden duty. Tomkins +put common sense and reason out of +the question, and determined to do some<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span>thing +by way of revenge. Mr. Hale's house +was situated about seven miles off. It +stood at the extremity of a rather extensive +paddock, at the other end of which was a +large fish pond, well stored with jack and +perch. Tomkins knew the pond well, and +took it into his head, that he would make it +refund part of his fifteen pounds. He communicated +his plan to Will Atkins, young +Wildgoose, and Mike Simmons, who readily +entered into it. They heard that Mr. Hale +was from home for a few days, and determined +to execute their plan without delay. +They accordingly furnished themselves with +a large net, and in the dusk of the evening +proceeded to a barn, at a little distance from +Mr. Hale's grounds. Here they concealed +themselves till towards twelve o'clock at +night. They then got over the pales, and +were just beginning to open their net, when +they were alarmed by the sound of horses +coming swiftly along the road. They +thought themselves safe from the owner of +the pond, but were of course afraid of being +seen at that time of night by any one else, +and crouched down to avoid observation. +In this they did not succeed. It was a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> +cloudy night, but still the moon gave some +light, and the horsemen, who proved to be +Mr. Hale, (who had been unexpectedly called +home,) his brother the Captain, and a servant, +caught a glimpse of them. The gentlemen +directly gave their horses to the servant, +and jumping over the pales hastened towards +the pond. The plunderers immediately ran +off, and three of them were soon lost in the +plantations. Wildgoose, however, in the +hurry set his foot in a drain, threw himself +down, and was taken.</p> + +<p>When told his name and place of abode, +Mr. Hale said, that "he remembered his +father as an honest and industrious man:" +indeed the sad accident by which he lost his +life, had made his name known throughout +the neighbourhood. And then addressing +himself to his prisoner, "Young man," said +he, "I respected your father, and have +heard that your mother bears an excellent +character; I am therefore, heartily sorry to +find that their son has taken to such bad +practices. It is well for you that I did not +come up a little later, after you had carried +your scheme into execution. Had that been +the case, you might have been transported."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> +"Transported!" said Wildgoose in astonishment, +"what, transported for taking a +few fish!" "Yes, transported," replied +the magistrate; "if a man steals fish from +a pond in any inclosed ground, he is, upon +conviction before one Justice, to be sentenced +to pay five pounds: but if he enters +into any park, or paddock, or garden adjoining +to a house, and steals fish from any river, +or pond in it, he is liable to be indicted at +the Assizes, and transported for seven years<a name="FNanchor_C_3" id="FNanchor_C_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_C_3" class="fnanchor">[c]</a>. +The law often finds it necessary to protect, +by a severe penalty, property that is much +exposed; and when a man is daring enough +to carry on his depredations in the very +homestead of his neighbour, he requires a +severe punishment. In the present case, +though your intention is sufficiently clear, I +have no wish, and do not feel bound, to +prosecute you. Nor shall I (as I might do) +sue you for the trespass. Go home to your +mother, and never again allow yourself to be +led by bad advisers into the like crime."</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_C_3" id="Footnote_C_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_C_3"><span class="label">[c]</span></a> See Note <a name="FNanchor_C._10" id="FNanchor_C._10"></a><a href="#Footnote_C._10" class="fnanchor">[C.]</a></p></div> + +<p>Jack had told his mother that he was +going to a friend at a distance, and should +not return home that night. This made her +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span>sadly anxious; but she knew by experience +that persuasion was lost upon him. When +he returned home in the morning, she was +confirmed in the suspicion that something +was wrong. From his intimacy with Will +Atkins she concluded he had been upon some +poaching scheme; and determined, as she +could do nothing herself, to try what effect +Mr. Hooker could produce upon her son. +It was not long before a good opportunity +offered. Just as Jack left Mr. Hale's paddock, +a heavy rain had come on, which soon +soaked his clothes. Wet as he was, he got +into a shed, partly for shelter, and partly to +fill up the time, till his mother was up in the +morning to let him in. The consequence +was, that he caught a severe cold, attended +with so much fever and head-ache, that he +was unfit to go to work. Mr. Hooker +called, and having kindly enquired after his +health, began giving some hints on the subject +of poaching. Jack sulkily answered, +that "no one had a right to consider him +as a poacher, until he was caught." Mr. +Hooker, however, who had had some communication +with Sir John's keeper, soon let +him know that he had good ground for what<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> +he said; and endeavoured to make him +sensible of the criminality and danger of his +conduct. Jack would not acknowledge that +poaching was wrong. Stealing he knew +was disgraceful and sinful. To carry off a +sheep, or to rob a henroost, deserved, he allowed, +to be severely punished; "but," said +he, "I cannot see the harm of <i>poaching</i>: +animals that run wild by nature belong to +nobody, and any body that can has a right +to catch them. I don't know why it is more +wrong to kill a partridge than it is to kill a +crow or a sparrow; or why catching a hare +is worse than knocking down a squirrel." +"The laws of the land," said Mr. Hooker, +"have made a difference between those animals, +and it is the duty of every man to obey +the laws of the country in which he lives." +"Not," answered Jack, "if the laws are +hard or unfair." "Our duty," replied Mr. +Hooker, "is to obey the laws as we find +them. If every one were at liberty to reject +such laws as he disliked, we might almost as +well have no laws at all. The thief would +cast off the laws against stealing; the drunkard +those against drunkenness; and of course +the poacher would have no laws against<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> +poaching. The Scriptures teach us <i>to submit +ourselves to every ordinance of man</i>; +why? <i>for the Lord's sake</i>:—as a matter of +religious duty. They bid us to be subject +not only for wrath, for fear of punishment, +but <i>for conscience sake</i>. They teach us <i>to +obey magistrates</i>: to be dutiful <i>to the king +as supreme, and to magistrates as to them +that are sent by him for the punishment of +evil doers, and the praise of them that do +well</i>. Remember, therefore, that quiet obedience +to the laws of the land is a Christian +duty. We are to obey the laws, whether we +approve of them or not: but perhaps, after +all, the laws against poaching are not so unreasonable +as you take them to be. Upon +what do the hares, and pheasants, and partridges +feed?" "Why, upon a number of +things; chiefly upon the grass and corn, and +such like; and a deal of mischief they do." +"Well then, being supported by the produce +of the land, they ought in some way to belong +to the land; but as from their wildness +they move about from place to place, it is for +the law to say in what manner they shall +belong to it; and the law does this by +making a certain property in land the prin<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span>cipal +qualification for killing game. Perhaps +I may think that some alteration in the qualification +might be an advantage; but I am +not a lawgiver, Jack, any more than you; +and as I said before, we are to obey the laws +as we find them." "It's very well," said +Jack, sulkily, "for a gentleman like you to +talk about obedience to the laws, but I don't +know what good the laws do to such a poor +fellow as I am." Mr. Hooker did not immediately +notice this, but, seeming to change +the conversation, said, "By the bye, John, I +was sorry to hear of your quarrel with Tom +Nutman, the blacksmith at Ratton. I'm +told that he threatens to break every bone in +your skin. Are you not afraid of meeting +him?" "Afraid," said Jack, "let him touch +me if he dare." "Why, do you think that +he is prevented by any sense of religion from +putting his threat in execution?" "Religion! +he has no more religion than a dog." +"Oh! then you think that he is afraid of +you, and that you are more than a match +for him?" "Why no, I can't say that:—he's +much the strongest man of the two, and +is a noted prize fighter." "Then why should +he not dare to touch you?" "Because he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> +knows, that if he should strike me, I should +get a warrant against him, and have him off +to prison before he was a day older." "Oh! +that is what you mean, is it? it seems then +that the law is of some use to you, poor as you +are. And as you say that he is not influenced +by the fear of God, what is there that prevents +his coming to-morrow, with half a +dozen of the Ratton men, carrying off every +thing in your mother's shop, and breaking +your head if you said a word against it?—The +laws of the land certainly, which he +knows would severely punish his wrong doing." +John was forced to acknowledge, that +even the poor had an interest in the protection +afforded by the law to persons and property.</p> + +<p>"But," continued Mr. Hooker, "poaching +is positively wrong, not only as it is a +breach of the laws, but on many other accounts. +It is plainly contrary to the great +rule of doing as you would be done by. You +would not like, if the law gave you a right +to any particular thing, to have any man +come and take that thing from you: and so, +when the proprietor of an estate and manor, +like Sir John, is at much expence and trouble<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> +in order to preserve the game, which the law +gives him a right to preserve, it is clearly +wrong, and in opposition to the great rule +which I have mentioned, for any man to invade +that right. Besides, poaching is apt to +bring a man into bad company, which is +always most dangerous. The habit of being +out at nights makes him familiar with deeds +which shun the light; and too often, if he is +disappointed of his game, the poacher makes +up for it by taking poultry, or any thing else +he can lay his hands on. We hear too every +day, how poaching leads on to deeds of violence, +and even of bloodshed, in the conflicts +which it occasions with the men, whose duty +it is to protect the game. In short, John, +poaching is wrong in itself; it leads a man +into a lawless way of life, and frequently is +the beginning of all kinds of wickedness."</p> + +<p>Young Wildgoose felt that there was much +truth in what Mr. Hooker said; and though +the pride, or stubbornness of his character +would not allow him to acknowledge it at +the time, yet when he came to reflect on it +after the clergyman was gone, he pretty much +determined within himself that he would give +up the sinful and dangerous practice into<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> +which he had been drawn. Perhaps some +private reason came in aid of his good resolution. +He stuck to his work; kept away +from the Fighting Cocks; and avoided the +company of Will Atkins and his old associates. +His mother observed the alteration +in his conduct with heartfelt pleasure. From +the odd temper of her son, she thought it +might be prudent not to say much about it: +but she was particularly kind in her manner +to him, and did all that she could to make +his home comfortable. Young Wildgoose +felt this as he ought, and for some time every +thing went on well.</p> + +<p>Unhappily one evening in November, as +John was returning from his work, he accidentally +fell in with his old companion +Atkins: "Why, Jack," cried he, "what +have you been doing with yourself? We +never see thee among us now; and many +a merry night have we had. What has +made thee so shy of late?" Wildgoose +told him that he was going to turn over a +new leaf, and had given up poaching. "Well +now, I'm sorry for that; but still that's no +reason why you should'nt now and then join +a friend or two over a pot of beer; so come +along with me to Tomkins's. He'll be quite<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> +glad to see thee again." John refused with +some steadiness, but Atkins said so much, +with a sort of good-humoured raillery, that +at last he gave way. In one pot of ale he +thought there could be no harm.</p> + +<p>At the Fighting Cocks they found four or +five of Will Atkins's particular friends sitting +round the fire. They had not been drinking +much, seemed sociable and friendly, and +talked about any thing that came uppermost. +Wildgoose soon went beyond the quantity, +to which he had stinted himself; when all at +once Atkins called out, "Come now, Jack, +do tell us what could possess you to give up +sporting. You used to take as much pleasure +in it as any gentleman in the land." +John was taken by surprise, and did not well +know what to answer. At length he fairly acknowledged +that he gave it up in consequence +of what Mr. Hooker had said to him. "Well +now, that is too bad," said Will, "I thought +that you had been a lad of too much spirit +to be talked over by a parson. I concluded +that you had some real good reason, and +never should have guessed that you had nothing +more to say for yourself than that." +John replied, that Mr. Hooker spoke very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> +kindly to him; and that in what he said, he +seemed to have both sense and Scripture +on his side. "Scripture!" exclaimed Bob +Fowler, "why sure enough Jack Wildgoose +is turned methodist." They all laughed +heartily at the joke, and went on for some +time bantering Wildgoose upon his being so +straight-laced. Jack never could stand being +laughed at. He had not resolution enough +to hold fast his integrity, when his integrity +exposed him to ridicule. He did not remember +the words of the prophet, <i>Fear ye +not the reproach of men, neither be afraid +of their revilings</i>: nor those of our Saviour, +<i>Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of +my words</i>—that is, ashamed of being religious, +of being a Christian—<i>in this adulterous +and sinful generation, of him shall +the Son of Man be ashamed when he cometh +in his glory with his holy angels</i>. In short, +Atkins and his comrades plied Jack Wildgoose +so successfully with ale and bantering, +that he gave up his good resolutions, and +agreed to accompany them on a scheme +which they had already planned for making +an attack upon Sir John's preserve. They +sat drinking till past twelve o'clock at night,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> +and then repaired by different roads to the +scene of action.</p> + +<p>It so happened, that the keepers had received +some information, which had carried +them to the opposite side of the manor. The +gang, therefore, carried on their operations for +some time without interruption; and when +their firing had drawn the keepers towards +them, one of the party, who had been posted +on the look-out, contrived to give them a +signal, so that they got away without difficulty. +They returned to their rendezvous +loaded with pheasants, for which Tomkins +paid them a good price, with some gin into +the bargain. They gave Wildgoose more +than his fair share of the money by way of +encouragement; and agreed to meet again on +the following Thursday.</p> + +<p>On that day they determined to try their +luck in the wood which covers the north side +of the hill, just at the outside of Sir John's +park. The party consisted of Black Will, +Bob Fowler, John Wildgoose, Tom Cade, +and one more. Will and Bob were provided +with guns; the rest had bludgeons, in order to +assist them, in case of any interruption from +the keepers. Atkins and Cade entered the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> +wood from the park, and the three others a +little lower down. Atkins had just fired at +a pheasant, when one of the under keepers +jumped up out of the ditch, and calling out, +"Holloa! what are you at there?" ran to +Atkins, and collared him. Tom, who was at +a small distance behind a tree, immediately +came to his friend's assistance, and a well +aimed blow of his bludgeon laid the assailant +at their feet. At this moment the head +keeper and several of Sir John's men came +up, and secured Tom. The other poachers +were brought by the noise to the field of +battle, and attempted to rescue their comrade; +but as Fowler was aiming a blow at the +man who had hold of him, one of Sir John's +garden men struck him on the right arm, just +above the elbow, with such tremendous force, +that the bone was broken. The poachers, +who before had begun to find that the keepers +were too many for them, immediately +ran, leaving Bob wounded, and Tom a prisoner. +The former, in consequence of the +hurt which he had received, was allowed to +return to his family; but Tom was carried +off to a magistrate, and then to gaol, in order +to take his trial at the ensuing Quarter Ses<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span>sions. +The other three, when they found +themselves safe from pursuit, slackened their +pace. Will first broke silence, by exclaiming, +"A pretty business we have made of it +to-night. Well, we can't always manage as +we did last week; but I hate to go home +empty-handed." They were now passing +through the orchard at the back of Farmer +Dobson's house, when Will spied some turkeys, +which had imprudently chosen to roost +in the trees, instead of going into the poultry +house. The opportunity was tempting; and +for want of other game, Will twitched two +of them from their branch, and carried them +off so quietly, that the farmer's dog did not +utter a single bark. Wildgoose was a good +deal shocked at this. In the pursuit of game, +though illegal, he thought there was something +spirited and manly; but revolted at +the idea of <i>stealing</i>. What Mr. Hooker had +said on the tendency of poaching to lead on +to other crimes occurred to him. He ventured +to remonstrate; but Will answered, +"Why, what's the harm? The old fellow +is rich enough, and can well spare a turkey +or two. If I had left them, they would only +have bought a little more finery for his daugh<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span>ters." +John still persisted that stealing +was dishonourable, but his comrade replied, +"Come, come, let's have no more preaching; +in our way of life a man must not mind +trifles. To tell you the truth, I have done +as much by a sheep before now;—only then, +to be sure, I had a little bit of a grudge +against the farmer, and I knew he could +easily afford it." Wildgoose was more and +more staggered. He saw how easily a man, +who was in the habit of breaking the laws in +one instance, could go on to break them in +another, but gave up arguing the point with +his companion.</p> + +<p>Fowler contrived to get home with his +broken arm before the morning. When the +surgeon arrived, he found that the fracture +was a bad one; and the worse from the +severe bruise with which it was accompanied. +On the Saturday morning, his wife, +who had four small children, went to the overseer +for relief. "And so you think," said he, +"Nanny, that because your husband has +thrown himself out of work, by his own +misconduct, he is to be supported out of the +pockets of the farmers? We have enough to +do to pay rents and taxes, and provide for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> +our own families, without having to provide +for the families of poachers. If your husband +had met with an accident in an honest way, +I'm sure, I for one should have been for +giving him all possible assistance; and no +farmer in the parish would have said a word +against it: but it is very hard that we should +be expected to pay for his bad deeds." Nanny +Fowler felt the truth of what he said, but +replied, "that still they must not starve." +"It is true," answered the overseer, "the +law does say that nobody shall starve; but +you must not expect much more from me +than is just necessary to keep you from starving. +I'm sorry, Nanny, for you and your +children, but when the father of a family +breaks the laws, he must expect his family to +suffer for it as well as himself. It is in the +nature of things that it should be so. You +shall have from the parish just what is necessary; +but even that you shall receive by way +of loan<a name="FNanchor_D_4" id="FNanchor_D_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_D_4" class="fnanchor">[d]</a>, and if your husband recovers the +use of his arm, we shall compel him to repay +it in the summer. If his arm never gets well +again, which I fear may possibly be the case, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span>we can't expect to get the money back; but +we shall not maintain him in idleness. We +shall set him to do what he can; and if he +earns but a little, and is kept but just from +starving, he will have no one to blame but +himself."</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_D_4" id="Footnote_D_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_D_4"><span class="label">[d]</span></a> See Note <a name="FNanchor_D._11" id="FNanchor_D._11"></a><a href="#Footnote_D._11" class="fnanchor">[D.]</a></p></div> + +<p>The bad success of the last expedition, +and the loss of strength which they had sustained, +kept the gang of plunderers comparatively +quiet. Jack Wildgoose, however, and +Black Will, again took to their old practice +of wiring hares<a name="FNanchor_E_5" id="FNanchor_E_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_E_5" class="fnanchor">[e]</a>; and contrived to dispose of +a considerable number. The keepers were +aware of it, but somehow could never manage +to come upon them exactly at the right time. +One Sunday morning, when Jack had gone +round to examine into the state of his snares, +and had just taken up a hare with the wire +round its neck, Stokes the under-keeper, who +had been concealed on the other side of the +hedge, suddenly started up, and caught him +in the fact. An information against him was +immediately laid by one of Stokes's fellow-servants; +a summons was procured; and +John Wildgoose appeared at the Justice +meeting, which took place next day.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_E_5" id="Footnote_E_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_E_5"><span class="label">[e]</span></a> See Note <a name="FNanchor_E._12" id="FNanchor_E._12"></a><a href="#Footnote_E._12" class="fnanchor">[E.]</a><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span></p></div> + +<p>The information having been read, and +Wildgoose having pleaded not guilty, the +keeper was sworn, and began to give his +evidence. Being asked at what hour in the +morning the transaction took place, he replied, +"A little after seven: for I had heard the +great clock at Sir John's strike a few minutes +before." "That's false, however," said a +voice from the crowd, which was assembled in +the Justice room. "Come forward there," said +one of the Justices; when who should make +his appearance but Black Will. The magistrate +told him not to interrupt the witness, +but that if he had any thing to say, he should +state it upon oath when the keeper's evidence +had been gone through. This was soon +done; and then Atkins being sworn, and +desired to state what he knew of the business, +replied, "I know but little about it; +but this I <i>can</i> say, before seven on Sunday +morning Jack Wildgoose and I started together +to see a friend at Hollybourn, which +your Worship may perhaps know is about six +miles off. We went to church there, and +did not get back till the afternoon. So how +Jack can have been wiring hares after seven I +don't very well know." The Justices looked<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> +surprised, as the under-keeper had the character +of being an honest, truth-telling man. +Wildgoose himself said nothing. Mr. Hale, +who acted as chairman, was beginning to put +some questions to Stokes, in the hope of +finding something either to confirm or to +weaken his testimony, when an elderly man +in a smock frock came to the bar, and said, +"I should be as glad as any one to have the +young man got off, both for his own sake, +and for the sake of his good mother; but I +cannot stand by in silence, and hear a man +take such an audacious false oath as that +sworn by Will Atkins. Why you know, +Will," continued he, "that you skulked by +the Fighting Cocks soon after seven; I was +afraid that you were about no good, and if the +gentlemen won't believe me, I can name +another who saw you as well as I." This +was old Truman, who had got a lift in Tomkins's +cart for the sake of hearing the proceedings, +but without the most distant +thought of taking any part in them himself. +His high respect for the name of God, and +his general love of truth, compelled him to +speak against his own wishes.</p> + +<p>The fact was this. Atkins, who had gone<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> +to meet Wildgoose on the Sunday morning, +in order to receive from him the hares which +he had snared, heard that he had been detected, +and almost immediately determined to +try the chance of setting up an <i>alibi</i>. For +himself, as he had not the fear of God before +his eyes, he cared not whether what he swore +was false or true, so that it answered his purpose. +He therefore had directed Wildgoose, +though without telling him his intention, +to keep close at home, and let no one +see him; and had hastened himself to get out +of the village, unobserved as he thought by +any one.</p> + +<p>When Truman spoke, Black Will turned +pale with vexation and rage, and darted at +the old man a look, which said that he longed +to strike him to the earth. When Truman, +however, had repeated his statement upon +oath, Atkins endeavoured to get out of the +scrape as well as he could, and stammered +out something about mistaking the hour. +Mr. Hale the chairman gave him a most +serious reprimand. He told him, that "the +deliberately calling upon the God of truth to +bear witness to a falsehood, was daring the +Almighty to his face. That, as the property,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> +the good name, and even the lives of men +depended in great measure upon preserving +the proper respect for an oath, the man who +wilfully took a false oath deserved to be banished +out of all civilized society; he added, +that he hoped Sir John would indict him for +perjury." He then proceeded to convict +Wildgoose. "The penalty," said he, "for +using engines for the destruction of game, on +other days, is, as you know well enough, five +pounds. But as your offence was committed +on the Lord's Day, the penalty is any sum +that we think fit, provided it is not more than +20 [English Pound] nor less than 10 [English Pound]. In compassion to +your mother we will fix the lower sum. +This it is our duty to sentence you to pay. +If you cannot pay it, and have not goods +which we can distrain, you must go to +prison." Wildgoose answered that as for +the penalty, he neither could nor would pay +it: that he had no goods, as he was only a sort +of a lodger in his mother's house, and that he +had as soon go to prison as not. He knew that +there he should have plenty to eat and little +to do. In this last supposition he was mistaken, +as the magistrates had, though with +some difficulty, contrived to find work enough<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> +to keep the prisoners continually employed. +The parish constable, under whose care +Wildgoose was, said, that of his own certain +knowledge he was able to confirm the truth of +his statement as to his having no goods to +distrain. The commitment therefore was +made out, and Jack was sent off to the +county gaol.</p> + +<p>Lightly as he had talked of going to prison, +yet he felt a good deal when actually on his +way thither; and when he saw the high +walls, the grated windows, the narrow cells,—still +more when he heard the clank of the +fetters of some of his fellow prisoners, who +were confined for heinous offences, his soul +sank within him. He was shocked too and +mortified at being required to put on that +token of disgrace, a prison dress. He did not, +however, remain there long. His poor mother +was thunderstruck at hearing that her son +was really sent to prison, and lost no time in +endeavouring to get money enough to pay +the fine in order to procure his freedom. +She had hardly any money in the house; +but her neighbours were ready to lend +her what they had by them; and four +pounds, being the whole of her savings in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> +service, were eagerly and freely given by +Lucy Wilmot, a well-behaved young woman, +to whom Jack Wildgoose had for some time +been attached.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Wildgoose could not bear to be in +debt; and as she never was able to do much +more than just maintain her family, she knew +that she must deny herself and her children +every little indulgence in order to repay her +kind neighbours. But she thought that any +thing was better than suffering her son to +remain in prison, in the society, it might be, +of depraved and abandoned characters.</p> + +<p>The penalty having been paid, Jack was +immediately set at liberty. He felt a little +abashed at first coming home; but the kind +manner of his mother, who, though her heart +was full of grief, would not utter the least reproach, +relieved him. Jack soon observed +in a variety of little things a change in his +mother's manner of living. She had been +accustomed, for instance, to give her children +a bit of meat baked with a pudding on Sundays. +When, instead of this, nothing made +its appearance but some potatoes and dripping, +with bread and cheese, the girls looked +disconcerted, and Sam cried out, "Why,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> +mother, what's become of the meat and +pudding? This is no better than a working-day's +dinner." Mrs. Wildgoose told them, +that she could not at present afford to give +them a better, and they should be thankful +for what they had. John knew well enough +the meaning of this, and, to do him justice, +felt a good deal. Often did he now wish +that he had in his pocket again those many +shillings and sixpences, which he had uselessly +spent at the Fighting Cocks.</p> + +<p>His mother, who had always been pleased +with his attachment to Lucy Wilmot, thought +it but fair to tell him one day how generously +she had contributed to his enlargement. +John was much overcome, and took the first +opportunity of warmly thanking Lucy for +her kindness to him. Lucy was vexed at +his knowing it, and was a good deal confused; +but there was something in her +manner, which encouraged him to express +his hopes of being some day united to her. +Lucy was a frank, ingenuous, open-hearted +girl, and did not pretend to deny the regard +that she felt for him; "but, John," said she, +"I can never consent to marry a poacher; +I should not think it right to unite myself to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> +a man who lives in the habit of breaking the +laws. I could not bear to have for a husband, +the companion of nightly plunderers, +drunkards, and sabbath-breakers. Besides, I +should never have a moment's peace. The +thoughts of fines, and imprisonments, and +fightings with game-keepers, and all sorts of +terrible things, would never be out of my +head. Instead of your coming home to me +at night, I should expect to hear of your +being taken up, or wounded, or being forced +to fly the country. No, John; I don't pretend +to deny the kindness I feel for you. +We were play-fellows when children; were +always good friends as we were growing up; +and—perhaps—I might now use a stronger +term of regard; but I never will—I never +can—marry a poacher." Wildgoose promised +again and again, that he would give it +up. "So you said before, John. Nobody +could promise fairer than you did; and for a +little while I hoped you would keep your +promise. But you know how little came of +it after all." John promised that this time +he would be more steady. Lucy replied, +"As yet, John, we are both much too young +to think of settling. If I know my own<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> +heart, I think that I shall never love any man +but you: but I will never become your wife, +until you have shewn, by the experience of a +year or two, that you have firmness enough +to keep to your present resolution."</p> + +<p>Wildgoose's spirit was a little <i>up</i> at Lucy's +not choosing to <i>trust</i> him at once. He was +deeply gratified by her acknowledgment that +she was attached to him; but at the same +time felt something like pique and ill-humour, +at what he called her want of confidence in +him. He was doubly resolved, however, to +prove by his conduct that she had no reason +to doubt his steadiness.</p> + +<p>Every thing now seemed going on well. +John passed his days in honest labour, and +spent his evenings at home. He saw Lucy +frequently; but soon after Christmas she was +obliged to return to her place, which was in +the family of a respectable gentleman, at +some distance.</p> + +<p>Towards the latter end of the second week +in January, Wildgoose happened to be passing +the public house, when Atkins and two +or three others came running out, and eagerly +asked him whether he had heard the news. +"News!" said John, "what news do you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> +mean?" "News in which you are very nearly +concerned," said Mike Simmons; "but we +can't tell you here; come in with us into the +house." To enter the door of the Fighting +Cocks was rather contrary to Wildgoose's +resolution; but his desire to hear news, in +which he was so greatly interested, got the +better of his scruples. He therefore went +in, and found two or three other men, of no +very good character, sitting round the fire, +with their beer on the table. Jack felt bound +to call for some too, and asked to hear their +news. "And sad news it is," said Will; +"the Quarter Sessions are just over; and—would +you believe it!—they have sentenced +poor Tom Cade to transportation." Wildgoose +did not happen to have heard of the +law, by which such nightly depredators, if +armed in any way, are made liable to that +punishment<a name="FNanchor_F_6" id="FNanchor_F_6"></a><a href="#Footnote_F_6" class="fnanchor">[f]</a>, and expressed some surprise. +"Yes, they have condemned him to transportation," +exclaimed the whole party; +"transportation! only for trying to shoot a +pheasant or two." "Now there you mistake +the matter," said old Truman, (who, as +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span>he lodged with his son-in-law, was present +at more of these conversations than he +wished,) "you mistake the matter altogether. +The law does not transport a man +merely for killing a pheasant, but for going +out at night <i>armed</i>, and prepared for deeds +of violence against those whose duty it is +to protect the game. The law gives every +man a right to take care of his property. It +gives the owner of a manor and land a sort +of property in the game on his manor and +land, and a right to appoint persons to preserve +it. If lawless men choose to go, where +they have no right to be at all, prepared to +beat, wound, and perhaps to kill, the men, +whose duty it is to protect the game, they +deserve to be trounced pretty tightly. Besides, +you must remember, when a man is +taken to in this way, he can't be punished +at all without a fair trial by a jury; while in +common game cases the justice is both judge +and jury too. To be sure," added he, "if +a man thinks himself wronged by a justice's +judgment, he has always a right to appeal +against it." Having said this, old Truman, +who did not much like the company, and had +no hopes of reforming them, went to bed.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span></p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_F_6" id="Footnote_F_6"></a><a href="#FNanchor_F_6"><span class="label">[f]</span></a> See Note <a name="FNanchor_F._13" id="FNanchor_F._13"></a><a href="#Footnote_F._13" class="fnanchor">[F.]</a></p></div> + +<p>"For all the old man's fine talking," cried +Atkins, "I say it is very hard and cruel +usage of poor Tom: and I never suffer a +friend to be wronged without being revenged. +Sir John's pheasants, at all rates, shall pay for +it, and I would advise the keepers not to +put themselves in harm's way." "Let's +go to-night," said Tim Nesbit, "there will +be a fine moon; and besides, I understand +Sir John comes home to-morrow from Wales, +and then we shan't have so good a chance." +This was agreed upon, and Tim began singing +the poacher's song;</p> + +<p> +Oh! 'tis a merry moony night;<br /> +To catch the little hares O!<br /> +</p> + +<p>They sat on drinking, though not so as to +get intoxicated, till they thought the time +suited their purpose. When preparing to +start, Atkins said to Wildgoose, who had +taken a good deal more beer than of late he +had been accustomed to, "You'll go with +us, Jack?" Wildgoose replied, that he had +given up poaching for good and all, and +should go quietly home. "Now don't ye +be shy," said Maurice Croft, "come along, +like a hearty fellow as you used to be." +John still continued firm, and said that he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> +should go back to his mother. "Aye, let +Johnny go and be tied to his mother's apron +string; that's a good Johnny," cried Tim +Nesbit, "I always thought him a chicken-hearted +fellow. Why, did'nt Bob tell you +that he was turned methodist? You can't +expect a fellow like that to be true to his +friends, or to have any spirit about him." +"When a man has, as you may say, lost a +limb in the service," said Bob Fowler, who +was sitting by the fire with his arm in a +sling, "it's all fair that he should be a little +backward, but I can't bear that a stout young +fellow like that should turn coward." Wildgoose +felt mortified, and vexed, and angered; +and his anger was upon the point of so far +getting the better, as to make him still more +determined upon avoiding their company; +when Atkins, who had not joined in the cry +against him, pretended to take his part. +"Jack's as stout-hearted a fellow as any of +you," said he, "and he'll shew it to-night. +I know he'll go with us, if it's only to pleasure +me, that have always been his friend, +and run the risk of the pillory to get him off; +and just to prove to you once for all that +he's no coward." "Come, Jack, I know<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> +you'll come with us this once, and we won't +plague you again about it. What has been +said now, was all said in joke, so you mus'nt +be angry. You know you need'nt carry +a gun if you do'nt like it, but you <i>shall</i> just +come and see the sport. No harm <i>can</i> come +of it: as we shall be five of us, you may be +sure the keepers will be wise enough to keep +their distance."</p> + +<p>Wildgoose, at last, suffered himself to be +persuaded. He thought that Lucy would not +hear of it; and that at all events it should +be the last time. Away they went, and +were soon at the outside of Sir John's preserve. +It was a still serene night. The moon +shone brightly, and the hoar frost sparkled +like diamonds on the twigs and few dead +leaves.</p> + +<p>Atkins, who on these occasions always +took a sort of lead, turned to his companions, +and said, "Now, remember, my boys, we +don't come here to be taken, and sent out of +the country like poor Tom. For my part +I don't think the keepers will come near us; +but if they do, we must stand true to each +other, and send them home again as wise as +they came." They entered the wood, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> +dispersing themselves so as to be at no great +distance from each other, began their attack +upon the sleeping pheasants. They had not +fired many shots before the game-keeper, +who was going his rounds, was brought to +the spot. As he was getting over the hedge, +one of the stakes of which he had taken hold +broke short off, and let him fall back into the +ditch. The noise gave the alarm to the +poachers, and they most of them concealed +themselves behind large trees, or the inequalities +of ground in an old gravel pit. Michael +Simmons was not so quick as the rest. The +keeper got sight of, and soon contrived to +seize him, exclaiming, "So ho! my lad! you +must go along with me." He hardly uttered +the words, when Maurice Croft came to the +rescue of his comrade. The keeper, who +was a powerful man, still kept hold of him, +and warded off a blow or two which Maurice +aimed, as well as he could, when he +found himself suddenly seized by two men +from behind, and borne to the ground. +"Blind his eyes, that he may'nt see too +much of us," said Black Will; "tie his hands +behind him, and make him fast to this young +oak tree; he shall then have the amuse<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span>ment +of hearing what pretty work we make +among his pheasants."</p> + +<p>These orders were immediately obeyed. +His gun was given to Wildgoose, who was +growing more and more eager in the sport. +A handkerchief was placed over his eyes, and +he was bound to the tree so tightly, as to occasion +a considerable degree of pain. The +gang went gaily to work again, and the +keeper had the mortification of hearing the +pheasants fall on all sides of him.</p> + +<p>His trusty fellow-servant, Stokes, however, +was not idle. He inhabited a cottage in the +park. The first shot that was fired had made +him rub his eyes and raise his head from the +pillow: and the second made him jump out +of bed. From the number of shots he judged +that the poachers were in force; and accordingly +called up the two garden-men, the stable +servants, and a labourer or two, who were kept +in pay for such occasions. They hastened altogether +to the scene of action, armed, some +with guns, and the rest with stout bludgeons. +The marauders soon got together, and appeared +disposed to face them: but when a +few blows had been struck, they found themselves +so decidedly outnumbered, that they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> +turned about and ran off in different directions. +Some of Sir John's men hastened to +unbind the game-keeper, while others went +in pursuit. Stokes, as it happened, followed +Wildgoose, and having nearly come up with +him, called upon him to surrender. Wildgoose +turned short round, presented his gun, +and bad him keep off, or he would fire. He +was determined not to be taken: and upon +recognizing Stokes, he saw in him the occasion +of his imprisonment, and of the difficulties +which the payment of the fine had occasioned +to his mother. He ought rather to +have felt that he himself was the only cause +of these evils, and that Stokes had merely +done his duty. He had no time for reflection +however; and his angry feelings of hostility, +together with the desire to escape, so got the +better of him, that upon Stokes's advancing +to take hold of him, he fired. Stokes uttered +a cry—exclaimed, "I'm a dead man"—and +fell lifeless upon the ground.</p> + +<p>Upon hearing the report of the gun, the +keeper and his men quitted the pursuit of the +other poachers, and hurried to the spot. For +a moment or two Wildgoose stood motionless +with horror at what he had done; but when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> +he saw the men coming towards him, he endeavoured +to provide for his safety by flight. +Some difficulty which he found in clearing a +hedge, enabled three of them to get up with +him. He defended himself for a short time +with the butt end of the fowling piece, but +was at length overpowered and taken.</p> + +<p>During the remainder of the night he was +guarded at the keeper's house; and next +morning was carried before a magistrate, who +having taken the evidence of Sir John's men, +committed him to the county gaol in order +to take his trial at the Assizes.</p> + +<p>Every body was sorry for poor Stokes, who +was as honest and civil a fellow as any in the +neighbourhood. All too felt for his widow, +who with three small children were thus suddenly +deprived of a kind husband, on whose +industry and good character she depended for +subsistence.</p> + +<p>When the dreadful intelligence reached +Wildgoose's mother, she stood like a statue. +She shed no tears; she uttered no lamentations; +she stirred neither hand nor foot. At +last, uttering a faint scream, she dropped +senseless on the floor. Her eldest daughter, +and a neighbour who had been called in, got<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> +her to bed, and it was long before she came +to herself. At first she had but an indistinct +recollection of what had happened, and felt +as if awaking from a horrible dream. In +proportion as her senses returned, she felt +that it was no dream, but a sad reality. Her +first impulse was to go to her son; but when +she attempted to get up, she was unable to +stand, and fell back upon the bed. A violent +fever came on, attended with almost constant +delirium, and the doctor had great apprehensions +for her life.</p> + +<p>The country house of the gentleman, in +whose family Lucy Wilmot lived as house-maid, +was at a considerable distance; and +she had now accompanied her master and +mistress to London. It so happened that +the sad news did not reach her till a few days +before the Assizes. When she had a little +recovered from the first dreadful shock, she +immediately determined to hasten to poor +Wildgoose, in order to give him whatever +comfort or assistance his awful situation +would admit of. She requested therefore her +mistress to allow her a short leave of absence; +borrowed a few pounds of the house-keeper, +placed herself on the top of a stage, and next<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> +morning reached the county town. With an +aching heart, and trembling steps, she hurried +to the gaol. The gaoler, who, like most of +his brethren of the present day, was a kind +and humane man, having asked her a few +questions, conducted her into his own parlour, +and promised to bring Wildgoose to +her: adding, that though his duty did not +permit him to leave them alone together, yet +that they might depend upon his not repeating +any thing of what might pass between +them. Poor Lucy's heart sickened at the +heavy creaking of the door which led to the +prisoners' day room; and she was nearly +fainting when she heard footsteps approaching +the little parlour where she was sitting. +When Wildgoose entered, she started up, +and without speaking, eagerly tried to take +his hand. He, however, uttering a deep +groan, clasped both his hands to his face, and +turning his head away, burst into a convulsive +fit of sobbing. Lucy still held her hand +stretched towards him, when he at last said +in a smothered voice, "Oh! Lucy, don't +try to shake hands with me; the hand of +such a good girl as you are must not be +touched by the hand of a murderer." He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> +then sank on a bench, and in spite of all his +efforts to command himself, gave way to an +agony of grief. Lucy could hardly stand; +she had, however, been internally seeking +strength from Him, who alone can give it, +and by his aid was supported. Her ardent +wish too, to be of use, led her to exert herself +to the utmost. When, after some minutes, +Wildgoose became a little more composed, +she spoke to him of taking steps for his +defence at his trial; and said that she was +provided with money in order to secure the +assistance of a lawyer. At first he would not +hear of it. He said that it would be of no +use, and that he deserved to suffer. Lucy +herself, from what she had heard, hardly indulged +any hope of his acquittal; but still +urged him to make use of what assistance he +could, both that he might have longer space +for repentance, and also for the sake of his +mother. "Oh, my mother! my dear, dear +mother!" exclaimed Wildgoose, striking his +hand to his forehead, and giving way to the +expression of the most piercing anguish. +Several minutes passed before he could at all +compose himself, but when he was a little +calmed, he at last consented that Lucy should<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> +take whatever steps she thought expedient. +With a voice almost stifled with emotion, +Wildgoose then asked Lucy if she had heard +any thing of the poor woman who had been +deprived by his rashness of a tender husband. +Lucy replied that she had not. "Alas!" +said he, "what is done cannot be undone, +nothing can make up to her for her loss; but +if my life should be spared, how gladly would +I work night and day, to keep her and her +poor children from want."</p> + +<p>The gaoler now hinted to them that his duty +required his attendance in another part of the +gaol. The prisoner was therefore reconducted +to his ward; and Lucy was just leaving the +parlour, when a gentleman entered. From his +dress and appearance she guessed him to be +the chaplain of the gaol; and having ascertained +by a timid and respectful enquiry that +her conjecture was well founded, she implored +him in the most earnest and pathetic manner +to use his best offices in preparing Wildgoose +for whatever might be the event of his trial. +The chaplain answered, that he had already +had many very serious conversations with the +prisoner, about whom she seemed to be so +much interested, and that he trusted that he was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span> +properly affected by his awful situation; +"He appears," said he, "never to have been +entirely without some impressions of religion, +though his conduct was not sufficiently governed +by it; and dreadful as is the crime +with which he is charged, yet it has not the +additional guilt of premeditation. I never +dare to build much upon a profession of repentance +occasioned by the near prospect of +death; but as far as I can judge, his repentance +is deep and sincere. He is full of +shame and sorrow for having lived in such +neglect of God and his laws, and for having +paid no better attention to serious religion. +The anguish which he feels from this last +fatal deed is heart-breaking; and it becomes +doubly acute, when he thinks of the desolate +condition of her whom his hand has made a +widow. His only hope of forgiveness is +founded on God's mercy in Christ." "May +I understand then, Sir," said Lucy, in an +eager though tremulous voice, "that you +think that if—if—if he should suffer for the +crime, his eternal interests are safe?" "I dare +not say so; it is not for one sinful and erring +mortal to pronounce confidently on the final +state of another. The mercy of God is ex<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span>tended +to all truly penitent sinners, through +the atonement of Christ. I hope that the +faith and the repentance of your friend are +sincere; but, generally speaking, repentance +under such circumstances must be attended +with much of fear and doubt<a name="FNanchor_G_7" id="FNanchor_G_7"></a><a href="#Footnote_G_7" class="fnanchor">[g]</a>. As I said +before, I hope that the penitence of this poor +young man is such, that it would, if his life +should be spared, shew itself to have been +real, by producing the fruits of a holy life; +but I presume not to speak with confidence. +Let us both pray to God to perfect his repentance, +and to increase and strengthen his faith." +Many aspirations to this effect had already +been fervently offered up by Lucy, and she +renewed them with redoubled earnestness.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_G_7" id="Footnote_G_7"></a><a href="#FNanchor_G_7"><span class="label">[g]</span></a> See Note <a name="FNanchor_G._14" id="FNanchor_G._14"></a><a href="#Footnote_G._14" class="fnanchor">[G.]</a> To which I particularly request +attention.</p></div> + +<p>Lucy was allowed to see Wildgoose frequently. +When the anxious time of trial +came, she secured him the assistance of an +able lawyer, who exerted himself in his defence. +It was however all in vain. The facts +of the case were so clear, and the evidence so +strong, that the jury without hesitation returned +a verdict of guilty. The Judge, after +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span>a short preface, in which he emphatically introduced +the words of Scripture, <i>whoso +sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood +be shed</i>, proceeded to pronounce the awful +sentence of the law. He did this in the most +feeling and impressive manner, and many of +the audience were in tears. When he concluded +in the solemn words, "The Lord have +mercy on your soul," the prisoner, who +during the trial had maintained a steady but +melancholy composure, seemed torn and agitated +by conflicting emotions. After half +uttering a deep and smothered groan, however, +he in some measure recovered himself, +and was removed from the bar. Lucy, it +may easily be imagined, could not bear to be +present at the trial, but waited in painful and +breathless suspense at her lodgings. She +thought that she was prepared for the worst, +and had in fact never allowed herself to encourage +any hope; but when the tidings of +the sentence reached her, she felt a sudden +mist before her eyes, and fell lifeless on the +ground. The woman of the house kindly +gave her every assistance; but it was long +before she came to herself. At length she +opened her eyes, and wildly looking round<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> +her, exclaimed, "Where is he? where is he? +they have not torn him from me?" Again +her eyes closed; and she lost the sense of her +misery in another swoon. When she was a +little recovered, the people with whom she +lodged endeavoured to prevail on her to go +to bed. She was, however, steady in her refusal; +and as soon as her limbs were able to +support her, hastened to the prison.</p> + +<p>She now found Wildgoose heavily ironed, +and additional measures taken for securing +him. They grasped each other's hand in +silent agony, and were long unable to speak. +At length Wildgoose exerted himself so far +as to give her a message to his mother and +family, and Lucy employed the little time she +was allowed to remain with him, in suggesting +such religious consolation as seemed most +adapted to his situation. The next day, +which was Sunday, she received the Sacrament +with him. Wildgoose was calm beyond +her expectations; and behaved throughout +with a seriousness and fervour of devotion, +which gave her more comfort than she had yet +experienced.</p> + +<p>I must spare both myself and the reader +the pain of speaking of the awful scene of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span> +day following. It is distressing even to +think, or to speak of an execution. How is +it possible that such numbers—sometimes, I +fear, even women—can seem to take pleasure +in going to witness the last pangs of a fellow-creature, +who is condemned to forfeit his life +to the offended laws of his country! I would +have every one pray for, and feel for, the criminal, +but on no account seek to gratify +curiosity, by actually witnessing his death.</p> + +<p>The following paper was handed about, as +the last dying speech of John Wildgoose.</p> + +<p>"I acknowledge the justice of the sentence +by which I suffer; and would have all young +men take warning from my example. I attribute +my crime and punishment, in the first +place, to my neglect of the Lord's Day; and +in the second, to my keeping bad company. +Had I been regular in going to church, and +attentive to my religious duties, I should, +under the blessing of God, have preserved +and increased the good impressions, which I +had received from my parents. These impressions, +however, I suffered to wither +away. By keeping bad company I was led +into <i>poaching</i>, in which I at first thought +there was not much harm. When by a kind<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span> +friend I was convinced that it was wrong, the +want of firmness in religion prevented me +from giving it up. Poaching made me the +companion of sabbath-breakers, swearers, +drunkards, and thieves; and at last led me on +to the dreadful crime of murder. May God +support and comfort the poor woman whom +my hand has robbed of a husband, and the +dear and excellent parent, whom the same +rash action has deprived of a son; may He +make my sad fate productive of good to all +who hear of it; and may He have mercy on +my own soul through Jesus Christ!"</p> + +<p>As soon as Lucy had recovered her strength +sufficiently to enable her to travel, she went +to her native village, where she found that +Mrs. Wildgoose had passed the crisis of her +disorder, and was beginning to recover. Her +two daughters were most attentive to her; +but Lucy obtained permission to assist them +in nursing, and to take her turn in sitting up +by her bed-side during the night. When the +poor woman's health was in some degree re-established, +Lucy felt it right to return to her +kind mistress; but her cheerfulness and good +spirits had entirely forsaken her, and a settled +melancholy seemed to have taken possession<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> +of her soul. Her only comfort is in prayer, +and the consolations of religion.</p> + +<p>After a confinement to her bed of several +weeks, Susan Wildgoose was at length able +to move about her house; and the wants of +herself and family forced her to return to her +former occupations: but she hardly spoke to +any one; she served her customers in silence; +and it is evident that the deep affliction under +which she continually labours, will shortly +bring her to the grave. Her daughters and +surviving son have youth and health on their +side; but their behaviour and appearance are +totally changed: and instead of being merry +and light-hearted, they have become pensive +and serious. Time will wear away much of +the acuteness of their grief, but it is probable +that, as long as they live, they will never be +free from the most painful and distressing +recollection, that they have had a brother who +was executed as a murderer.</p> + +<p><i>N.B. This Tale is sold as a Tract, price 9 d.</i><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span></p> + +<p>NOTES.</p> + +<p><i>The following Extracts from Acts of Parliament +are much abridged.</i></p> + + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_A._8" id="Footnote_A._8"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A._8"><span class="label">[A.]</span></a> +</p><p> +If any higler, carrier, inn-keeper, &c. shall have in +his possession, or shall buy, sell, or offer for sale, any +hare, pheasant, partridge, or grouse, every such higler, +&c. unless such game be sent by some person qualified, +shall forfeit for every hare, pheasant, &c. the sum of +five pounds, half to the informer, and half to the poor. +5 Ann. c. 14. s. 2.</p></div> + + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_B._9" id="Footnote_B._9"></a><a href="#FNanchor_B._9"><span class="label">[B.]</span></a> +</p><p> +If any person whatsoever, <i>whether qualified or not +qualified to kill game</i>, shall buy any hare, pheasant, +partridge, or grouse, he shall, on conviction before +one justice, forfeit 5<i>l.</i> half to the informer and half to +the poor. 58 G. III. c. 75. s. 1. +</p><p> +Any person may recover the said penalty by information, +or may sue for and recover the <i>whole for his +own use</i>, in any court of record, wherein the plaintiff if +he recovers shall have double costs. Sect. 3.</p></div> + + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_C._10" id="Footnote_C._10"></a><a href="#FNanchor_C._10"><span class="label">[C.]</span></a> +</p><p> +If any person shall enter any park or paddock, fenced +in and inclosed, or into any garden, orchard, or yard,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> +adjoining or belonging to any dwelling house, and shall +steal any fish kept in any water therein; or shall be +assisting therein; or shall receive or buy any such fish, +knowing the same to be stolen; and at the Assizes be +convicted of such offence, he shall be transported for +seven years. 5 G. III. c. 14. s. 1, 2. +</p><p> +And if any person shall take or destroy, or attempt +to take or destroy, any fish, in any other inclosed +ground, being private property, without the consent +of the owner, he shall upon conviction by one justice +forfeit 5<i>l.</i> to the owner of the pond or fishery, and, in +default of payment, shall be committed to the house +of correction for any time not exceeding six months. +Sect. 3, 4.</p></div> + + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_D._11" id="Footnote_D._11"></a><a href="#FNanchor_D._11"><span class="label">[D.]</span></a> +</p><p> +Whenever it shall appear to the justices, or to the +overseers, to whom application shall be made for relief +of any poor person, that he might, but for his <i>extravagance</i>, +<i>neglect</i>, or <i>wilful misconduct</i>, have been able to +maintain himself, or to support his family, it shall be +lawful for the overseers (by the direction of the justices, +&c.) to advance money to the person applying, +by way of <i>loan</i> only, and take his receipt for, and +engagement to repay, (without stamp;) upon default +of payment, two justices may commit him for not +exceeding three calendar months. 59 G. III. cap. 12. +sect. 29.</p></div> + + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_E._12" id="Footnote_E._12"></a><a href="#FNanchor_E._12"><span class="label">[E.]</span></a> +</p><p> +If any person shall knowingly and wilfully kill, +take, or destroy any hare, or use any gun, dog, snare, +net, or other engine, with intent to kill, take, or destroy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span> +any hare in the night, (or in the day time, upon a +Sunday or Christmas-day,) he shall on conviction, on +oath of one witness, before one justice, forfeit for the +first offence not exceeding 20<i>l.</i> nor less than 10<i>l.</i>; and +for the second not exceeding 30<i>l.</i> nor less than 20<i>l.</i></p></div> + + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_F._13" id="Footnote_F._13"></a><a href="#FNanchor_F._13"><span class="label">[F.]</span></a> +</p><p> +If any person or persons, having entered into any +park, wood, plantation, or other open or inclosed +ground, with intent illegally to take, or kill, game, or +rabbits, or to aid and assist in so doing, shall be found +at night armed with any gun, fire arms, bludgeon, or +any other offensive weapon, such person being lawfully +convicted, shall be adjudged guilty of a misdemeanour, +and shall be sentenced to transportation for seven years, +or such other punishment as may be inflicted on persons +guilty of misdemeanour; and if any such offender +shall return before the expiration of such term, he shall +be sentenced to transportation for life. 57 G. III. +cap. 90. sect. 1.</p></div> + + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_G._14" id="Footnote_G._14"></a><a href="#FNanchor_G._14"><span class="label">[G.]</span></a> +</p><p> +<i>Extracts from Stonhouse's "Sick Man's Friend," on +a Death-bed Repentance.</i> +</p><p> +Bishop Burnet, in his excellent book entitled the +Pastoral Care, (page 173, of the fourth edition,) says, +"A clergyman ought to give no encouragement to men, +who have led a bad course of life, to hope much from +a death-bed repentance; yet he is to set them to implore +the mercies of God in Christ Jesus, and to do +all they can to obtain his favour. But unless the sickness +has been of long continuance, and that the per<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span>son's +repentance, patience, and piety, have been very +extraordinary during the course of it, he must be sure +to give him no positive ground of hope, but leave him +to the mercies of God. For there cannot be any +greater treachery to souls that is more fatal and pernicious +than the giving quick and easy hopes, upon so +short, so forced, and so imperfect a repentance. It +not only makes those persons perish securely themselves, +but it leads all about them to destruction, when +they see one, of whose bad life and late repentance +they have been the witnesses, put so soon in hopes, nay +by some unfaithful guides made sure of salvation. +This must make them go on very secure in their sins, +when they see how small a measure of repentance sets +all right at last: all the order and justice of a nation +would be presently dissolved, should the howlings of +criminals and their promises work on juries, judges, +and princes. So the hopes that are given to death-bed +penitents must be the most effectual means to root out +the sense of religion from the minds of all who see it. +Therefore, though no dying man is to be driven to despair, +and left to die obstinate in his sins, yet, if we +love the souls of our people, if we set a due value on +the blood of Christ, and if we are touched with any +sense of the honour or interests of religion, we must +not say any thing that may encourage others, who are +but too apt of themselves, to put all off to the last +hour. We can give them no hopes from the nature of +the Gospel covenant; yet, after all, the best thing a +dying man can do is to repent. If he recover, that may +be the seed and beginning of a new life, and a new +nature in him: nor do we know the measure of the +<i>riches of God's grace and mercy</i>."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> +</p><p> +"When," says Dr. Assheton, page 45 and 46 of his +Death-bed Repentance, "you visit sick beds, and hear +a poor dying creature lamenting his sins with tears, +and most earnestly begging pardon for the sake of +Jesus Christ; when you observe how passionately he +resolves, that if God will but spare him, he will become +a new man, and never be guilty of such extravagance; +what do you say or do in such a case? Nay, +what must such a wicked man do, who having lived +in sin, shall thus happen to be surprised by death? +Dare you be so uncharitable as to declare that he is past +hope, that there is no remedy, but that he will certainly +be damned? I answer, that I dare not presume +to limit God, whose mercies are infinite. In such a +case I will not censure him, but admonish and instruct +him to the best of my judgment and abilities. I +will exhort the dying sinner to remember his sins, +to bewail them, to beg pardon for them, to form +firm resolutions of amendment, and (when there is +occasion) to make restitution; and having prayed earnestly +for him, and recommended him to God's mercy, +do I <i>then</i> say such a one will be damned? No, I <i>dare</i> +not. But do I say he shall be <i>saved</i>? No, I <i>cannot</i>. +What then do I resolve? What do I determine in this +matter? I will be silent, and determine nothing; for as +I dare not flatter him into a false and groundless presumption, +so neither would I sink him into the horror +of despair. I say, I will determine nothing: I will +judge nothing before the time. However, I must be +so faithful to my ministerial office as to admonish this +dying sinner, that the Gospel (by the laws of which +we are to be judged) expressly declares, that "without +holiness no man shall see the Lord," and that Christ<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> +is the author of eternal salvation unto them (and to +them <i>only</i>) who obey him. <i>Heb.</i> v. 9. When therefore +the sick man has been vicious and extravagant all +his life long, if God accepts his dying <i>resolutions</i>, it is +more than he has <i>promised</i>, and it is more than he has +given his ministers power to <i>preach</i> and <i>declare</i>." +</p><p> +Repentance is a change of heart from an evil to a +good disposition; no man can justly be called a true +penitent, till his heart be thus changed, and whenever +that change is made, repentance is certainly complete. +</p><p> +Now there is reason to conclude, God will consider +that life as amended, which would have been amended +if he had spared it. Repentance in the sight of man +cannot be known but by its fruits. The only way +man can judge is by the rule Christ himself has given +us, "by their fruits ye shall know them." <i>Matt.</i> vii. +20. +</p><p> +But God (our great Creator) sees the fruit in the +<i>blossom</i> or in the <i>seed</i>. He (and He <i>only</i>) knows those +resolutions which are <i>fixed</i>; those conversions which +would be lasting; and will receive such as are qualified +by holy desires for works of righteousness, without +exacting from them those <i>outward</i> duties, which the +shortness of their lives hindered them from performing. +All, therefore, a minister can do, is to recommend +a <i>death-bed</i> penitent to the mercies of God. But it is +impossible for <i>him</i> to pronounce what will be his state +in another world.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span></p></div> + +<div> +<br/> +<h3>THE</h3> +<h2>SMUGGLER.</h2> +<br/> +</div> + + + +<h3>ADVERTISEMENT.</h3> + +<p>It is possible that in the following little Tale there +may be several inaccuracies with regard to the habits +and manners both of seamen, and of smugglers. The +residence of the author in an <i>inland</i> county must be +his apology.</p> + +<p>The similarity in some respects of the offence of +smuggling, to the illegal pursuit which forms the +subject of the preceding Tale—written two years ago—must +be the author's excuse for the recurrence of similar +sentiments and expressions.</p> + +<p> +<i>Jan. 1823.</i><br /> +</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/image02.png" alt="" title="" /> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span></p> + + +<div> +<br/> +<h3>THE</h3> +<h2>SMUGGLER.</h2> +<br/> +</div> + +<p>It was the latter end of the month of November, +when Mary Waldron, having carefully +put her two children to bed, sat down +with an aching head and a heavy heart, to +wait for the return of her husband.</p> + +<p>He had sailed from Folkestone in a stiff +half-decked vessel, in company with eight or ten +of his sea-faring companions, and then told his +wife that she might expect him back on the +day following. But that day and another had +passed away, and he was still absent.</p> + +<p>The night was dark and tempestuous. The +wind howled mournfully round the house; +the rain beat hard against the windows; and +whenever the storm seemed lulled for a moment, +the continued roar of the waves, as +they broke on the shingly beach, came heavily +on her ear. She tried to occupy herself +in mending one of her husband's fishing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> +jackets; but her hands and the jacket were +constantly in her lap, and it was with difficulty +that from time to time she was able +in some degree to rouse herself.</p> + +<p>At length, wearied out with watching and +anxiety, and her candle having nearly burnt to +the socket, she lay down on the bed in her +clothes, and was just falling into an unquiet +slumber, when she was waked by a knocking +at the door. She hurried down stairs, and let +in her husband, who was accompanied by a +short stout-built ill-looking man, in a rough +seaman's jacket, from one of the pockets of +which peeped forth the butt end of a pistol. +Both were wet and tired, and both seemed +sullen, and out of temper. At their first +entrance, Mary eagerly cried out, "Oh! +James, I am so glad to have you home +again. I have passed a sad wearisome time +since you went." But Waldron received +his wife's greeting coldly, and almost in +silence. He walked up to the fire place, +and, stooping over the embers, began drawing +them together, at the same time telling +his wife to get a bit or two of wood, and +then to warm a little beer. His companion +had under his arm a large bundle, tied round<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> +with a piece of sail-cloth. "At least we've +got that safe," said James, placing it in one +of the chairs: and he then ordered his wife +to put it under the bed for the night, and to +carry it early in the morning, before it was +quite light, to Mrs. Hawker's shop, near the +church. "I," added he, "shall be glad to +lie in bed a bit, after being up three nights +running." When they had finished their +beer, the stranger withdrew; and Mary, after +uttering a fervent prayer for all who are in +peril by land or by water, and for the bringing +back to the right way of those who have +strayed from it, retired to rest.</p> + +<p>Early the next morning, Mary, in compliance +with her husband's directions, carried +the sail-cloth bundle to Mrs. Hawker, who +received it with one of her most gracious +smiles, while her little black eyes sparkled +with satisfaction. She immediately took it +into a back parlour, and then returning to the +shop, pressed Mary Waldron to take a glass of +something comfortable. This Mary declined, +and immediately hastened home, carrying +with her a loaf for her husband's breakfast.</p> + +<p>She found him still asleep, and the eldest +of the two children trying to keep his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> +little sister quiet, that she might not disturb +him. At length, towards eleven o'clock, +he got up, and the refreshment of a night's +rest, a comfortable breakfast, and the active +though quiet assiduity of his wife, seemed +to have restored him to good humour. +"We'd a roughish time of it last night," +said he. "Yes, indeed," replied Mary; "and +I wish, my dear James, you did but know a +hundredth part of what I have suffered since +you took to your present way of life." +"Why should you be more uneasy now," +said James, "than when I was nothing but +a fisherman? We were then often out night +after night, and sometimes in rough weather +too." "To be sure, I used now and then +to be a little anxious," said Mary, "but you +were seldom out when it blew hard, and besides"—she +hesitated a little—"besides—don't +now be angry with me, James, for saying +it—I felt then that you were trying to +get your living in a lawful and honest way. +Now when you are absent, my thoughts run +upon all horrible things. I do not think so +much of the perils of the wind and the waves, +though that is bad enough, as of the chance +of your being taken as a smuggler, or of your<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span> +doing some dreadful deed in order to escape. +They tell me, that the preventive-service men +keep a sharp look out."</p> + +<p>"A pretty deal too sharp," said Waldron, +"I can tell you; if it had not been for them, +we should have been back to Folkestone the +night before last. We were to have landed our +tubs just beyond Dimchurch, and had made a +signal for the men to be ready with the horses +to meet us. There was a thickish fog at the +time; but still, these fellows somehow got sight +of us, and pulled off in their boat, just as we +were nearing the land. Jack Spraggon, the +man that was here last night, proposed sinking +them; but, though they deserved it, I was +not quite bloody-minded enough for that. +We had nothing else to do, therefore, but +to put about, and as the wind blew off shore, +we soon by the help of the fog gave them +the slip. As it was of no use to think of +landing then, we stood right out to sea. The +wind soon after chopped about, and freshened +to a gale. When we were nearly off Folkestone, +a Dane merchantman had managed +to run aground at some distance from the +shore. The king's men—I must say <i>that</i> +for them—are always ready enough to help<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> +any ship in distress, and dashed away to +take the poor fellows off the wreck. And +while they were busy at this job, two of our +boats came out to us, and put us and part +of our cargo on shore in East Weare Bay—just +under the red and white cliff there, under +the signal house. As ill luck would have it, +one of the men on the look out saw us, and +gave the alarm. We soon knocked him down; +but the rest of them got together so fast, that +we were forced to run for it, leaving our tubs +behind. I kept hold, however, of my bale of +silk, and Jack and I scrambled up one of the +winding paths in the cliff, and got clear off."</p> + +<p>"Oh! James," said Mary, "how many +risks do you run since you've taken to this +free-trading, as you call it."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense," replied Waldron, "a seaman's +wife must never talk of danger."</p> + +<p>"I feel," replied Mary, "as if I could almost +consent to your braving any danger in +a good cause; but the cause that you are +now engaged in is not a good one."</p> + +<p>"Not a good one! Why where's the harm, +I should like to know, in buying in France a +little brandy, or a few silks, or cambric, or +laces, or what not, and selling them cheap in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> +England, without going through all the trouble +and expense of the custom-house?"</p> + +<p>"There <i>must</i> be harm," said Mary, "in +constant opposition to the laws of the land; +there <i>must</i> be harm in living with such wicked +men, as you now keep company with."</p> + +<p>"Why, to be sure," replied Waldron, "the +consciences of some of our free-traders are not +over-scrupulous, but there are indifferent characters +in all professions; and as for breaking +the laws, I don't see much harm in that—I'm +sure the laws do me no good."</p> + +<p>"And what else but the laws," said Mary, +"protect your house from plunder, and your +wife and children from violence, when you are +far away? But I don't pretend to argue the +matter, nor is it necessary that I should; you +know the word of God."</p> + +<p>"Come, come," retorted James, with a good +deal of quickness and ill humour, "don't be +trying to come over me with your lecturing +and cant."</p> + +<p>"Oh! my dear, dear James," said Mary, +with much earnestness, "if you love me, do +not let me again hear you call the mention +of the word of God by the name of cant. You +used formerly to keep your church, and you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> +still sometimes read your Bible; surely the evil +men with whom you have associated lately +have not taught you to deny the authority +of the Scriptures?"</p> + +<p>"Why no," said James, "it's not quite so +bad as that; but what do the Scriptures say +about the laws, or about smuggling?"</p> + +<p>"Why, in one place the Scriptures tell us +to <i>submit to the powers that be</i>, that is, to the +laws and constitution of the country, not only +from fear of punishment, but <i>for conscience +sake</i>, and from a sense of the advantage derived +from them by society. In another place +they bid us <i>to submit to every ordinance of +man for the Lord's sake</i>. And with respect to +smuggling, they command us to <i>render tribute +to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom</i>. +Therefore, whenever you smuggle goods +into the country without paying duty at the +custom-house, you directly fly in the face of +this injunction of the Scriptures. And at the +same time that the smuggler thus breaks the +laws of God and the laws of his country, he +also injures the regular trader by underselling +him; for, of course, the man, who conscientiously +pays duty, cannot sell so cheap as he +who pays no duty at all."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span></p> + +<p>"And that puts me in mind," said Waldron, +who wished to put an end to the conversation, +"that I shall want a couple of +pounds before night. Do, Mary, just step up +to Mrs. Hawker's, and ask her to let me have +them on account of the silk." Mary was always +ready to comply with the wishes of her +husband, and putting on her cloak, went to +Mrs. Hawker's house.</p> + +<p>She found her in her back parlour, shewing +the silks to two smartly dressed young ladies. +The eldest appeared to be about nineteen, +the other two or three years younger. The +countenances of both were expressive of +good humour and liveliness, without much +indication of thought or reflection. Each +had selected a sufficient quantity of silk for +a gown, and they were in the act of cheapening +their purchases, when Mary came in. +"No, indeed now, Mrs. Hawker, you +<i>must</i> take off a shilling a yard. We really +could get it as cheap in London, and, after +all, the English silk they make now is quite +as good." "That may be true," said Mrs. +Hawker, "but you must consider, my dear +young ladies, the difficulty I have in getting +it, and the risk the poor fellows run." "Yes,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> +indeed," said Mary, with a sigh, "it is the +blood of men that you are buying."</p> + +<p>The young ladies, who had not before seen +Mary, as she was waiting near the door, turned +round, and were just going to ask her what +she meant, when one or two loud authoritative +raps were heard at the outer door. At +the same moment the maid servant came +running in with every symptom of alarm, +saying, in a suppressed voice, "Mistress, +Mistress, make haste, the custom-house +officers are here." Mrs. Hawker's countenance +changed, but she was too much +used to such occurrences to lose her presence +of mind. "There, ladies, pop the +silks under your pelisses—there—quick." +The knocking was repeated more loudly +than before. "Who's there," said Mrs. +Hawker, in a shrill tone. A man's voice +replied, "Let us in, we must come in directly." +"Coming, sir, coming immediately." +then in the same breath turning to the young +ladies, "Stay, that will not do. If they find +you here, they, perhaps, will search you. +There, run into that back pantry, and keep +the door tight." Molly, meanwhile, had run +off with the bale of silk to a hiding-place pre<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span>pared +for such occasions, and Mrs. Hawker +hastened to the door.</p> + +<p>Before the officers had time to express their +anger at being kept waiting, she put on one of +her best smiles, and addressed them with, "Mr. +Scroggins, is it you? Well now, I'm so sorry +that you've had to wait; but the girl was down +at the farther end of the garden, and I happened +to be busy with my needle up stairs, and did +not come down the first moment, as I did not +know but that she was in the house. But pray +come in—I'm so sorry that I made you wait."</p> + +<p>This speech gave their wrath a little time +to cool: but Scroggins answered gravely, +"Mrs. Hawker, we are come upon rather an +unpleasant piece of business. We have had +information that a suspicious looking parcel +was brought to your house this morning."</p> + +<p>"What, to my house!" said Mrs. Hawker; +"well! what will people say next. I'm sure +I should never have thought of such a thing; +but pray satisfy yourselves—search wherever +you please."</p> + +<p>The officers looked about the shop and +the back parlour, and went up stairs. The +place where the silk was concealed was, +however, so well contrived, as to escape their +observation; and Mrs. Hawker put on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> +appearance of innocence so completely, that +the men began to think that they really had +been misinformed. The young ladies trembled +with apprehension when they heard +them come into the kitchen, and still more, +when, as they passed the pantry, one of the +men called out, "What door is that?" "O," +said Mrs. Hawker, "that is a sort of out +building, but it let in so much cold wind to +the kitchen, that we had it nailed up before +Michaelmas;—but, I dare say, we can get it +open, if you wish to see it;—I'm sure I want +no concealment;—run, Molly, run down to +Mr. Bellows, the blacksmith—you know +where he lives—near the pier."—"Why, I +believe, we need not give you that trouble," said +Scroggins; "I must say that you have been +very ready to let us search every where: and, +to tell you the truth, we are just now rather +in a hurry, and it would be some time before +Bellows with his lame leg could hobble here."</p> + +<p>"Well, as you please," said Mrs. Hawker, +"it's all one to me—I only hope that another +time, Mr. Scroggins, you will not be quite so +ready to believe idle stories that people make +against their neighbours." The officers +wished her good day, and walked off.</p> + +<p>She watched them to a considerable distance<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> +before she ventured to release her prisoners +from their confinement. They had been +sadly frightened, but could not help laughing +when they got out, though the eldest of them +had greased the bottom of her pelisse against +a flitch of bacon, which was lying on the +bricks under the dresser; and the feathers of +her sister were not improved by the intercourse +which had taken place between them +and a bunch of tallow candles, which were +suspended from the low ceiling.</p> + +<p>Having directed the silks which they had +purchased to be wrapped up in a few yards of +Manchester cotton and sent after them, and +having put half a dozen pair of French gloves +in their reticules, they set out on their return +to Sandgate, where their father, Admiral +Mowbray, had passed the greatest part of the +autumn.</p> + +<p>Before descending the hill, they stopped, +as in their walks back from Folkestone +they generally did, to contemplate the scene +before them, which though, perhaps, not remarkably +striking, has something of a pleasing +character. Immediately beneath them was +Sandgate, sheltered from the east and north by +a range of sand hills of no great height, but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span> +presenting considerable variety of form. From +the top of this range a nearly level tract of +country stretched along to the foot of the +chalk ridge, the line of which is here relieved +by several singular conical hills, which stand +forward as detached outworks of the principal +rampart of chalk. Close under them on the +left was the castle, the grey tints and roughnesses +of which have been smoothed and +polished away by modern trowels, till it has +acquired the appearance of a cluster of Martello +towers. Beyond Sandgate were some +traces of the unfinished works, once destined +to protect the commencement of the +military canal, and the sea, now nearly at +high water, almost breaking over the road. +The middle distance was formed by the town +of Hythe, with its church on the bold rising +ground to the north, its lancet-shaped east +window peeping through the trees; and far +to the left ran the long line of low land +terminating in Dunge Ness. The fishing boats +of Hythe and Romney, with a revenue +cutter and three or four brigs, gave animation +to the near sea view; while, at a considerable +distance, a couple of Indiamen were majestically +making their way down the channel.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span></p> + +<p>After admiring the prospect, the two sisters +were slowly descending the hill, when they +heard behind them the footsteps of two persons, +who seemed to be rapidly approaching. +Their imaginations were filled with the idea +of custom-house officers, and they immediately +concluded that they were pursued. +They therefore walked on as fast as they +could, being apprehensive that if they <i>ran</i> +they should confirm the suspicions of their +pursuers. The same apprehension prevented +them from looking back. The strangers, +however, continued to gain upon them, but +when almost ready to sink with alarm, the +young ladies found that their fears were groundless. +They were overtaken and passed by a +remarkably well-made active man, with a stout +bludgeon in his hand, in company with a woman +of a slight and elegant form, who contrived +to keep pace with him, though she had +a child in her arms.</p> + +<p>They were in earnest conversation; the woman +appearing to be using entreaties, to which +the man refused to listen. Just after they had +passed them, they heard the man say in a voice, +at once expressive of determination and of an +agitated state of feeling, "Come—there's no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> +use in trying to persuade me; I've told you +that I must be in the marsh to-night. Do +you go home and mind the children, I shall +not be absent long, and shall, most likely, +get back to you before to-morrow night." +He then seemed to make an effort, disengaged +himself from his companion, and went +on with a hurried step.</p> + +<p>The poor woman gazed after him for some +time, and then turned back with an expression +of anxiety and woe, which went to the hearts +of the two sisters. Their compassion and +benevolence prompted them to endeavour to +offer some consolation, but delicacy prevented +them from intruding on the sorrows of a +perfect stranger. Upon looking at her more +attentively, they recognized the same woman +whom they had seen, not long before, at Mrs. +Hawker's, and by whose remark upon their +smuggling purchases they had been surprised +and shocked. They could not resist bringing +it to her recollection, and asking her what +she meant. Poor Mary immediately burst +into a flood of tears; the violence of her grief +affected and alarmed the young ladies; and +while they were trying to soothe both her +and her child, the eldest of the young ladies<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span> +exclaimed, "Surely you are—but no, it is +not likely:—you cannot be the Mary Allen, +who, about ten years since lived as house-maid +with Mrs. Stanwick in Hertfordshire?"</p> + +<p>Surprise and a sensation of pleasure checked +the current of Mary's sorrow. "Yes, indeed, +I am," said she; "and is it possible that you +young ladies are my dear mistress's nieces, +who used so often to be staying with her +when your father, the Admiral, was at sea? +Oh! how kind you were to me, and how fond +I used to be of you both! But then you were +both little girls, and I could venture to talk +to you with freedom."</p> + +<p>"And so you may now," said Emily Mowbray; +"you seem to be in some affliction. +Before we knew who you were, we longed to +comfort you; and now that we find that you +are an old acquaintance, we shall have double +pleasure in being of any use to you."</p> + +<p>The circumstance of having, in early youth, +been inmates of the same house, and in habits +of frequent and kindly intercourse, leaves generally +a lasting impression upon the heart. +This is often felt by schoolfellows, who, when +they meet, after having been long separated, +have a peculiar frankness and warmth of feeling<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span> +towards each other, which is seldom produced +by an acquaintance contracted in maturer +years. And something of the same +warmth and disposition to freedom of communication +is occasionally produced in children—children +of the gentler sex particularly—towards +the tried and valued servants +of the families, in which many of their earliest +and happiest days have been passed.</p> + +<p>This species of feeling now glowed in full +vigour in the bosoms of the two sisters, +and of Mary Waldron. Mary had met +with sympathizing friends when she most +wanted them; and the Miss Mowbrays found +the interest, which had been excited by +witnessing her grief, increased to a ten-fold +degree by this unexpected recognition. +They pressed her to accompany them to +their father's lodging house. The child, +however, which she had left at home under +the care of a neighbour, made this impossible. +They therefore turned back, and walked +slowly with her towards Folkestone, Caroline +Mowbray having relieved her, by taking the +child out of her arms.</p> + +<p>During their walk, Mary told them, that +nine years before she had accompanied her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span> +mistress to Hastings. They passed the winter +there, and during that time, she became acquainted +with James Waldron, who frequently +came to the house with fish. Every body +spoke well of him, as a sober, industrious, +good-tempered man; and she became his wife +when Mrs. Stanwick returned into Hertfordshire. +For about six years they lived happily +together at Hastings; they then removed to +Folkestone, where a small house had been left +to Waldron by a relation. Here he continued +for some time to follow his old occupation, +but unhappily became acquainted with some +notorious smugglers, and was persuaded occasionally +to accompany them in their expeditions +to the French coast. He was led on +step by step, till smuggling had become his +principal employment.</p> + +<p>"From the time that he took to the smuggling +line," continued poor Mary, "my happiness +has been at an end. He used to be the +kindest of husbands and of fathers. Now he +is seldom at home, and when he is, is generally +out of temper. Now and then he will play +with his children a little, but more frequently +complains of their being troublesome. He +used to be sobriety itself, but latterly has taken<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span> +to drinking spirits. His very countenance is +changed; it used to be frank and open, but now +is apt to have a downcast anxious look, like +that of a man who has some sad burden on his +mind. And oh! how many fears do I have +for him! Sometimes, I think he will be lost +at sea, for they are out in all weathers; and +sometimes I tremble lest he should be taken +on shore, or that to prevent himself from +being taken, he should do some dreadful +deed that should bring him to the gallows."</p> + +<p>"I now too well understand," said Emily +Mowbray, "what you meant by what you +said to us at Mrs. Hawker's."</p> + +<p>"I should not have said it," answered +Mary, "had I known who I was speaking to—but +still it was nothing but the truth. Little +do ladies, who in the lightness of their hearts +come to purchase the smuggled silks, and the +gloves, and the cambrics, little do they think +what a sad business they are encouraging; that +they are in fact buying men's blood. And +oh! my dear, dear young ladies, would to +heaven that were all—I tremble to think +how not only the lives, but the souls, of these +poor fellows—the soul of"—but here her +voice failed, she clapped her hands to her<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> +face, and burst into an agony of grief. The +two sisters soothed her as well as they could, +and when she seemed tolerably composed +again, turned their steps towards Sandgate.</p> + +<p>The Admiral had been a little uneasy at +their long absence. "Well! girls," he exclaimed +upon seeing them, "where <i>have</i> +you been all this time?" "Why, papa?"—"Well, +you must not stop to tell me now, +but make haste to get ready for dinner. +Your cousin Harry Stanwick has promised +to dine with us. We can seldom catch him, +you know; but I told him, that coming to us +was not being off duty, as he is as handy +here as at the castle, in case any of these +smuggling fellows should require to be +looked after."</p> + +<p>The young ladies hurried to their rooms, +and when they came down stairs, found their +cousin already arrived. The Admiral was +eagerly trying to get from him some of the +particulars of his saving the poor shipwrecked +Danes. "We had some difficulty," said +Lieutenant Stanwick, "in launching our +boat. The first time, when we had just got +her into the water, a heavy wave knocked her +clean over. Upon a second attempt we got<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span> +her afloat, and were just beginning to use +our oars, when she was swamped again, and +two of the men were nearly lost in trying to +get back to the shore. My brave fellows, +however, would not give it up: they could +not bear, they said, to leave fellow-creatures +to perish almost within hale of the land. +At the third trial we succeeded. We got +under the lee of the ship, and found her fast +a-ground, her main-mast and mizen-mast +blown away, and a tremendous sea breaking +over her. Several of the crew had been +already washed off the deck. I never shall +forget the joy the poor fellows expressed, +when we got them into our boat. There +was a black man particularly, whom they had +brought with them from the West Indies, +and who seemed quite overpowered with +gratitude. We brought them all safely on +shore, and weary and buffeted as they were, +the preventive-service men gave them up their +beds, and the greatest part of their rations<a name="FNanchor_H_15" id="FNanchor_H_15"></a><a href="#Footnote_H_15" class="fnanchor">[h]</a>."</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_H_15" id="Footnote_H_15"></a><a href="#FNanchor_H_15"><span class="label">[h]</span></a> Founded on fact.</p></div> + +<p>During dinner the Admiral was continually +asking for some particulars respecting +the shipwreck, and it was with delight, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span>mixed with a sort of trepidation, that the +sisters heard the different instances of intrepidity +and considerate kindness of these +rough seamen. Emily Mowbray especially, +every now and then, could not help betraying, +by the animation of her eyes and the glow +on her countenance, the deep interest she felt +in the display of these qualities in their commander, +anxious as he seemed to be in his +narrative to keep himself in the back ground.</p> + +<p>When the servants had withdrawn, the +Admiral turned to his daughters, to enquire +what had become of them all the +morning. "Why to tell you the truth, +papa," said Emily, "we had a little business +in Folkestone." "Some smuggling transaction, +I dare say," replied the Admiral; "but +why did that detain you so long?"</p> + +<p>The young ladies felt, that in prudence the +less they said the better, but still they were +so full of their morning's adventure with the +custom-house officers, that they could not help +telling it. "And could there, papa, have been +<i>really</i> any danger of their searching us?"</p> + +<p>"They would not have dared," said Henry +eagerly, his dark eyes flashing fire, and his face +becoming crimson; but almost immediately<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span> +both his manner and his countenance changed—"But +I don't know—perhaps they would."</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed," said the Admiral; "from +what little I have seen or heard of these +custom-house officers, they are well enough +disposed to be civil where they have no +ground of suspicion; but where persons +choose to place themselves in suspicious +circumstances, they are bound to do their +duty.—I own I am quite astonished that any +lady, with the slightest sense of propriety or +delicacy of feeling, can expose herself to the +possibility of being placed in so unpleasant a +predicament."</p> + +<p>"Why do you speak of ladies only, papa? +I'm sure gentlemen smuggle as much as we +do."</p> + +<p>"I am afraid that some do," said the Admiral, +"but it is generally in your service. I +am quite hurt for the credit of the class of society +with which I associate, when I hear of +any gentleman or lady taking advantage of the +confidence, which is reposed in them as such, +for the purpose of evading the laws of their +country. And for what?—for the sake of +saving a few pounds; or for the gratification +of some foolish vanity. I have sometimes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> +fallen in with men, who would have shot +me through the head if I had barely hinted +the possibility of their telling a lie, who +would yet be guilty of the most paltry falsehood +and equivocation for the sake of deceiving +a custom-house officer; who, after all, +allowed himself to be deceived, only because +he trusted that, being gentlemen, they would +not condescend to lie. No, my dear girls, +don't let me hear of your smuggling again."</p> + +<p>The two sisters in the course of the morning +had received a lesson against smuggling, +which had not been lost upon them; but +still the spirit of Emily rose at this attack, +and she replied, "What, not smuggle at all? +Why it is one of the chief amusements of +coming to the sea coast."</p> + +<p>"I wonder what pleasure you can find in +it," said her father.</p> + +<p>"Why, in the first place, the things are so +much better and prettier than we can get in +England; and then the little difficulties +which we have to surmount, and the contrivances +and concealment which we have to +manage, produce a sort of excitement, somewhat +similar to that, which I imagine men to +derive from the sports of the field. And,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> +after all, what is the harm of smuggling? It +is no offence in itself, and is merely made an +offence by the arbitrary enactments of human +laws."</p> + +<p>"And ought you not, my dear Emily, +to pay obedience to the laws, under the +protection of which you live? I might take +higher ground, and refer you to the express +words of Scripture.—You know the +passage to which I allude.—The poorest +man in the country is protected by the laws, +but if he is not sufficiently aware of the benefits +which he derives from them, some little +allowance may be made for him on the plea +of ignorance, want of education, and the +many wants and privations which he actually +encounters. No such excuse, however, can +be made for you, possessed as you are not +only of all the necessaries, but of many of +the superfluities, of life. In the enjoyment of +all these comforts and luxuries—in the rank +and station which you hold in society—you +are protected by the laws of your country, +and surely those laws have a just claim to +your obedience."</p> + +<p>"There is, I acknowledge," replied Emily, +"much force in what you say; but I am sure,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span> +that you must think the laws against smuggling +are much too severe."</p> + +<p>"The severity of laws is occasioned by the +boldness of those who break them: when +more lenient methods are found ineffectual, +recourse is had to stronger and harsher measures. +Smuggling, as you know, consists +either in evading the payment of the legal +duties, or in purchasing articles which are +prohibited altogether.—The evading of the +payment of duties is clearly the same as +robbing the public of so much of its revenue<a name="FNanchor_I_16" id="FNanchor_I_16"></a><a href="#Footnote_I_16" class="fnanchor">[i]</a>. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span>A poor man, who steals from distress, is +punished, and justly punished, for no distress +can justify doing wrong; but, I must +say, that I think a well-educated person, +who is guilty of wilfully plundering the +public by smuggling, is a more guilty person +than he is."</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_I_16" id="Footnote_I_16"></a><a href="#FNanchor_I_16"><span class="label">[i]</span></a> "<i>Worthy.</i> Pray, Mr. Bragwell, what should you +think of a man, who would dip his hand into a bag, +and take out a few guineas? +</p><p> +<i>Bragwell.</i> Think! why I think that he should be +hanged, to be sure. +</p><p> +<i>Worthy.</i> But suppose that bag stood in the king's +treasury? +</p><p> +<i>Bragwell.</i> In the king's treasury! worse and +worse! what, rob the king's treasury! Well, I hope +the robber will be taken up and executed, for I suppose +we shall all be taxed to pay the damage. +</p><p> +<i>Worthy.</i> Very true. If one man takes money out +of the treasury, others must be obliged to pay the +more into it; but what think you if the fellow should +be found to have stopped some money <i>in its way</i> to the +treasury, instead of taking it out of the bag after it got +there? +</p><p> +<i>Bragwell.</i> Guilty, Mr. Worthy; it is all the same, +in my opinion. If I was a juryman, I should say, +Guilty, death. +</p><p> +<i>Worthy.</i> Hark ye, Mr. Bragwell, he that deals in +smuggled brandy is the man who takes to himself the +king's money in its way to the treasury, and he as +much robs the government, as if he dipped his hands +into a bag of guineas in the treasury-chamber. It +comes to the same thing exactly." +</p><p> +From the Cheap Repository Tract, called "The Two +Wealthy Farmers:"—a story, which, while it abounds +in most useful moral and religious instruction, displays +an insight into human nature, a talent for lively description, +and a turn for quiet humour, which have +seldom been surpassed.</p></div> + +<p>"Well; but you can't say that we defraud +the revenue, when we buy silks, or gloves, +or lace, upon which we <i>can</i> pay no duty, +even if we wished it!"</p> + +<p>"These articles are absolutely prohibited +by law, and you break the laws by purchasing +them."</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span></p> +<p>"But if the English can't make these +things so well as the French, I don't see +why I am obliged to buy inferior articles +when I can get better—I am sure that I +have heard you say yourself, that all matters +of trade and manufacture should be suffered +to find their own level, with as few restrictions +as possible."</p> + +<p>"This doctrine may be generally true; but +there are many circumstances of a local or of +a temporary nature, which may make restrictions +expedient. However, you and I Emily +are not <i>legislators</i>. <i>Our</i> business is to obey +the laws of our country, even if they should +happen to be not quite consistent with our +own notions of political [oe]conomy.—But I +must just add one or two observations upon +the articles which you ladies are the most +fond of smuggling. The prohibition of +French and Italian silks was intended for +the encouragement of our home manufacturers; +especially the silk weavers in Spitalfields. +You have often heard of the distress +and poverty of those poor people. By buying +foreign silk in preference to British, you, +to a certain degree, add to that distress, and +rob them of the encouragement, which they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span> +are entitled to by law. Of late, I believe, +that branch of our manufactures has been in +a flourishing state, and that the silk weavers +are not only fully employed, but that they +manufacture silks quite equal to those from +abroad. If so, the ladies who smuggle them +have no inducement but the pleasure of doing +what is forbidden. The French and Italians +you know, have advantages in the production +of the raw material, which we have not; and +it seems reasonable to give our own countrymen +some protection to countervail those +advantages.—So again with respect to gloves, +and lace. One of the principal difficulties +which in these times we have to contend +with, is the difficulty of finding employment +for our overflowing population. Glove-making +and lace-making furnish employment for +our poor women; employment the more +desirable, inasmuch as they follow it at their +own homes. If you knew how eagerly +multitudes of your own sex catch at any +employment, by which they can earn but a +few shillings a week, both your patriotism and +your benevolence would render you unwilling +to deprive them of it. For you, Emily, with +your warm and affectionate heart, are not one<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span> +of those who would annihilate all distinctions +of kindred and country, in a vague idea of +universal benevolence.</p> + +<p>"But, after all," continued the Admiral, +"perhaps my principal objection to your +smuggling is the encouragement, which you +thereby give to the poor fellows, who follow +this dangerous and illegal occupation. +The habit of living in constant opposition to +the laws is not only criminal in itself, but has +a most injurious effect upon the whole of a +man's character. I have just given you +credit for some feelings of patriotism, but +you know that these feelings seldom exist in +the breast of a smuggler. We have Buonaparte's +testimony, that, during the war, they +were constantly employed in traitorously +giving intelligence to the enemy; and in assisting +the escape of the French prisoners of +war. This is bad enough; but we all know +how frequently they are guilty of crimes of +a still higher description, of the dreadful +crime of murder itself. And are you lady-smugglers +quite sure that you are clear of all +participation in this accumulated guilt? The +receiver of stolen goods is deemed by the +law the accessary of the thief: and is not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> +the purchaser of smuggled goods in some +degree an accessary of the smugglers? Besides, +if you knew the distress and misery +which smuggling often occasions to the families +of those engaged in it, you could not, +I think, encourage it."</p> + +<p>The sisters felt the force of this latter argument +more deeply than their father was +aware of. They were both silent. At length +Emily said, "Come, cousin Henry, cannot +you put in a word to help us?"</p> + +<p>"To help you?" replied he; "no indeed:" +and then added gravely, "But I am sure, that +my dear cousins will not continue smuggling, +while I and my brave fellows are daily +hazarding our lives for its prevention."</p> + +<p>Emily looked down, while her face and +neck became scarlet, and a long pause ensued. +The Admiral felt that enough had been said, +and was endeavouring to change the conversation +to some other subject, when a servant +opened the door, and said to Henry, "You +are wanted, if you please, Sir."</p> + +<p>He went out, and returning in a few minutes, +said to his uncle, "I must be off directly. +A large smuggling lugger has been for +some time hovering off the coast, and we have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span> +reason to believe, that they mean to land their +cargo to-night in Romney Marsh, in spite of +us. One of my brother officers has sent me +word, that a number of men from a considerable +distance inland are getting together with +their led horses, and that he apprehends that +they will muster one or two hundred. We, +of course, must join forces to be a match for +them; so good night."</p> + +<p>He affectionately shook hands with the +Admiral and the two sisters, and went out. +The door had hardly closed, when he came +back, and a second time, taking Emily's hand, +said, "You are not angry with me for what +I said?" "Angry, oh no!" He pressed her +hand in his, and disappeared.</p> + +<p>In less than five minutes, he was in his +boat. Two of his men waited on the beach +to shove him off, and then jumping in, they +pulled stoutly to the westward. The moon +shone brightly, the water sparkled on their +oars, and the clean white sides of the boat +were reflected brilliantly on the waves.</p> + +<p>They had passed Hithe, and were nearly +off Dimchurch, when they saw the lugger at +some distance from them getting under weigh. +By the assistance of her sweeps, and that of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span> +a favourable breeze which had just sprung up, +she was soon out of sight. Five boats had +just completed their second trip, and were +beginning to land the remainder of her cargo.</p> + +<p>The beach presented an animated scene +of activity and bustle. Several horsemen, +each with one or more led horses, were +gallopping down the beach, making the pebbles +fly around them in all directions. One +of their light carts was disappearing behind +the mound of earth, which at high water +forms a sort of barrier against the sea; a +second was labouring up the steep bank of +shingles; and two others were just quitting +the water's edge. A considerable number of +men on foot, each with a tub slung at his +back, were hurrying from the shore. The +men in the boats were clearing them of the +remainder of their cargo as fast as possible; +while others were loading with tubs the horses +which had just reached them.</p> + +<p>At some distance to the right, Lieutenant +Stanwick, to his surprise and indignation, discovered +a pretty strong party of king's men in +a state of inaction, and apparently uncertain +what to do. The fact was, that the smugglers +had posted behind the sea bank, which served<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span> +as a breastwork, two strong parties of sixty or +seventy men each, one on each side of the passage +leading to the sea. These parties, being +well provided with fire-arms, rendered any +attempt to approach the carrying party extremely +hazardous. Stanwick made his men +pull right for the shore; but the moment the +boat touched the ground, they were received +with a volley of musketry, discharged by an +invisible enemy. The balls whistled over +their heads, but from the lowness of their +position not a man was touched.</p> + +<p>They immediately leaped on shore, and advanced +rapidly towards the spot from which +the fire proceeded. A second volley more +destructive than the first arrested their progress. +Three of their number fell; one +killed on the spot, and two dangerously +wounded. Stanwick himself received a +bullet in his left arm, which shattered the +bone a little above the elbow.</p> + +<p>The men for a moment hesitated, and seemed +almost disposed to retreat. Their commander, +however, having contrived to support his arm +in the breast of his jacket, again pressed forward, +calling to his men, "Come, my lads, +don't let us be beat by a parcel of smugglers!"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span> +At the same moment they were joined by +the other party of seamen, and both uniting +together, soon came to close quarters with +the motley, but resolute, band of men, who +were opposed to them.</p> + +<p>The vigour of their attack made the smugglers +give ground; but as they were almost +immediately supported by the party from the +other side of the road, the combat was renewed. +The seamen fought with the most determined +gallantry, but were so greatly outnumbered, +that they were in some danger of being overpowered, +when they heard the trampling of +horses rapidly approaching, and saw the +glittering of arms in the moon-light. The +alarm had been given at the barracks, and a +troop of dragoons had been immediately ordered +out, who had been directed by the +firing to the scene of action. The smugglers, +who, by this time, had nearly secured the +whole of their cargo, commenced a hasty retreat, +leaving three of their number killed.</p> + +<p>For a short distance, they kept the public +road; then turning suddenly to the right, +crossed a broad ditch by means of a light +wooden bridge, or pontoon, which was ready +prepared for that purpose; and continued<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> +their flight across the marsh. The cavalry +came up in time to make prisoners of two of +the gang, who having been slightly wounded, +had not kept up with the rest: but they +found the bridge removed.</p> + +<p>The three foremost of the dragoons, without +hesitation, spurred their horses at the ditch. +One of them swerved to the left; another came +against the opposite bank and fell back upon +his rider, who extricated himself with difficulty +from his perilous situation. The third +leaped short, and came into the ditch on his +legs: he floundered on for a short way in +the mud, the dragoon preserving his seat as +steadily as if he had been on parade, until a +low place in the bank enabled him to scramble +back to his companions. The moon was +now setting, and farther pursuit appeared to +be not only useless, but dangerous.</p> + +<p>The excitement occasioned by the short but +vigorous conflict having ceased, Henry Stanwick +found his strength beginning to fail. +Exhausted by pain and fatigue, and faint +from the loss of blood, he sunk down on the +sea bank. One of his men, however, quickly +contrived to tap one of the kegs, which had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span> +been dropped in the confusion, and gave him +a small quantity of brandy, by which he was +a good deal revived. As his men were +anxiously proffering assistance, "Never mind +me," said he, "I am only hurt in the arm, +and shall do well enough; but there's a poor +fellow there, who stands much more in need +of assistance than I do." At the same time, +he pointed to a man in a seaman's jacket, +who was lying on the ground at a short +distance from him. His hat was off, he had +received a severe gash in the forehead, and +a pistol ball had passed through the upper +part of his body near the right shoulder. +An old musket which appeared to have been +recently discharged, and the stock of which +was broken, was lying near him. When +Stanwick's men approached him, he was +hardly able to articulate. They, however, +made out, that he wished to be conveyed to +Folkestone.</p> + +<p>They accordingly carried him carefully +down the beach, and placed him in the boat, +in the easiest posture they could. Henry +Stanwick was able to get on board without +much assistance.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span></p> + +<p>They rowed slowly back to Sandgate, and +having landed their Lieutenant, proceeded +on to Folkestone.</p> + +<p>It was not without difficulty that the +wounded man was lifted from the boat; and +then, some of his brother townsmen having +taken a door off the hinges, and gently laid +him on it, set off with slow and heavy steps +towards his house. As Waldron had told +his wife not to expect him till the next day, +she had gone to bed, and was quietly asleep +with her children. Hannah Reeves, a poor +woman who lived near the pier, had kindly +gone forward to prepare Mary for what she +had to go through, and knocked gently at +her door. She started up in her bed immediately, +for the anxious state in which she +had been living had accustomed her to +awake at the slightest noise. Having put +on a few clothes, and struck a light, she +hurried down stairs. In the countenance +and manner of her kind-hearted neighbour, +she immediately saw that she had some sad intelligence +to communicate; but when she heard +that her husband had been brought to Folkestone +severely wounded, her eyes grew dizzy,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> +her head swam, and she would have fallen to +the ground had not Hannah supported her.</p> + +<p>It was no time, however, for giving +way to grief, and, by a strong effort, she +almost immediately roused herself. Understanding +that there might be some difficulty +in getting her husband up the narrow +winding staircase, she set to work, with the +assistance of Hannah Reeves, to bring the +matress on which she slept into a little back +room, the floor of which was boarded. She +made it as comfortable as she could, and +had hardly completed her preparations, when +the heavy tread of a number of men was +heard approaching the door. Mary was unable +to speak, but silently assisted in placing +her unhappy husband on the bed, that she +had got ready for him. The rough weather-beaten +countenances of the men who had +brought him, were softened to an expression +of mournful sympathy; the eyes of several +of them were filled with tears. As soon as +they found they could be of no farther use, +they quietly withdrew.</p> + +<p>Waldron had hardly shewn any signs of +life, excepting by uttering now and then a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span> +deep and heavy groan: but when the men +were gone, he contrived to raise himself a +little in the bed; and taking the hand of his +wife, who was hanging over him in speechless +agony, said in a voice, almost inarticulate +from weakness and emotion, "Oh! Mary, +why did I not listen to your advice! I might +have earned my bread in an honest way, and +been happy with you and the children; but +I listened to the persuasion of evil men, and +now, smuggling has brought me to this." +He would have said more, but the effort +which he had made was too much for him—he +sank down on the bed, and after one or +two deep but feeble groans, expired.</p> + +<p>Mary did not immediately perceive what +had happened; but when the dreadful reality +burst upon her, the shock was too powerful +for her frame, exhausted as it was by anxiety +and grief. While there was an immediate +call for exertion—while there was any thing +to be done for her husband—the exertion +had roused and supported her. That support +was now at an end, and she fell senseless +on the floor.</p> + +<p>Hannah Reeves was up stairs with the +children, one of them having begun to cry,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> +and she had succeeded in quieting and +lulling it asleep. Upon returning to the +back room, she found Mary Waldron extended +motionless by the side of her husband. +Gently raising her up, she endeavoured to restore +her to herself by throwing cold water in +her face, applying burnt feathers to her +nostrils, and making use of such other remedies, +as either she, or two or three neighbours, +who had come in to her assistance, +could think of. For a long time their endeavours +were ineffectual. At length a slight +convulsive tremor seemed to pass over her. +Her lips, which had been deadly pale, began +to assume something of their natural colour, +and after one or two deep and long drawn +sighs, she appeared to breathe with some degree +of freedom. The first care of her kind +attentive neighbours was, to remove her from +the sad object which was stretched out by her +side. With difficulty they got her up stairs, +and undressing her, laid her in the same bed +with her children.</p> + +<p>Hannah Reeves was anxiously watching +over her, when she opened her eyes, and +said in a faint voice, "What, is it you, +Hannah? What brings you here so early in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span> +the morning? But I suppose it is time for +me to think of getting up.—Oh! Hannah, I +have had such a dreadful dream! But it is +all over now, I am so glad that you woke +me." And then after a little pause, added, +"How soon do you think James will be +home again? He told me that he should +come back before night." Poor Hannah +turned away her head, and seemed to busy +herself in another part of the room, and Mary +again fell into an unquiet slumber.</p> + +<p>Henry Stanwick had been landed near the +castle at Sandgate, supported by one of his +men, he was slowly ascending the beach, +when he was met by the Admiral muffled up +in a sea cloak. He had heard of the engagement +with the smugglers, and of his nephew's +wounds. "Come along, Harry, with me," +said he, "we must nurse you at my house. +I have no doubt that you would be taken +very good care of here: but still there are +some little comforts, which perhaps can be +furnished better at a private house; and we +must allow that the women understand these +matters better than we do." Henry yielded +to his uncle's persuasions. He found his +two cousins ready to receive him, with looks<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span> +expressive of tender affection, mixed with +deep anxiety. They had been busily occupied +in preparing his room. As the surgeon +was expected every moment, they were fearful +of altering the position of the wounded +arm until his arrival.</p> + +<p>In the interval Lieutenant Stanwick, +though suffering a good deal of pain, shortly +mentioned a few particulars of the conflict; +adding, "I cannot help longing to hear +what becomes of the poor fellow, that we +brought away in our boat. He wished to be carried +to Folkestone, and "—"To Folkestone!" +exclaimed Emily, "I hope it is not poor +Mary's husband!" "He did not mention +his name," said Henry; "indeed he could +hardly speak at all, but he was a remarkably +well-made active looking fellow, and I was +vexed to my heart at his having engaged in +such a service." The sisters could not help +having some misgivings, but they had a +nearer cause for anxiety in the severe wound +of a relation so deservedly dear to them.</p> + +<p>When the surgeon arrived, he found the +bone of the arm so much injured, that immediate +amputation was necessary. The operation +was successfully performed, but was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> +followed by a considerable degree of fever, +during which the two sisters nursed him with +unremitting assiduity.</p> + +<p>The fourth day after the amputation Henry +seemed much better, and both he and the +Admiral begged them not to continue to +keep themselves such close prisoners, but to +resume their usual exercise. They were the +more ready to comply, as they were very +anxious to go themselves to Folkestone, to +enquire after Mary Waldron. They found +out the house; but upon approaching it, observed +a degree of bustle, and saw several +men in sailors' jackets—most of them with +some symbol of mourning about their dress—issuing +from the door. Presently the coffin +was brought out; the men raised it on their +shoulders; the black pall was thrown over it; +and with measured steps they moved towards +the church-yard, while the solemn toll of the +bell, being heard at shorter intervals, announced +the near approach of the corpse to +its last mansion.</p> + +<p>The sisters waited at some little distance, +till the melancholy procession had passed +on; and then going up to the door of one of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span> +the neighbouring cottages, enquired with +feelings of deep interest after poor Mary.</p> + +<p>She, they found, was perfectly insensible to +all that was passing. The morning after her +husband had been brought home, she for +sometime appeared to retain no trace of what +had happened. The circumstance of her being +not in her own bed, and the manner of +Hannah Reeves, who was unable to control +her feelings, by degrees brought back to her +recollection the dreadful calamity which had +befallen her. She uttered one piercing cry of +woe, and then a deadly stupor took possession +of her whole frame. From this she had +at last been roused, but it was succeeded by +a wild delirium, and a burning fever, which +no skill or attention had been able in the +slightest degree to mitigate.</p> + +<p>The sisters went to this house of mourning. +The children had been removed to the cottage +of a neighbour, but Hannah Reeves came +down to them. She had hardly ever quitted +the bedside of the sufferer, and attended her +with that watchful kindness, which the poor +so often shew to each other when in distress. +The Miss Mowbrays begged Hannah to let<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span> +nothing be omitted which might contribute to +the recovery of poor Mary, at the same time +mentioning their intention to take every expense +upon themselves. They did not know +Hannah, but there was something in her +manner which told them that any hint of remuneration +to her would be misplaced.</p> + +<p>Upon their return to Sandgate they found +sitting with the Admiral the captain of the +troop of dragoons, which had come to the +assistance of the seamen. From him they understood, +that of the two smugglers who had +been taken, one was a Folkestone man of the +name of Spraggon, a man of notoriously bad +character, and who had behaved in the engagement +with the king's men with a boldness +bordering on ferocity. The other prisoner +was a labourer belonging to a village just +above the marsh, who had long been in the +practice of assisting in running smuggled +goods. He received high pay—five, eight, +ten shillings a night—sometimes even more. +Money obtained by breaking the laws seldom +does a man any good. And, in fact, when +he came to deduct the sum which he might +have earned by more creditable work—for a +man who had been out all night could not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span> +work the day following—and also the money +which went in drink and other expenses—it +was generally found that little came home to +his family. His earnings of all descriptions, +however, were now put an end to. He and +Spraggon were convicted at the next assizes of +the murder of the seaman; and two days after +were executed.</p> + +<p>It was long before Mary Waldron shewed +any signs of returning health. The fever, +however, gradually gave way, but it left her +in a state of the most deplorable weakness. +Emily and Caroline called at the house very +frequently during the whole progress of her +illness, supplying abundantly whatever they +thought likely to contribute to her recovery, +or to her comfort in her present state of suffering. +But from the time that her reason +and recollection began to return, their walks +to Folkestone became almost daily. In the +gentlest and kindest manner they said and +did all they could, to comfort her, and to +assist in directing her thoughts to the only +unfailing source of consolation—to that Being, +who invites the widow to trust in him, +and promises to protect and provide for the +fatherless children.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span></p> + +<p>From such considerations as these, and +from that aid which was granted from above +in answer to her humble and fervent supplication, +Mary recovered a degree of calm composure +almost sooner than the sisters had anticipated.</p> + +<p>Once, when speaking of her future means +of subsistence, they hinted the idea of making +up, with the assistance of their friends, an annual +sum, which would be sufficient to keep +her from want. But Mary would not hear +of this. "If it please God," said she, "to +restore me to health, I have no doubt, but +that by taking in washing and needle work, +I shall be able to get bread for myself and my +poor children; and as long as I am able to +work for myself, I could not bear to be a burden +to any one." "But it would be no +<i>burden</i> to <i>us</i> at all," said Emily. "Of that," +replied Mary, "I am well assured, from the +kindness, which you have already shewn me; +but I feel that I could not be so happy if I +depended for my livelihood, under Providence, +upon any one but myself."</p> + +<p>In their walks to Folkestone they were +often accompanied by their cousin Harry, +who in consequence of his wound had been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span> +relieved from the painful service in which he +had been employed, and appointed first +lieutenant to a frigate, which was destined +to the Mediterranean, but was not to sail +for some months.</p> + +<p>One day, as they were approaching Mary's +house, the two little children came running +out, with much glee and animation in +their eyes, to thank them for their nice new +frocks. The sisters knew not what they +meant. Upon entering the house, Mary expressed +her acknowledgments for what they +had sent the children, as well as for the +gown and other clothing which she had +received herself. They looked surprised, +and said that they had sent nothing. The +colour of Henry's face soon told Mary who +had been her benefactor.</p> + +<p>In their walk they had passed by Mrs. +Hawker's shop, and found the windows shut +up. They asked Mary the meaning of this. +She told them, that some time before, the +officers had made a large seizure of smuggled +goods in her house, and had sued her for the +penalties, which amounted to so large a sum, +that she was utterly ruined.</p> + +<p>It is hardly necessary to say, that the Miss<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span> +Mowbrays had never visited her house since +their purchase of the silks. The many crimes +and calamities which a single day had witnessed, +had given them a sufficient lesson +upon the evils of engaging in illicit traffic; +and neither the stump of Henry Stanwick's +arm, nor the sight of the widowed Mary and +her fatherless children, were needed to make +them resolve, that they would never again be +guilty of <i>smuggling</i>.</p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span></p> + +<div> +<br/> +<h2>GOOD-NATURE,</h2> +<h4>OR</h4> +<h3>PARISH MATTERS.</h3> +<br/> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span><br/></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span></p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/image03.png" alt="" title="" /> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span></p> + +<div> +<br/> +<h2>GOOD-NATURE,</h2> +<h4>OR</h4> +<h3>PARISH MATTERS.</h3> +<br/> +</div> + +<p>Mr. Stanley had just reached the last +stile in the footpath leading to Inglewood +parsonage, when his progress was for a moment +interrupted by two persons, who were +talking so earnestly, that they did not see +him.</p> + +<p>One of them was a short fat man, in the +dress of a farmer. His round and rosy face +seemed to be full of good cheer and good +humour; but bore no great signs of intelligence. +He was speaking to an untidy +looking woman, whose manner was expressive +of a sort of low familiarity, not however +unmixed with symptoms of servility and +cringing.</p> + +<p>"Never mind, Nanny," said the farmer, +"never mind—neighbour Oldacre is, I must<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span> +needs say, a little hard upon the poor—but +never mind; I shall take to the books in a +fortnight's time, and then things will be +better." "But you know, master," said +the woman, "if you could but manage that +little job for us, we should hardly trouble the +parish at all." "Well, I'll do what I can," +answered the farmer; "my being a parish-officer, +will help." The woman was going +to reply, but happening to see Mr. Stanley, +she drew back from the stile, and allowed +him to pass on.</p> + +<p>Trifling as the occurrence was, Mr. Stanley +happened to mention it to his friend at the +parsonage, as they were sitting together after +dinner. Upon his describing the figure and +face of the farmer, "Yes," said Mr. Hooker, +with a smile, "that must have been my parishioner, +Farmer Barton. He is, as you describe +him, a good-humoured looking fellow, +and it has always been the height of his ambition +to be reckoned a <i>good-natured</i> man."</p> + +<p>"I cannot much blame him for that," +replied Stanley; "<i>good-nature</i> is a most +amiable quality, and I heartily wish there +was more of it in the world than there is."</p> + +<p>"In that wish I cordially agree with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span> +you," said Mr. Hooker; "if by <i>good-nature</i> +you mean a genuine spirit of kindness or +Christian benevolence, which prompts a man +to do whatever good he can to the bodies +and souls of all within his reach. The <i>good-nature</i>, +however, of Farmer Barton is not +exactly of this description. It springs from +a love of low popularity, from a wish to gain +by whatever means the good will and good +word of all descriptions of people. This wish +leads him to assent to whatever is said, and +to accede to almost every request, unless it +immediately touches his pocket. To that +indeed his <i>good-nature</i> does not always extend. +In his fear of being thought <i>ill-natured</i>, +he very often loses sight of duty, +and his dread of offending or of contradicting +those who happen to be <i>present</i>, makes him +not unfrequently forget what is due to those +who are <i>absent</i>."</p> + +<p>The conversation was interrupted by the +entrance of the servant, who came to tell his +master that Farmer Barton wished to speak +with him. "Pray shew him in," said Mr. +Hooker; "but I am unable to guess what +his business can be."</p> + +<p>The farmer came in, and, upon Mr.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span> +Hooker's asking him what he wanted, replied, +"Why, it is only to get you to put +your hand to this bit of paper." "Let us +look at it," said Mr. Hooker; and then casting +his eye over it, added, "This I see is +an application to the magistrates, to set up a +new public house in the village, and a recommendation +of Robert Fowler as a fit man to +keep it." "Yes, Sir," replied the farmer; +"poor Bob since he got the hurt in his arm +has never been able to do the work of another +man, and he and Nanny have begged me +and some of the neighbours to help him to +set up a public house, as a means of keeping +him off the parish."</p> + +<p>"And do you, Farmer Barton, honestly +think," said Mr. Hooker, "that we <i>want</i> a +public house here? You know that there is +hardly any thoroughfare through the village; +and even if there was, we are but two miles +from a market town, where there are inns and +ale-houses in abundance."</p> + +<p>"Why I can't say there is any particular +want of it," said Barton. "But Fowler's +family is likely to be a heavy burden to the +parish."</p> + +<p>"The parish, I am satisfied," rejoined<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span> +Mr. Hooker, "would be no gainer in the +end. Don't you suppose that many of the +labouring men would often, after their day's +work, go to the ale-house, instead of going +home; and spend there, some part of the +money which ought to find food and clothes +for their wives and families? A country +ale-house is too often found to be attended +with raggedness and hunger in the women +and children; and I know that this is the +opinion of the poor women themselves. +Besides, don't you remember, what drunkenness +and quarrelling we used to have before +Tomkins's house was put down?"</p> + +<p>"Why, I must say, that the men have +been more quiet and sober of late."</p> + +<p>"As clergyman of this parish," said Mr. +Hooker, "I shall never assist in setting forward +a measure, which I think would be +hurtful to my parishioners: and I must own, +that I am surprised to see that so many +sensible and respectable men have signed +their names to this recommendation."</p> + +<p>"Why a man don't like to seem <i>ill-natured</i>," +said the farmer.</p> + +<p>"We must not," replied Mr. Hooker,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span> +"for the sake of assisting one man or one +family, do that which would be prejudicial +to the whole parish. And besides, I thought +that Fowler was one of the most drunken, +idle fellows in the village."</p> + +<p>"Why to be sure," said the farmer, "he +does like drink better than work."</p> + +<p>"And yet you and your brother farmers +are here ready to certify that he is of good +fame, sober life and conversation, and a fit +and proper person to be intrusted with a +licence! Do you not see that you have all +set your hands to a direct falsehood?"</p> + +<p>Barton looked foolish, but added, "Why +one don't like to refuse such a thing—and +when others do it, it would look so <i>ill-natured</i>."</p> + +<p>"And so, for fear of being thought <i>ill-natured</i>, +you can not only set your name to a +lie, but give a helping hand to a measure, +which by your own acknowledgment would +be likely to increase the poverty as well as +the immorality of many of your poor neighbours. +Indeed, indeed, Mr. Barton, an +English farmer ought to have had more manliness +of character than this comes to."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span></p> + +<p>"But then poor Bob is such a <i>good-tempered</i> +fellow; and besides, you know, he is +half disabled for work!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, he received his hurt in the very +act of breaking the laws of the land by +poaching, and I do not think <i>that</i> a reason +for putting him in a situation in some respects +above that of the generality of cottagers."</p> + +<p>Farmer Barton found that he was not +likely to succeed in the object of his visit; +and saying with a smile, "Well, Sir, I did +not think you had been so hard-hearted," +quitted the room.</p> + +<p>"There! Stanley," said Mr. Hooker, +"that's the way of the world. Most of the +men who have signed that certificate are, as +times go, decent and respectable men, and +would, I doubt not, pretty much agree with +me as to the probability that both poverty +and immorality would be increased by the +establishment of an ale-house in the village; +but yet for the sake of being <i>good-natured</i> +to an individual, they set forward a measure, +which they think will be generally pernicious; +and set their hands to a lie, rather +than refuse an unreasonable request. Their +<i>good-nature</i>, to be sure, is not confined to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span> +Fowler as its only object. Some of them, +probably, wish to be <i>good-natured</i> to a brother +farmer, who is the owner of the house; +and some think that they shall do a kindness +to the brewer, who will supply it with +beer."</p> + +<p>"But what," replied Stanley, "shall you +do in this business?"</p> + +<p>"Why, I don't very well know," said Mr. +Hooker. "You have been acquainted with +me long enough to be assured, that I would +suffer my hand to be cut off, rather than set +it to a palpable falsehood;—and that I would +never take any <i>active</i> step in assisting a measure +which in my opinion will be hurtful to +my parishioners.—But perhaps something of +the same sort of weakness which I blame in +others, may prevent me from taking any <i>active</i> +measures <i>against</i> it. I am not fond of going +into public, or of encountering the bustle of +the justice-room.—Perhaps I shall be <i>passive</i>, +and try to quiet my own conscience by saying, +that things must take their course: that +it is not for me to come forward in opposition +to the declared wish of most of the respectable +part of my parishioners."</p> + +<p>"But surely the magistrates will not set<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span> +up a new public house without the signature +of the clergyman to the certificate?"</p> + +<p>"The new Act requires the signature <i>either</i> +of the clergyman, <i>or</i> that of the majority of +the parish officers, together with four reputable +and substantial householders;—or +that of eight respectable and substantial +householders. Fowler's certificate has all +the parish officers but one, and other names +in abundance, and <i>good-nature</i> will prevent +any one from saying that some of those +names are neither respectable nor substantial. +The magistrates will see that the requirements +of the Act are complied with, and +they will perhaps feel like me;—they will +be unwilling to incur the odium of opposing +the wishes of all those <i>respectable</i> and <i>substantial</i> +personages, and thus <i>good-nature</i> +may induce them to sign the licence."</p> + +<p>"At all events," said Stanley, "you will +be able to keep Fowler in order by the +penalties of the new Act. The old system +of absolutely forfeiting the recognizance was +too severe to be acted on."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps," said Mr. Hooker, "now and +then, in some flagrant case, by which some individual +is <i>personally</i> injured, these provisions<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span> +may be called into play. But how seldom +do you hear—in the country at least—of +penalties being enforced from a sense of +public duty? <i>Good-nature</i> is always against +it; and the man who from the purest motives +endeavoured to enforce them, would be sure +to have all the host of the <i>good-natured</i> arrayed +against him."</p> + +<p>Two days after was the licensing day: +the <i>good-natured</i> Barton having undertaken +the patronage of Fowler's application, set out +in good time to advocate it at the justice-meeting. +He had got about three quarters +of a mile from the village, in his way to +Chippingden the market town, when he was +overtaken by Mr. Bentley, one of the magistrates.</p> + +<p>"You have a dreadful road here, Farmer +Barton," said Mr. Bentley. "Who is your +surveyor?"</p> + +<p>"Why, I am at present," replied Barton, +"and as we are a little behind hand with +the duty, I am afraid that I shall have to go +on for another year."</p> + +<p>"Then why do you suffer the road to +continue in this state? The ruts are so deep, +that it really is hardly safe."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span></p> + +<p>"It is all occasioned by that high hedge," +answered the farmer, "which keeps off both +sun and wind.—And besides, from there +being no trunk or tunnel in that gate-way, +the water of the ditch is thrown into the +road. To be sure it <i>was</i> pretty dirty in the +winter, for all we buried so many stones in it." +"Then why was not the hedge cut, and a +tunnel made in the gateway to carry off the +water?" said Mr. Bentley.</p> + +<p>"I did once give Farmer Dobson a hint +about it," answered Barton, "but he says, +that the hedge is not above nine years' growth, +and that he shall have better poles by leaving +it a few years longer."</p> + +<p>"But you know very well," replied the +magistrate, "that your warrant empowers +you to require him to cut it, and if he refuses, +to do it yourself at his expence."</p> + +<p>"I know that well enough," said Barton, +"but that would be so <i>ill-natured</i> and unneighbourly-neighbourly, +that I could not bear to think +of it."</p> + +<p>"And so," rejoined Mr. Bentley, "the +necks and limbs of his Majesty's subjects are +to be endangered, and the whole neighbourhood +put to inconvenience, for the credit of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span> +your <i>good-nature</i>? A man in a public office, +Mr. Barton, should always execute the duties +of that office with as much civility and kindness +as possible; but he must never neglect +his public duty, for the sake of gratifying +any private individual whatever.—And look! +what business has this dunghill here? your +warrant tells you that nothing should be laid +within fifteen feet of the middle of the road—and +this dunghill is so close, that the road is +ruined by the moisture proceeding from it. +And see how the farmer has cut the road to +pieces by drawing out his dung in the wet +weather."</p> + +<p>"To be sure, what you say is true, but the +field won't be ready for the dung till the spring."</p> + +<p>"Another sacrifice of the interests of the +public to private convenience!—And here +again—you'll think and call me a troublesome +fellow, Mr. Barton—but why do you suffer +these heaps of stones to be so forward in the +road? They are absolutely dangerous."</p> + +<p>"Why the men who work on the road +like to have them <i>handy</i>."</p> + +<p>"As they are paid by the day it can make +no difference to them, and even if it did, you +must not endanger the safety of travellers<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span> +from a <i>good-natured</i> wish to humour your +workmen—I suppose the same reason induces +you to allow them to put in the stones +without breaking them?"</p> + +<p>Barton acknowledged that it was. Mr. +Bentley charged him again not to let his +<i>good-nature</i> make him forget his duty to the +public—"But," added he laughing, "perhaps +I must confess that it is some feeling +of the same sort, which keeps me from fining +you five pounds, as I might and ought to do, +for these neglects of your duty as surveyor."</p> + +<p>They now reached the town, and happening +to use the same inn, rode into the yard +together. Fowler and his wife, who were +already there, augured well from this circumstance—and +Mr. Bentley was hardly off his +horse, when Nanny accosted him in a wheedling +tone, with, "I hope, Sir, you'll be so +kind as to <i>stand our friend</i> about this +licence."</p> + +<p>"We shall see about that presently," said +Mr. Bentley, as he walked off, wishing to cut +short applications of this nature till he got +into the justice-room. He found his way +stopped, however, by two or three poor women +from the village near which he resided.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span> +"Well!" said he, "and what brings you +all to Chippingden?"</p> + +<p>"Why, Sir, we want a little of your kindness."</p> + +<p>"My <i>kindness</i>! why can you find none +of my <i>kindness</i> at home?"</p> + +<p>"O yes, Sir, you are always ready to +assist a poor person yourself, but we want +you to <i>stand our friend</i>, and order us a little +more relief from the farmers."</p> + +<p>"That, my good woman, is quite a different +story. As a magistrate I must not be +a <i>friend</i> to any one person more than to +another; but must endeavour to act without +favour or affection either to rich or poor. +With respect to parochial relief, our business +is to consider, as well as we are able, what +the laws require and allow, and to act accordingly. +Poor people often apply to us +in great distress, and the relief which we can +order seems but very little. If we listened +to our own feelings, our own <i>good-nature</i> as +you would call it, we should often be glad to +order much more, but we must not indulge +such feelings at another man's expense—we +must not be <i>good-natured</i> with other people's +money."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span></p> + +<p>"But, Sir," said Betty Horseman, "I +only wanted about a shilling a week more, +and I'm sure that can't hurt the farmers."</p> + +<p>"Whether it is much or little," said Mr. +Bentley, "we cannot order more, than the +law, in our opinion, appears to require. +Knowingly to order more than that, is to rob +those out of whose pockets the poor rates +are paid. You would not wish me, Betty, +to help you in picking a man's pocket."</p> + +<p>"But it is so little that I ask for," said +Betty, still harping upon the same string.</p> + +<p>"We may not pick a man's pocket of sixpence, +any more than of a hundred pounds. +Your application shall be heard presently, +Betty, and we will give it the best attention +we can. If we think that you ought to have +more, we will order it.—But you must remember, +that if you have a shilling a week +more, every family in the like circumstances +will expect the same, which will make your +shilling a week a pretty round sum. In +short, I am always glad as far as I can to +help a poor person out of my own pocket, +but must consider well before I help him out +of the pockets of other people."</p> + +<p>Mr. Bentley now joined his brother ma<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span>gistrates +in the justice-room. The licensing +business came on first; and the licences to +the old established houses having been renewed, +the applications for <i>new</i> houses were +taken into consideration. Fowler produced +his certificate.</p> + +<p>"This certificate," said Mr. Hale the +chairman, "has not the clergyman's name; +how happens that?"</p> + +<p>Farmer Barton was at Fowler's elbow, +and immediately answered, "Mr. Hooker +has laid down a rule not to set his hand to +an application of this sort, and could not +break through it—but I'm sure he has no +objection."</p> + +<p>"And besides," said one of the justices, +"if my memory does not deceive me, there +was a man of that name in your parish who +was a noted poacher."</p> + +<p>"Why, I must confess," said the farmer, +"that some time back the poor man was led +by distress to go out once or twice; but he +has, long ago, given it up, and is now quite +an altered character.—When a man has seen +his fault, and turned over a new leaf, I am +sure, gentlemen, that you are too <i>good-natured</i> +to bring it up against him."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span></p> + +<p>The justices still hesitated; but Barton +and two or three of the farmers of the village +represented to them that there always used +to be a public house; that it was in many +respects inconvenient to be without one; +and that in this instance, it would give occupation +and maintenance to a poor family. +At length the magistrates said, that in general +they were not disposed to increase the +number of ale-houses, but that they would +give way to the declared wish of almost all +the leading men in the parish. In a case of +doubt, they naturally leant to the side of +<i>good-nature</i>. Accordingly the licence was +granted.</p> + +<p>Fowler was overjoyed at his success, and +after making his acknowledgments, set off, +first to the carpenter, and then to the painter, +to give directions for a sign and its appendages. +After these matters of business, he +could not think of returning without drinking +the health of the magistrates at the Red +Lion.</p> + +<p>Several friends dropped in to congratulate +him; and when he thought about going +home, he was not quite able to walk straight. +The butcher's boy, who had made one of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span> +the party at the Red Lion, offered to give +him a lift in his cart. They set off in high +glee, and the exalted state of their spirits induced +them to urge on the horse. Though +the night was dark and the horse sometimes +swerved to one side of the road and sometimes +to the other, yet the light colour of the +road served for a guide, and they felt that as +long as they kept to that they were safe. +They were mistaken, however. They were +within a mile of Inglewood, and had got the +horse almost into a gallop, when all at once +the wheel came upon one of the heaps of +stones, which had been shot down in the +<i>quartering</i>, and the cart was overturned. +Peter, the butcher's boy, called out that he +was killed; but having got up and shaken +himself, and found that he had received no +sort of injury, he burst into a loud fit of +laughter.</p> + +<p>Poor Fowler, however, lay groaning in the +road, unable to stir. He was severely bruised, +and both the bones of his right leg were +broken. Peter scratched his head, and was +quite at a loss what to do, when luckily Farmer +Barton and one of his neighbours came +to the spot, in their way back from market.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span> +They extricated the horse, which, having put +his foot in the deep rut, had fallen with the +cart, and then raised the cart without difficulty. +It was not, however, so easy a matter +to get Fowler into it. He cried out from +pain every time that they took hold of him, +and sometimes begged that they would leave +him to die where he was. At last, however, +they succeeded, and at a slow pace he was +conveyed to his humble cottage, which was +soon to assume the dignity and importance +of a public house.</p> + +<p>His wife helped to get him to bed, though +not without reproaching him with some +asperity for staying so long at the Red Lion +after he had sent her home. Having taken +as much care of him, as in her opinion he +deserved, she hastened down stairs to comfort +herself with some tea, of which two or +three of her neighbours, who had been brought +to the house by the tidings of the accident, +were invited to partake. The condolences +and lamentations were soon over, and they +fell into the usual train of village gossip. The +hardness of the times, of course, was one of +the topics of conversation. "Well, Hannah,"<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span> +said one of the party, "and what did you get +from the justices?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! there's no use in a poor person's +going to them," said Hannah, "they're all +for the farmers?"</p> + +<p>"I wonder to hear you say that," said +Nanny, who was naturally disposed to be +in good humour with the magistrates, who +had just granted a licence to her husband; +"I wonder to hear you say that, for as I was +going out of the room, I fell in with two or +three overseers, who were saying just the +contrary. They were complaining that the +justices were ready to hear all the idle stories +of the poor about wanting relief, and that +they were much too apt to order some little +addition. In fact, they said, that they were +all in favour of the poor; and the farmers +could not stand it."</p> + +<p>"If the poor complain that they were in +favour of the farmers, and the farmers that +they favoured the poor," said an old man +sitting in the chimney corner, "I dare say +they pretty nearly did the thing that was +right between both parties."</p> + +<p>"Well," said Hannah, "if I was a justice,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span> +I could'nt bear that the poor should think +me <i>ill-natured</i>. Be it how it would, I'd +take care to have <i>their</i> good word, even if I +did now and then order a trifle more than +was quite right."</p> + +<p>"What should you say, Hannah," said +the same old man, "of a justice who acted +contrary to law for the sake of a sum of money?"</p> + +<p>"What! a bribe! Why I'd have him +turned out before he was a day older."</p> + +<p>"And is not acting contrary to law for the +sake of any one's good will, or good word, +pretty much the same as doing so for a +bribe? A magistrate is sworn to do justice, +according to law, to the best of his knowledge."</p> + +<p>All the women, however, consoled themselves +with the near approach of the time, +when the poor would have to apply for +their weekly allowances to Farmer Barton instead +of Farmer Oldacre; it being the custom +of the parish that the overseers should divide +the year between them, each taking the trouble +of the office for six months.</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed," said Hannah Bolt, "it will +be a happy day for us poor creatures, when<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span> +Mr. Barton takes the books;—Farmer Oldacre +was always a hard man to the poor."</p> + +<p>"Farmer Oldacre a hard man to the poor!" +said old John Truman, who came in at the +moment from the sick man's room—"Farmer +Oldacre a hard man to the poor! +I'm sure you're an ungrateful woman for +saying so; as I should be an ungrateful man, +if I allowed you to say it without taking you +to task.—I've worked for him now these +seventeen years, and a better or a kinder +master cannot be. Did'nt I see you, Hannah, +day after day, when your little boy was +ill, going to his house, sometimes for a little +milk, sometimes for a little made wine, and +did he ever refuse you? did he ever refuse +<i>any</i> poor person, who was really in want, any +thing that he was able to give?"</p> + +<p>"I can't say but that he's ready enough +to help a poor body with any thing he has +himself; but then if one asks him for a little +more parish relief, he's so terrible particular, +and asks so many questions, that it's quite +unpleasant, and perhaps we can get nothing +after all."</p> + +<p>"In short," said John, "you mean to +say that he is liberal and kind in giving from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span> +his own pocket, but careful and cautious +how he makes free with the pockets of other +people. And then again—who employs so +many men as Farmer Oldacre? I'm sure I +have often known him in the winter try to +find out jobs for the sake of keeping the men +at work; and after all I believe, that he +feels the change of times as much as any +man, and that he and his family allow themselves +little beyond bare necessaries. And +even with respect to parish relief, I believe +that the <i>old</i> men and women, who are really +past work, are better off when Farmer Oldacre +has the books, than at any other time."</p> + +<p>"But then," answered Hannah, "Farmer +Barton is so <i>good-natured</i> when we go to +him. He says that a shilling or two cannot +signify to the farmers, and is not worth +thinking about."</p> + +<p>"I believe it would be better for all parties," +replied Truman, "if the able-bodied +poor thought less of running to the parish, +and more of depending, under God's blessing, +on themselves. When I was young, a +man would have been ashamed of begging for +parish relief. Indeed, the law was, that those +who were relieved were to be marked by a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span> +badge. I know that I contrived to bring up +a family of seven children without being beholden +to any body. For a few years it was +certainly hard work, but God helped us on."</p> + +<p>"But wages," said Nanny Fowler, "were +better in those days."</p> + +<p>"Compared with what they would buy, +perhaps they were, but their being low now +is, I take it, partly owing to the poor rates."</p> + +<p>"Why how can you make that out?" +cried the whole party.</p> + +<p>"In the first place, can you tell me, why +wheat is so cheap just at present? It was, +you know, ten shillings the bushel, and indeed +sometimes a great deal more—it is now +less than five."</p> + +<p>"Why it's cheap to be sure, because there +is such plenty of it."</p> + +<p>"And is it not the over-plenty of labourers, +that makes labour cheap? I remember this +village when there were not more than fifty +labourers' families, each with a cottage to +itself; now there are upwards of eighty families, +and sometimes two crammed together in +one house. I have read in the newspapers, +that the people throughout England have increased +in the last twenty years thirty-two<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span> +in every hundred—that is, where there were +but ten, there are now more than thirteen."</p> + +<p>"But what has that to do with the poor +rates?"</p> + +<p>"Why do not you think that the poor +rates are an encouragement to early marriages?"</p> + +<p>"And what then," said Hannah; "did +not the Almighty say, <i>Increase and multiply</i>?"</p> + +<p>"The command to <i>increase and multiply +and replenish the earth</i>, was given—<i>first</i>, when +there were upon the face of the whole earth +no men and women at all, excepting the +first pair: and <i>again</i>, when all mankind had +been destroyed, with the exception of the +family of Noah. The world was pretty well +empty of inhabitants then, and wanted <i>replenishing</i>. +But the case is different in an old +inhabited country, which is already so <i>replenished</i>—so +full and over-full—that the people +stand in each other's way."</p> + +<p>"But surely, John, you are not for preventing +marriages?"</p> + +<p>"Heaven forbid!" said the old man, wiping +a tear of thankfulness from his eye; "Heaven +forbid! It is to marriage that I owe the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span> +greater part of the happiness that I have enjoyed +in this life; and marriage, I trust, has +assisted in preparing me, through divine grace +and the merits of my Redeemer, for happiness +in the life to come. I know too who it +is that has said, <i>Marriage is honourable in +all</i>.—No, no, I am no enemy to marriage, +I am its warmest friend. But then, as the +Prayer-Book tells us, there are <i>two</i> ways of +engaging in marriage. Men may either enter +upon it <i>reverently</i>, <i>discreetly</i>, <i>advisedly</i>, and +<i>in the fear of God</i>; or else they may engage +in it <i>inadvisedly</i>, <i>lightly</i>, and <i>wantonly</i>, '<i>like +brute beasts that have no understanding</i>.' I +am afraid that now-a-days young people are +more apt to engage in marriage after the +latter manner, than after the former. When +I was young, men generally did not like to +marry—I'm sure I did not—till they had +secured a bit of a cottage to put a wife in, +and a few articles of furniture, and perhaps a +few pounds to begin the world with. Now +boys and girls marry without thought and reflection, +without sixpence beforehand, and +trust to the parish for every thing—house, +goods, clothes, and the maintenance of their +children. As for the parish finding houses<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span> +for all that wish to marry, it's what can't be +done.—No, no, I don't want to prevent their +marrying, I only want them to wait a very few +years, that they may have a better chance of +happiness when they marry. We all know, +that <i>when want comes in at the door, love is very +apt to fly out at the window</i>; and parish pay +is but a poor dependence after all.</p> + +<p>"And why should they not wait? Those, +who are better off in the world, are for the most +part forced to wait a good number of years. +The sons of the farmers, of the tradesmen, and +of the gentlemen, generally wait, I think, till +they are nearer thirty than five and twenty. +Look at Squire Bentley's family: there's his +eldest son that is the counsellor, who, as they +say, has been for some years engaged to one +of Mr. Hale's daughters; he is now, I take it, +upwards of thirty, but he waits till they have +a better chance of maintaining a family. +There's his second son, who is to be a physician; +and the third in the army; both I dare +say would be glad enough to marry, if they +could marry with any sort of prudence.—It +is because the poor think that the parish must +find every thing, that they marry without +thought or care; and then the numbers of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span> +the people increase till there are more hands +than work; and that makes wages so low.</p> + +<p>"There's another way in which the poor +rates keep down the price of labour. A man +is out of work. He goes round to the +farmers; but they all say that they don't want +him: they have hands more than enough +already. He then goes to the overseer for +employment.—Now the parish—if bound by +law to find work for him at all, about which +there seems to be some doubt—is only +bound to pay him enough to keep him from +starving, and for that may require a full day's +work. The farmers of course know this; +and as in these times it is natural for them to +wish to get hands at as low a rate as possible, +one of them tells this man that he will give +him a trifle more than the parish, though still +a <i>mere trifle</i>, and turns off one of his regular +workmen to make way for him; and so it +may go on, till all are brought down to +the same low key.—Or perhaps the farmers +will pay all the labourers, either in whole, +or in part, out of the poor rates. This I +take to be a very bad plan for the farmers +in the end; for as men will seldom do more +work than they are paid for, the work will<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span> +not be done so well or so cheerfully; and +besides, it sadly breaks the spirit of the labourers. +In short, I wish, as I said before, +that the poor depended less upon parish pay, +and more upon themselves."</p> + +<p>"But, John," said Hannah, "you are not +for knocking up the poor laws altogether?"</p> + +<p>"By no means," answered John: "I +am in one sense a poor man myself; and I +am glad that there is such a provision for +those, who can do nothing for themselves, +and for those who are thrown back by a severe +sickness, or by some accident. For myself, +I hope that, by the blessing of God, I +shall never be forced to stoop to ask for +parish relief. As my wife and I contrived +to bring up a family without any help from +an overseer, so when our children were old +enough to get out, and take care of themselves, +we began to think of putting by a +trifle against old age. The savings bank notion +has given us a lift, and I think that I +have that there, which will keep me from +being a burden to any one. As times are +now, a man with a large family can't help +going to the parish, and no one can blame +him for it—I only wish that times were such<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span> +as to enable him, with industry and prudence, +to look for maintenance to no one but himself +and God Almighty."</p> + +<p>By the time that old Truman had finished +this <i>dissertation</i> on the poor laws, the surgeon +had arrived. He examined Fowler's +leg, and found the fracture to be as bad a one +as well could be. It was attended too with +a considerable degree of fever, which was increased +by the heated state of the blood, occasioned +by excessive drinking.</p> + +<p>The next day he was delirious, and the +fever had increased so much, that but slight +hopes were entertained of his recovery. He +remained for some days in this state, hanging +between life and death, till at length the +fever abated. The delirium too was at an +end; but it left him in a state of the most +deplorable weakness.</p> + +<p>Nanny Fowler never had bestowed one +serious thought upon a future life; but some +of her neighbours told her, that with her +husband in such a dangerous condition, she +ought to desire the parson to come and see +him. This she accordingly did.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hooker, at his two or three first visits, +found both body and mind so weakened,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span> +that he did little more than pray by him. +Neither Fowler nor his wife entered much +into the meaning or spirit of his prayers, +but still they were flattered and pleased by +the attention of their pastor.</p> + +<p>For many years Fowler had hardly set +foot in church, excepting once to attend the +funeral of a relation, and twice as godfather +to the children of two of his friends. Though +he had not shewn any positive disrespect to +Mr. Hooker to his face, yet he was in the +habit of laughing at him behind his back, +and of trying to turn whatever he did or said +in the execution of his sacred office—and +indeed his office itself—into ridicule. In +this, according to the opinion of his thoughtless +and profligate companions, he succeeded +tolerably well; for he had a turn for low +humour; and it is sometimes found, the more +sacred any thing is, the greater is the effect +of representing it in a ludicrous point of +view, to those who are unrestrained by any +sense of decency or of religion. From Mr. +Hooker he had never received any thing but +tokens of kindness, but he disliked him, because +he knew that he disapproved of his +manner of going on, and still more, for one<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span> +or two admonitions which he had received +from him. He now felt ashamed of his +former disrespectful behaviour towards his +worthy minister.</p> + +<p>The fever having entirely left him, Mr. +Hooker determined to take advantage of the +opportunity which this accident afforded, +for the purpose of endeavouring to bring +Fowler to some proper sense of religion. +He accordingly often talked to him in the +most serious manner, trying both to inform +his understanding, and to affect his heart.</p> + +<p>One day when he called, he found Barton +sitting by the bed side. The farmer immediately +got up to go away; Fowler, however, +begged him to stay; and Mr. Hooker was +not without hopes, that what he said might +not be entirely lost upon Barton, of whose +religious sentiments he had but an unfavourable +opinion.</p> + +<p>After making use of the prayers in the +Visitation Office, he represented to Fowler +the folly of living without God in the world; +the hateful nature of sin; and the awful consequences +of continuing in sin without repentance. +He spoke of the great atonement, +but told him that the benefits even of that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span> +would be lost to those who continued hardened +and impenitent. He added a few +words upon the particular vice of drunkenness, +upon its tendency to lead on to almost +all other sins without exception, and upon +its dreadful punishment in the world to come, +since <i>drunkards can not inherit the kingdom +of God</i>.</p> + +<p>Fowler appeared to be attentive, and to +feel what was said, and Barton looked every +now and then a little uneasy. His uneasiness +was occasioned, not by the slightest degree +of apprehension for his own religious +interests, but by the wound which his <i>good-nature</i> +received, at hearing such strong things +said. The farmer accompanied Mr. Hooker +down stairs; but the moment he had quitted +the house, exclaimed, "I wish, Nanny, you +would not let the parson come to your husband +any more. I'm sure it's enough to +make a man ill to hear him talk." "Why, +what's the matter?" said Nanny, "what's +the matter?"</p> + +<p>"Why, he has been talking about his +soul, and getting drunk, and heaven, and +hell, and I know not what besides; I'm<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span> +sure, I thought it very <i>ill-natured</i> of him. +It's bad enough for poor Bob to have broken +his leg, without being troubled with such +melancholy thoughts. And what's the use +of it? There's no chance of his dying this +bout, and there can be no occasion for his +making himself uneasy with these church-yard +thoughts yet."</p> + +<p>"Surely you are not in earnest, neighbour," +said Farmer Oldacre, who had called +in to enquire how the broken leg was going +on; "you cannot really mean what you +say."</p> + +<p>"Yes, but I do though," replied Barton, +"and I say again, it was very <i>ill-natured</i> +of Mr. Hooker."</p> + +<p>"I always thought," said Oldacre, "that +you professed and called yourself a Christian."</p> + +<p>"As good a Christian as yourself," rejoined +Barton, with some quickness; "aye, +or as Mr. Hooker <i>either</i>, though, perhaps, +I mayn't talk so much about it as some +people."</p> + +<p>"Well, don't be angry," said Oldacre +calmly, "but just listen to me for two<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span> +minutes. If a Christian, you of course +acknowledge the Scriptures to be the word +of God?"</p> + +<p>"To be sure I do."</p> + +<p>"Well—you know—the whole parish +knows—that poor Bob Fowler was leading +a most ungodly and wicked life."</p> + +<p>"No, I do <i>not</i> know it; poor Bob was +nobody's enemy but his own; and if he did +get drunk now and then, what was that to +any body else? I don't call that being +wicked."</p> + +<p>"And what <i>do</i> you call being <i>wicked</i>?"</p> + +<p>"Why, I call a man wicked, when he +robs and steals, or commits murder, or—let +me see—let me see—when he takes a false +oath before a justice—or—when he slanders +his neighbours."</p> + +<p>"These, certainly," answered Oldacre, +"are instances of great wickedness; but you +seem to confine the word <i>wickedness</i> almost +entirely to offences, by which <i>men</i> are injured; +now I call a man <i>wicked</i>, when he +lives in the wilful and habitual neglect of any +part of his duty; and since the Scriptures +tell us, that the first and chief part of our +duty is our duty towards God, I particu<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span>larly +call a man wicked when he lives in the +open neglect of that duty—when he leads, in +short, an ungodly life."</p> + +<p>Barton made no answer, but seemed to be +waiting to hear what was to come next.</p> + +<p>"Now as for poor Bob Fowler, you know +very well that he never went to church, +never thought of keeping holy the Lord's +day, that he was in the constant habit of profane +swearing, that he never spoke of religion +but to laugh at it, and that instead of +having God in all his thoughts, he lived in a +total forgetfulness both of him and of his +laws. Now the Scriptures tell us, over and +over again, that <i>the wicked shall be turned +into hell, and all the people that forget God</i>. +If these words of Scripture be true—and you +acknowledge yourself that they are so—Fowler +was certainly in a dangerous state. +Now, neighbour, suppose you were to see a +blind man walking right on to the brink of +a pit, and ready to fall into it, should you +think it <i>ill-natured</i> to tell him of his danger? +And is it <i>ill-natured</i> of Mr. Hooker, to try +to save a man from falling into the pit of +destruction?"</p> + +<p>"But why should he do it at such a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span> +time—when Bob has a broken leg to vex +him?"</p> + +<p>"I know," replied Oldacre, "that Mr. +Hooker did sometimes speak to him when +he was in health; but Fowler was either +sulky, or turned it into joke: he was one of +those, who <i>sit in the seat of the scornful</i>; +it was like <i>casting pearls before swine, +which turn again and rend you</i>. His present +confinement offers an opportunity for +giving him some notions of religion; and our +good minister, who is always on the watch +for opportunities of being of use, most likely +felt, that if this opportunity was not taken +advantage of, he might never have another."</p> + +<p>"But is it not enough to drive a man to +despair," said Barton, "to talk to him about +death and judgment, and future punishment?"</p> + +<p>"It is rather the best way to save a man +from despair. Mr. Hooker speaks to him +of future misery, in order that he may escape +it. I dare say that he tells him, as he tells +us in church, that if he will but repent of +and forsake his sins, full forgiveness is offered, +through the mediation of the Redeemer. +A man who wilfully goes on in a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span> +worldly, ungodly course of life, has certainly +nothing before him but a <i>fearful looking +for of judgment and fiery indignation</i>. Surely +it is not <i>ill-natured</i>, but rather the kindest +thing that can be done for such a man, to +try to persuade him to flee from the wrath +to come, by changing his course of life by +the aid of God's grace, and by seeking for +God's mercy through Christ, before the gates +of mercy are closed for ever."</p> + +<p>There was a pause of some minutes. +Barton, however, did not like to give up his +notions of <i>ill-nature</i>, and returned to the +charge. "Still, I must say, neighbour Oldacre, +that the parson speaks of these things +much too plainly and too strongly; and, to +tell you the truth, that is the reason why +I so seldom go to hear him in church. It +would not look well, you know, for a man +like me <i>never</i> to go to church at all, so I +drop in sometimes when there is no sermon. +I like to be <i>good-humoured</i> and pleasant, +and don't like to think of these melancholy +subjects until I've occasion."</p> + +<p>Oldacre found that he was impenetrable +by any thing that <i>he</i> could say, and was not +inclined to resume the conversation, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span> +went up stairs to Fowler to ask him how he +was.</p> + +<p>Barton quitted the house, but the door +was hardly closed, when his <i>good-nature</i> was +put to a fresh trial of a different description. +He was met by a stranger, who, +having asked him whether his name was +Barton, and received his answer that it was, +put into his hands a paper, which he found +was a notice to him as surveyor, that a certain +part of the road in the parish had been +indicted at the Quarter Sessions which were +just over, and a true bill found.</p> + +<p>The fact was this.—A gentleman, who +was going to the Sessions on business, had +occasion to travel along the road, the bad +state of which Mr. Bentley had pointed out +to Farmer Barton. One of his coach-horses +shyed at a heap of dung lying close to the +road side, the coachman whipped him, the +horses sprang forward, but in crossing the +deep ruts, one of the fore springs of the carriage +snapped, and the near horse was thrown +down, and cut both his knees. The gentleman +proceeded slowly to Chippingden; and +while his servants were getting the spring made +safe for the remainder of his journey, had the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span> +worst part of the road measured, and then +travelling on to Sessions in the full heat +of his anger and vexation, preferred a bill +of indictment against the parish of Inglewood.</p> + +<p>This Farmer Barton thought the most +<i>ill-natured</i> proceeding that ever was known; +and in the first warmth of his indignation +said, that there should be no <i>putting off</i>, +but that the parish should try it out at +the following Sessions. He was still surveyor, +for he had so entirely neglected calling +out the statute-duty, and indeed every part +of his office, that he was ashamed to attend +the justice meeting, which was held for the +purpose of appointing new surveyors; and +felt pretty sure, that his non-attendance +would not be taken notice of. The magistrates, +every now and then, threatened +<i>stoutly</i>, and talked of fining the absentees, +but they would not be so <i>ill-natured</i> as to +carry their threats into execution; and the +comfort and convenience of the public, and +the real interests of the several parishes +themselves, were sacrificed for the credit of +their <i>good-nature</i>.</p> + +<p>Fowler's leg, meanwhile, continued to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span> +mend, and he was able to get down stairs, +and attend to his new business. What Mr. +Hooker had said to him, produced considerable +effect upon his mind and conduct. +But though he left off drinking himself, yet +from his former habits and character he could +not be expected to possess much authority +over those who resorted to his house. Many +of the poor never entered the public house +at all; many went to it now and then for a +pot of beer to drink in a quiet family way at +home; but a few of the married men, and +several of the young ones, spent there many +of their evenings, and most of their money.</p> + +<p>Many little disturbances consequently took +place in the village. One evening in particular, +Tim Nesbit came from the public +house so drunk, and was so noisy and troublesome, +that some of the neighbours talked +of having him fined, or set in the stocks. +"Surely you wou'dn't be so <i>ill-natured</i> as that +comes to," said Barton. "When a man robs +and steals, punish him to the utmost; but +drunkenness is a <i>good-natured</i> fault, and the +drunken man is nobody's enemy but his own."</p> + +<p>"Nobody's enemy but his own!" said +old Truman, who happened to be standing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span> +by, "I think a drunken man the enemy of +every body. He is ready to quarrel with +every body that comes in his way, and to do +all sorts of mischief."</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied Barton, "but when a man +don't know what he is doing, he has a right +to be excused."</p> + +<p>"Now I say just the contrary," answered +Truman. "When a man chooses to throw +away his reason, and to bring himself down +to a level with a beast, he must take the consequences. +Drunkenness, instead of being +an excuse for any fault, is an aggravation, +and the law of the land says the same. I +heartily wish that the laws against tippling +and drunkenness<a name="FNanchor_J_17" id="FNanchor_J_17"></a><a href="#Footnote_J_17" class="fnanchor">[j]</a> were more frequently put +in execution."</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_J_17" id="Footnote_J_17"></a><a href="#FNanchor_J_17"><span class="label">[j]</span></a> If any person (with a few particular exceptions) +shall continue drinking or tippling in a public house, +he shall forfeit three shillings and fourpence to the use +of the poor, or be set in the stocks for four hours. +</p><p> +Any person convicted of drunkenness shall for the +first offence forfeit five shillings to the use of the poor, +or be set in the stocks for six hours. Upon a second +conviction the offender shall be bound, with two sureties, +to be thenceforth of good behaviour.</p></div> + +<p>"These laws," replied Barton, "cannot, +generally speaking, be put in force, unless +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span>some one will <i>inform</i>, and that would be so +<i>ill-natured</i>. And besides, every one hates +and cries out against the very name of an <i>informer</i>."</p> + +<p>"I grant you," said Truman, "that when +a man turns <i>informer</i> from spite—or for the +sake of getting money—or from a view to +private interest of any sort—he may perhaps +deserve to be disliked. But a man who, +<i>after fair notice, informs</i> against an offender +from a sense of public duty—with a view to +check a bad practice which is hurtful both to +society and to those who are guilty of it—or +from a sincere zeal for the interests of morality +and religion, is a benefactor to the community. +The lawless and profligate, who +would be glad to get rid of all the restraints +of every sort, will of course try to run him +down; but he ought not to mind that, and +he certainly deserves the thanks of all the +friends of good order and morality."</p> + +<p>Not only was the quiet of the village of +Inglewood sometimes disturbed by drunken +<i>rows</i>, but many little acts of mischief were +committed, not from any particular spite, +but in the mere wantonness of drunkenness. +The farmers too found some of their men less<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span> +disposed to work than formerly, and more +disposed to be saucy; and they saw the wives +and children of some few growing more and +more ragged and miserable. They consoled +themselves by abusing the justices for consenting +to the establishment of the alehouse, +and by blaming their minister for not taking +more active measures to prevent it; and said +for themselves, that they would never have +set their hands to the certificate, if at the +time they had not felt sure that the licence +would not be granted.</p> + +<p>Fowler's friends, however, determined to +make it as good a thing for him as they +could. His accident, and long confinement +in consequence of it, had thrown him back, +and they wished, they said, to give him a +<i>start</i>. They resolved to have some <i>pastime</i> +in the village, and tried to make up a purse +for two prize fighters, who resided in the +neighbourhood. Barton entered zealously +into the scheme, and took care to have the +fame of the projected amusement spread +through the adjoining villages. Having occasion +to call on Mr. Hooker on other business, +he said that he hoped that he did not +object to what was going forward. Mr.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span> +Hooker replied, that "he disapproved of it +most decidedly."</p> + +<p>Barton's <i>good-nature</i> was immediately up +in arms. "Surely, Sir, it's very hard that the +poor may not have a little amusement now +and then. Our only object is, to give them +a day's pleasure, and at the same time to give +a little help to Fowler in his business, after +his sad accident, which has thrown him back +so unluckily."</p> + +<p>"Nobody," said Mr. Hooker, "can be +more friendly than I am to the amusements +of the poor; provided they are <i>innocent</i>, and +do not, almost necessarily, lead to immorality +and sin. You know, Mr. Barton, as well as +I do, that the <i>pastime</i>, as you call it, which +you propose, will be attended with a great +deal of drunkenness. Your avowed object +is, that Fowler should sell as much beer and +spirits as possible. I need not tell you, that +drunkenness is not only a great sin in itself, +but that it also leads to sins of every description. +You know very well too, that on occasions +of this sort, there is generally a great +deal of swearing, a great deal of improper +language, and, perhaps, a great deal of quarrelling. +With respect to <i>prize-fighting</i>, sen<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span>sible +men have entertained different sentiments. +My own opinion is, that it is a positive +offence against the laws both of God and +man; that it is a most disgusting exhibition; +and surely a most improper sight for the +women and children, who, in a village, will +be spectators of it. I think also, that if one +of the combatants should be killed, as is +frequently the case, all those who have promoted +the battle are parties in the guilt of +manslaughter.</p> + +<p>"Do not say that I am an enemy to the +amusements of the poor. I like to have them +enjoy themselves at proper times, and in a +proper manner. I can take pleasure in seeing +them engaged in a game at cricket, at football, +at quoits, or any other manly exercise, +provided they engage in it without swearing, +or drunkenness, or other vice; but of the +amusement now proposed in the village, I +disapprove most decidedly."</p> + +<p>The disapprobation of the clergyman, +however, was not attended to. Barton talked +of the parson's <i>ill-nature</i> in grudging the +poor a little enjoyment, and said it was all +of a piece with his finding fault with the +poor boys for going to play on a Sunday,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span> +instead of going to church or the Sunday +school.</p> + +<p>The promised day at length arrived. The +village was filled with a motley concourse +from all the country round, and the fight took +place. The men were equally matched, and +fought with skill and courage. Both got +severely bruised; but one of them received +an unfortunate blow under the ear. He fell +into the arms of his second, and it was soon +discovered that the blow was mortal—he +never spoke again. This sad <i>accident</i> threw +a damp over the amusement of the day, and +many repented of the <i>good-nature</i> which had +led them to promote the <i>pastime</i>.</p> + +<p>We will not, however, dwell upon this +melancholy event, but proceed to the result +of the indictment of the roads of the parish +of Inglewood.</p> + +<p>January came, and the Quarter Sessions. +Both parties wished to have the indictment +tried at once, and came prepared—the prosecutor +with witnesses to prove that the road +was very bad and unsafe—and Barton with +several <i>good-natured</i> men, who were ready +to swear, that it was as good a road as they +wished to travel. The parish, however, was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span> +beat; and it being proved that frequent +representations had been made of the bad +state of the road in question, Inglewood was +sentenced to pay a fine of fifty pounds, together +with all costs, which amounted to forty more.</p> + +<p>Farmer Barton hardly knew which was +most <i>ill-natured</i>, the prosecutor, the jury, or +the bench of magistrates. Perhaps he was +most out of humour with the <i>jury</i>; for consisting, +as it did principally, of farmers, they +might, he thought, have put their oaths and +their consciences a little on one side, where +brother farmers were concerned. However, +there was no help for it, and the money was +to be found before the Easter Sessions.</p> + +<p>He returned to Inglewood to console himself +with the popularity, which he acquired +in the exercise of the office of overseer. His +<i>good-nature</i> led him to accede to almost +every application, but his <i>good-nature</i> arose +rather from his "fear of offending the importunate, +than his desire of making the deserving +happy<a name="FNanchor_K_18" id="FNanchor_K_18"></a><a href="#Footnote_K_18" class="fnanchor">[k]</a>." The industrious and the modest +remained contented with their former pittance; +but the forward, and the impudent, +and the clamorous, were continually urging +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span>their claims for more relief, and seldom urged +them in vain.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_K_18" id="Footnote_K_18"></a><a href="#FNanchor_K_18"><span class="label">[k]</span></a> Goldsmith.</p></div> + +<p>"I hope, Farmer Barton," said one woman, +"you will give me a little more allowance: +when bread, and candles, and soap are +paid for, there's hardly any thing left for tea +and sugar." "Why I suppose then I must +give you a trifle more—the parish can't miss +it." One petitioner he manfully refused, +and told her she must be content with what +she had. "And how am I to buy snuff out +of that<a name="FNanchor_L_19" id="FNanchor_L_19"></a><a href="#Footnote_L_19" class="fnanchor">[l]</a>?" The overseer relented: he loved a +pinch of snuff himself. Farmer Oldacre +would gladly have filled a deserving old woman's +snuff box at his own expense, but not +at the expense of the parish.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_L_19" id="Footnote_L_19"></a><a href="#FNanchor_L_19"><span class="label">[l]</span></a> Fact.</p></div> + +<p>The liberal allowances granted by Barton, +of course, required frequent rates, which it +was not very convenient to the farmers to +pay. Those, however, who happened to +have money by them, paid, and allowed themselves +the satisfaction of grumbling. Those +who had it not, begged for time, and kept +their grumbling to themselves. Barton's +<i>good-nature</i> did not permit him to be very +pressing. The consequence was, that, as he +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span>was neither disposed, nor perhaps able, to advance +the money from his own pocket, fresh +rates became necessary, and those who <i>could</i> +pay made up for the deficiencies of those +who could not.</p> + +<p>Farmer Oldacre was one of the former description; +and though he often told his brother +overseer, that he was bound in law to +levy and expend one rate before he applied +for another; yet when his own pocket seemed +to be concerned, he would not be peremptory.</p> + +<p>Another of those who were always ready +with their money, and were consequently +entitled to the privilege of grumbling, was +Richard Sterling.</p> + +<p>Richard occupied five or six acres of +land, kept three cows, and got on pretty +well by supplying his neighbours with milk. +"What, another rate, Master Barton!—why +it seems but t'other day that I paid +the last."—"It can't be helped, Richard;—the +poor must be provided for."—"I +know they must," answered Sterling, "and +as for those who cannot keep themselves, +and are come to poverty without any fault of +their own, I should not grudge it them if +they had more;—but there are some who<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span> +might as well help to support me, as I to +support them. Pray, what may you give to +Tim Nesbit?"—"Why—perhaps the matter +of three and sixpence a week."—"Three +and sixpence a week?—that comes I think to +about nine pounds twelve a-year.—Tim and I +were born in the same year; when we grew +up we worked for the same master; we married +much about the same time, and our families +are of the same size. The only difference +between us was, that while I tried to put by +what I could spare, Tim, whether single or +married, always carried good part of his earnings +to the ale-house. Now is it not a little +hard that I must now be forced to help to +maintain him, because he chose to squander +away his money? He might at this present +time have been every bit as well off in the +world as I am; but because he chose to be +careless and a spendthrift, I am forced to +take bread, as it were, from my own children, +and give it to his<a name="FNanchor_M_20" id="FNanchor_M_20"></a><a href="#Footnote_M_20" class="fnanchor">[m]</a>."</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_M_20" id="Footnote_M_20"></a><a href="#FNanchor_M_20"><span class="label">[m]</span></a> See a lively dialogue to this purpose in that excellent +little publication, the Cottagers' Monthly Visitor.</p></div> + +<p>One day, when Barton was going towards +his house, he was overtaken by Ralph the +butcher's lad, who accosted him with, "Mr. +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span>Barton, I want you to do me a kindness." +"What is it?" said Barton. "Why, you +must know, that I have some thoughts of +marrying, and want the parish just to run +me up a bit of a house. Master will give +carriage, and I can manage a good deal of +the labour myself, so that it will cost the +parish a mere trifle."</p> + +<p>"<i>You</i> going to be married!" said Barton +laughing, "why, how old are you?" "Old +enough in all conscience, I shall be nineteen +come February." "It might be as well to +wait a few years longer," answered Barton; +"however, I can't wonder at you; and we'll +see what can be done."</p> + +<p>He accordingly mentioned the subject +to his brother overseer, whom he found in +the field near his house. "I must say," +replied Oldacre, "that I am no friend to +these early marriages in any class of society. +Young men and women—or rather I should +say, boys and girls—take it into their heads +to marry, before they can be supposed really +to know their own minds. They are struck +by something in the outward appearance, or +taken by some whim and fancy, and become +partners for life, before they have become<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span> +acquainted with each other's temper or character, +and before they have considered how +to provide for a family. The consequence +too often is, that the marriage turns out unhappily. +Among the poor especially, who +look to the parish for every thing, these early +marriages produce a habit of dependence, +which lowers their character and spirit for +life."</p> + +<p>"What you say, is much about the truth," +replied Barton, "but these young people are +bent upon marrying, and then, you know, +there's no stopping them. Of course they +must have a place to be in, and I suppose +we may as well run him up a bit of a cottage +at once."</p> + +<p>"It is a serious thing," said Oldacre, +"for farmers at rack-rent to begin building +houses for their poor; but I am against it, +for the sake of the poor themselves."</p> + +<p>"Now I'm sure you <i>must</i> be wrong in +that opinion," said Barton.</p> + +<p>"Do just tell me," answered his brother +overseer, "have we already labourers enough +to do all the work of the parish?"</p> + +<p>"Enough, and much more than enough. +You know how puzzled we are to find em<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span>ployment +for them in the winter. Indeed, +excepting just in hay-making and harvest, +we have always some men to be paid for +their work out of the rates."</p> + +<p>"Then is not increasing the number a +bad thing for the poor themselves, if they +already stand in each other's way? And do +you not see, that building cottages is just the +way to increase them? If you built twenty +cottages, you would have them filled in a +week's time. We have of late been forced to +<i>double</i> some families, but that must be so +uncomfortable in every way, that people do +not like to marry upon such a prospect. +But there are plenty of young men and women +quite ready to hasten to the altar, if +they could be sure of a roof to themselves +to shelter them at night<a name="FNanchor_N_21" id="FNanchor_N_21"></a><a href="#Footnote_N_21" class="fnanchor">[n]</a>. This of course, +would make a lasting addition to the poor +rates, would throw a heavy burden on the +land, and render it still more difficult for the +poor to find work.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_N_21" id="Footnote_N_21"></a><a href="#FNanchor_N_21"><span class="label">[n]</span></a> Townsend.</p></div> + +<p>"The cottages that we have I wish to +see as comfortable as possible, and would +have the poor people who inhabit them take +a pride in keeping them neat and clean, and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span>their gardens in nice order; but I am not +for increasing the number of them. Such +increase, I am persuaded, would be against +the interest of the poor themselves."</p> + +<p>Mr. Stanley, during a former visit to +Inglewood, had often fallen in with Mr. +Oldacre in his walks, and got into conversation +with him: he happened to come up at +the moment, and catching the last words +that had fallen from the farmer, said to him, +"I suspect, Mr. Oldacre, that you are not +very friendly to the system of the poor +laws."</p> + +<p>"I will not by any means say that," replied +Oldacre; "I believe that in every state +of society, in a populous and old-inhabited +country especially, there always will, and +must, be poor. As the Scripture says, <i>The +poor shall never cease out of the land</i>. I +am glad, therefore, that provision is made +by law for those who are unable to help +themselves. Private charity, in many places, +does a great deal; and if there were no poor-laws, +would do a great deal more. But if +all were left to be provided for by private +charity, the kind-hearted would be oppressed +by claims, and often give more than they<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span> +could afford, while the selfish and covetous +would contribute nothing. It is right that these +latter should be forced to take their share of +the burden. In many places again, if there was +nothing but voluntary benevolence to trust +to, multitudes would starve, and no civilized +country ought to suffer that, if it can help it. +Indeed, I wish that we were able to give a +larger measure of parochial relief to the aged +and infirm, who are reduced to want through +no fault of their own. But then, I must +say, though I shall be thought <i>ill-natured</i> +for saying so, that I cannot help seeing that +the poor-laws—whether from bad management, +or from the peculiar circumstances of +the times, I will not pretend to say—have in +many ways done no good to the character +and the habits of several among the poor."</p> + +<p>"I know," said Mr. Stanley, "that many +sensible men entertain the same opinion; +but, perhaps, you can give me a few instances +which may make your meaning more +clear."</p> + +<p>"Many of the poor," replied Oldacre, +"have not been hurt by them, but still preserve +the steady, manly, independent character, +which becomes an Englishman. But<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span> +too frequently dependence on parish rates +has produced very pernicious consequences.</p> + +<p>"The connection between a farmer and his +labourers—you will say, that I speak like a +farmer, in mentioning that <i>first</i>—ought to be +advantageous to both—not merely as a contract, +by which the employer is to receive +so much work, and the workman so much +money; but as it tends to produce an interchange +between them of kind offices and +kind feelings. By many of the labourers +this is still felt as it ought to be felt, and +they take a pride and a pleasure in working +year after year for the same master, and try +to obtain his approbation by industry and +good conduct. Some of them, however, +have no notion of fixing themselves. They +care little whether their employer is pleased +with them or not, and upon the slightest +affront as they call it, or the slightest difference +about wages, they are off directly. If +one wont employ them, another <i>must</i>; or, +at all events, they <i>must</i> be employed by the +parish.</p> + +<p>"Again; the natural affection which subsists +between parent and child, is strengthened +and increased in both—as is the case indeed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span> +with brute animals—by the dependence of the +children on their parents for subsistence. But +now this dependence is, in many instances, +removed from the parent to the overseer. On +the other hand, when the parents grow old +and infirm, the children often might do much +to assist them, and if left to themselves would +delight in doing so. But under the present +system, if they do it at all, they do it by +<i>stealth</i>; for <i>why</i>, say they, <i>should we favour +the parish</i>? If they happen to have a little +matter of money left them, they are tempted +for the same reason to conceal it. Here +again they ask, why should they favour the +parish? and they will not feel, that the receiving +of parish relief, when they have any thing +of their own, is a fraud upon the parish, an +act of dishonesty.</p> + +<p>"Few virtues are more useful in any condition +of life than <i>frugality</i> and <i>foresight</i>. +Upon these, however, the poor laws have +certainly made a sad inroad: unmarried men, +or those, who though married have no families, +or whose children have <i>got out</i>, while +they continue in full health and vigour, +might often contrive to lay by something +against old age. But this few of them think<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span> +of doing, for <i>why should they favour the +parish</i>? The parish must provide for them +at any rate, and so they may as well spend +their money as fast as they get it. The +<i>future</i> satisfaction of living on their own +means, instead of on parish pay, is not sufficient +to stand against the temptation of <i>present</i> +pleasure.—Savings banks are an excellent +institution, but when once a man has +quartered himself as a pauper upon the +parish, he will not make use of them. Why +should he put money into the bank in order +to <i>favour the parish</i>?—I shall tire you, Sir, +I fear," continued the farmer, "but you +must let me mention one thing more. <i>Beneficence</i> +is, we know, twice blessed; it blesses +him that gives, and him that takes; but +parish relief comes sadly in the way of beneficence. +When men are forced to pay so +much to the poor through the hands of the +overseer, they have neither the inclination, +nor, in fact, the power, to give so largely in +the way of voluntary charity.</p> + +<p>"Many other instances I could give of the +unfavourable effect which the poor laws have +had upon the characters, and consequently<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span> +upon the happiness, of the poor<a name="FNanchor_O_22" id="FNanchor_O_22"></a><a href="#Footnote_O_22" class="fnanchor">[o]</a>. I do not +blame the poor:—many, who would otherwise +keep off the parish, are driven to it by +the low rate of wages, which has been +occasioned, I suppose, partly by an oversupply +of hands, and partly by irregularities +in our currency.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_O_22" id="Footnote_O_22"></a><a href="#FNanchor_O_22"><span class="label">[o]</span></a> See the eloquent and forcible Pamphlets of Townsend, +Bicheno, and Jerram; and particularly the judicious +and well-arranged Sermon on "the Immoral +Effect of the Poor-Laws," by Dr Richards of Bampton.</p></div> + +<p>"As I said before, I am glad that a legal +provision is made for the poor, but I wish +that more than half the money we now pay +in rates was paid in wages, and that wages +were such that a man in health, and with +a good character, might always be pretty +well able to provide for a moderate-sized family +by his own exertions. The parish pay +should be kept chiefly for unforeseen calamities, +for the orphan and for the widow. We +should then be able to give <i>them</i> a better +allowance. Now there are so many claimants, +that we cannot give <i>much</i> to any, and +the able, bodied and strong are the means of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span>lessening the pittance of the sick and the +helpless."</p> + +<p>Lady-day was now approaching, and with +it the time when Barton was to go out of +office. His <i>good-nature</i> had lavished so +much of the public money upon clamorous +applicants, that many parish bills were still +unpaid. The fine too imposed upon the +inhabitants of Inglewood upon the indictment +of the road, and the legal costs attending +it, were also now to be cleared off, so +that altogether a very considerable sum was +to be made up. It was well known, that +many of the rates were much in arrears; and +the farmers who had hitherto paid with some +degree of punctuality, grumbled more and +more at the neglect of the acting overseer +in not levying them. Most of them expressed +their determination to pay no more, +till all arrears were cleared up. One large +farm was about to change its occupier, and +the in-coming tenant declared—as he had a +good right to declare—that he would have nothing +to do with the debts of the parish incurred +before his coming into it. Strong +hints also were thrown out, that Barton +should take the consequences of his own<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span> +neglect upon himself, and should make up +all deficiencies out of his own pocket. These +threats answered the purpose of alarming +Barton, whose <i>good-nature</i>, great as it was, +had never been able to stifle his regard for +his own interest. He accordingly set actively +to work to collect the arrears.</p> + +<p>Those who had been unable to pay <i>one</i> +rate, were not likely to pay <i>four</i>, which had +now become due, together with the heavy +addition occasioned by the indictment. +Some of the defaulters blamed the overseer, +for having let it run on so long; and all +found fault with him for having brought so +serious an expense upon the parish by his +neglect about the roads.</p> + +<p><i>All</i>, I should not say;—for the poor +widow Wildgoose uttered not a word of reproach +or complaint against any one, but +when asked for her arrears of rates, passively +replied that she had no money, and that the +parish must take her goods.</p> + +<p>She had never held up her head since the +death of her eldest son. When she first set +up her shop, she dealt a good deal for ready +money, of course selling to ready-money +customers at a much lower rate. From the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span> +time of her son's death, however, her activity +and attention to business had deserted her. +She suffered many of the poor to run deeply +in her debt, and if she hinted any thing about +payment, they pretended to be affronted, +and took all their ready money to the other +shops. Farmer Barton, too, thought that it +would be <i>good-natured</i> to give the poor +widow the <i>credit</i> of his custom and protection, +and had almost all his shop-goods and +grocery from her house. Unfortunately, +however, neither his <i>good-nature</i>, of which +he had so much—nor his sense of justice, of +which he had but little—ever led him to recollect +to pay her. She was too much depressed—too +<i>meek-spirited</i>—to urge, or even +to ask for, payment, and the consequence +was, that she was just approaching to utter +ruin, which was of course likely to be accelerated +by her goods being distrained for poor +rates. Her surviving children were in service +in creditable places, and would have helped +her in a moment; but she could not bear to +tell them of her difficulties. Now, however, +one of her neighbours contrived to let them +know the situation, in which their mother +was. Immediately they made up out of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span> +their wages a sum sufficient not only to pay +off her arrears, but to give her a trifle for +her present wants. And soon after she received +by the post a blank cover addressed +to her, inclosing a five pound note. She had +no guess who could have sent it, but it was +soon discovered that it came from Lucy +Wilmot, a young woman to whom her eldest +son had been attached. Her second son +Sam lived with a kind-hearted lawyer in +London, who, upon hearing of the distress +of the poor widow and its cause, not only +sent her some assistance in money, but promised +to take an early opportunity of looking +into her affairs, and of taking measures for +compelling those of her debtors who were +able, to pay what they owed her.</p> + +<p>Of the other defaulters, some contrived to +procure the necessary money; some were +summoned before the magistrates, and then, +finding that they had no remedy, found a +friend to advance the money; against others +warrants of distress were issued.</p> + +<p>No case excited more commiseration than +that of Michael Fielding. Michael had been a +remarkably industrious and prudent labourer, +and had managed to save a considerable sum<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span> +of money. He married a young woman of +similar character, and being naturally anxious +to get forward in the world, they had ventured, +seven or eight years before, to take a +small farm. The rent was moderate when +they took their lease, but they had felt the +change of times severely. The property was +in the hands of trustees, who did not feel justified +in making a diminution of rent; and +consequently poor Michael, every year, saw +his means growing less, while his family grew +larger. He was at work early and late, his +wife gave all the help she could in the farm, +and mended the children's clothes as long as +they would hold together; and the hard-earned +bread, upon which the family lived, +was so coarse, that many of the labourers in +the village would have turned from it in +disdain. Michael was naturally of a cheerful +disposition, and not apt to murmur or complain; +sometimes, however, he could hardly +suppress a sigh, when he thought of his own +children, and of the hard fare to which they +were accustomed, and saw in the parish-books +the large sums that were given by the +<i>good-nature</i> of Barton to idle and worthless<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span> +characters<a name="FNanchor_P_23" id="FNanchor_P_23"></a><a href="#Footnote_P_23" class="fnanchor">[p]</a>. Now and then he had ventured +gently to remonstrate upon the hardship of +being obliged to contribute so large a portion +of his limited means towards the maintenance +of men, who had begun the world with the +same advantages with himself, and who, but +for their own improvidence, might have lived +without being a burden to any one. The +comparative smallness of his farm, however, +and his former situation in life, prevented his +remonstrance from being of much weight. +He was now nearly insolvent. Several persons, +to whom his character was known, +would have been happy to have assisted him, +but he was too high-minded to acquaint them +with his difficulties. All the money, that by +his utmost exertion he could scrape together, +was just gone for rent, and he had +nothing at all left to meet the demand for +the arrears of rates, and for his portion of the +expenses of the indictment. Barton, in spite +of his <i>good-nature</i>, felt obliged to distrain. +This brought other creditors upon poor +Michael, and he was obliged to sell off every +thing.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_P_23" id="Footnote_P_23"></a><a href="#FNanchor_P_23"><span class="label">[p]</span></a> Townsend.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span></p></div> + +<p>Barton, however, was enabled to make up +his accounts, and had got them passed at the +vestry, though there certainly was among +his brother farmers a little grumbling. Barton +defended himself as well as he could, and +added, that at all events he had got the <i>good-word</i> +of the poor; that he always had borne, +and always hoped to bear, the character of a +<i>good-natured man</i>. Farmer Oldacre could +not suffer this to pass without observation. +He had been a little irritated by some things +which he had witnessed at the vestry, and felt +deeply for poor Michael, who had formerly +worked upon his farm, and whom he had +always loved and respected. "Come, come, +neighbour Barton," said he, "let us hear no +more of your <i>good-nature</i>, for which we all +have to pay so dear. Your wish to obtain +the <i>good-word</i> of the poor has not really +benefitted them, and has done serious injury +to the rest of your neighbours. Your <i>good-nature</i> +about the licence has increased the +immorality and the poverty of the parish;—and +your <i>good-nature</i> to the road-workmen +has given Fowler a broken leg;—your <i>good-nature</i> +to farmer Dobson, in not making him +cut his hedge, and do his statute-duty, has<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span> +cost us ninety pounds;—and your <i>good-nature</i> +as overseer has made the parish less able +to pay that sum, and has helped to complete +the ruin of two or three deserving families. +And—if I may venture here to mention so +serious a consideration—your <i>good-nature</i> +would have allowed a sinner to go on towards +eternal destruction without warning, and, for +the sake of avoiding uneasiness of mind <i>here</i>, +would have suffered him to incur everlasting +punishment <i>hereafter</i>.</p> + +<p>"Farmer Barton—I value brotherly-kindness +most highly. I know that the love of our +neighbour, and a readiness to do him good +offices, is the second great commandment +both of the Law and of the Gospel. But I +hope that I shall ever be on my guard against +that love of low popularity, that weak fear +of giving offence, that sacrifice of <i>public</i> +principle to <i>private</i> considerations, which, +under the engaging name of <i>good-nature</i>, +often lead to forgetfulness of duty both towards +God and man, and do as much harm +in the world as positive dishonesty."<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span></p> + + +<p>NOTES.</p> + +<p>Dr. Benjamin Franklin is well known +as the friend of the poor and of liberty, and as one +of the founders of American independence. The +following observations will, with many persons, +have additional weight, as coming from <i>his</i> pen.</p> + +<p><i>Extract from Observations written in Pennsylvania +in 1751.</i></p> + +<p>2.—When families can be easily supported, more +persons marry, and earlier in life.</p> + +<p>3. In cities, where all trades, occupations, and offices +are full, many delay marrying till they can see how to +bear the charges of a family; which charges are greater +in cities, as luxury is more common: many live single +during life, and continue servants to families, journeymen +to trades, &c. Hence cities do not, by natural +generation, supply themselves with inhabitants; the +deaths are more than the births.</p> + +<p>4. In countries full settled, the case must be nearly +the same, all lands being occupied and improved to +the height; those who cannot get land, must labour +for others that have it; when labourers are plenty, +their wages will be low; by low wages a family is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span> +supported with difficulty; this difficulty deters many +from marriage, who therefore long continue servants +and single. Only, as the cities take supplies of people +from the country, and thereby make a little more room +in the country, marriage is a little more encouraged +there, and the births exceed the deaths.</p> + + +<p><i>Dr. Franklin's Letter on the Labouring Poor. +Dated April, 1768.</i></p> + +<blockquote> +<p> +<i>Sir,</i><br /> +</p> + +<p>I have met with much invective in the papers, +for these two years past, against the hard-heartedness +of the rich, and much complaint of the great +oppressions suffered in this country by the labouring +poor. Will you admit a word or two on the other side +of the question? I do not propose to be an advocate +for oppression or oppressors; but when I see that the +poor are, by such writings, exasperated against the +rich, and excited to insurrections, by which much mischief +is done, and some lose their lives, I could wish +the true state of things were better understood; the +poor not made by these busy writers more uneasy and +unhappy than their situation subjects them to be, and +the nation not brought into disrepute among foreigners, +by public groundless accusations of ourselves, as if the +rich in England had no compassion for the poor, and +Englishmen wanted common humanity.</p> + +<p>In justice, then, to this country, give me leave to +remark, that the condition of the poor here is by far +the best in Europe; for that, except in England and +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span>her American colonies, there is not in any country in +the known world (not even in Scotland<a name="FNanchor_Q_24" id="FNanchor_Q_24"></a><a href="#Footnote_Q_24" class="fnanchor">[q]</a> or Ireland) +a provision by law to enforce a support of the poor. +Every where else necessity reduces to beggary. This +law was not made by the poor. The legislators were +men of fortune. By that act they voluntarily subjected +their own estates, and the estates of all others, to the +payment of a tax for the support of the poor, encumbering +those estates with a kind of rent charge for that +purpose, whereby the poor are vested with an inheritance, +as it were, in all the estates of the rich. I +wish they were benefitted by this generous provision, +in any degree equal to the good intention with which +it was made, and is continued; but I fear the giving +mankind a dependence on any thing for support, in +age or sickness, besides industry and frugality during +health, tends to flatter our natural indolence, to encourage +idleness and prodigality, and thereby to promote +and increase poverty, the very evil it was intended +to cure; thus multiplying beggars, instead of diminishing +them.</p></blockquote> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_Q_24" id="Footnote_Q_24"></a><a href="#FNanchor_Q_24"><span class="label">[q]</span></a> This, I believe, is inaccurate.</p></div> + +<blockquote><p>Besides this tax, which the rich in England have +subjected themselves to in behalf of the poor, amounting +in some places to five or six shillings in the pound +of their annual income, they have, by donations and +subscriptions, erected numerous schools in various +parts of the kingdom, for educating, gratis, the children +of the poor in reading and writing; and in many +of these schools the children are also fed and clothed; +they have erected hospitals at an immense expence, for +the reception and cure of the sick, the lame, the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</a></span>wounded, and the insane poor, for lying-in women, +and deserted children. They are also continually contributing +towards making up losses occasioned by fire, +by storms, or by floods; and to relieve the poor in +severe seasons of frost, in time of scarcity, &c. in +which benevolent and charitable contributions no nation +exceeds us. Surely there is some gratitude due for so +many instances of goodness.</p> + +<p>Add to this all the laws made to discourage foreign +manufactures, by laying heavy duties on them, or +totally prohibiting them; whereby the rich are obliged +to pay much higher prices for what they wear and consume +than if the trade was open. There are so many +laws for the support of our labouring poor made by the +rich, and continued at their expence: all the difference +of price between our own and foreign commodities, +being so much given by our rich to our poor; who +would indeed be enabled by it to get by degrees above +poverty, if they did not, as too generally they do, consider +every increase of wages only as something that +enables them to drink more and work less; so that +their distress in sickness, age, or times of scarcity, continues +to be the same as if such laws had never been +made in their favour.</p> + +<p>Much malignant censure have some writers bestowed +upon the rich for their luxury and expensive +living, while the poor are starving, not considering +that what the rich expend, the labouring poor receive +in payment for their labour. It may seem a paradox if +I should assert, that our labouring poor do, in every +year, receive the <i>whole revenue of the nation</i>; I mean +not only the public revenue, but also the revenue or +clear income of all private estates, or a sum equivalent +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span>to the whole. In support of this position, I reason +thus: The rich do not work for one another; their +habitations, furniture, clothing, carriages, food, ornaments, +and every thing, in short, that they or their +families use and consume, is the work or produce of +the labouring poor, who are, and must be, continually +paid for their labour in producing the same. In these +payments the revenues of private estates are expended; +for most people live up to their incomes. In clothing, +or provision for troops, in arms, ammunition, ships, +tents, carriages, &c. &c. (every particular the produce +of labour,) much of the public revenue is expended. +The pay of officers, civil and military, and of the private +soldiers and sailors, requires the rest; and they spend +that also in paying for what is produced by the labouring +poor. I allow that some estates may increase by +the owners spending less than their income; but then I +conceive, that other estates do at the same time diminish, +by the owners spending more than their incomes; so +that when the enriched want to buy more land, they +easily find lands in the hands of the impoverished, whose +necessities oblige them to sell; and thus this difference +is equalled. I allow also, that part of the expense of +the rich is in foreign produce, or manufactures, for +producing which the labouring poor of other nations +must be paid: but then, I say, we must first pay our +own labouring poor for an equal quantity of our manufactures +or produce, to exchange for those foreign productions, +or we must pay for them in money, which +money not being a natural produce to our country, +must first be purchased from abroad, by sending out +its value in the produce or manufactures of this country, +for which manufactures our labouring poor are to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</a></span> +be paid. And, indeed, if we did not export more than +we import, we could have no money at all. I allow +farther, that there are middle men, who make a profit, +and even get estates, by purchasing the labour of the +poor, and selling it at advanced prices to the rich; but +then they cannot enjoy that profit, or the increase of +estates, but by spending them in employing and paying +our labouring poor, in some shape or other, for the +products of industry. Even beggars, pensioners, hospitals, +&c. all that are supported by charity, spend +their incomes in the same manner. So that finally, as +I said at first, our labouring poor receive annually the +whole of the clear revenues of the nation, and from us +they can have no more.</p> + +<p>If it be said that their wages are too low, and that +they ought to be better paid for their labour, I heartily +wish that any means could be fallen upon to do it consistent +with their interest and happiness; but as the +cheapness of other things is owing to the plenty of +those things, so the cheapness of labour is in most +cases owing to the multitude of labourers, and to their +underworking one another in order to obtain employment. +How is this to be remedied? A law might be +made to raise their wages; but if our manufactures are +too dear, they will not vend abroad, and all that part of +employment will fail, unless, by fighting and conquering, +we compel other nations to buy our goods, whether +they will or no, which some have been mad enough +at times to propose. Among ourselves, unless we give +our working people less employment, how can we, for +what they do, pay them higher than we do? Out of +what fund is the additional price of labour to be paid, +when all our present incomes are, as it were, mortgaged<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></span> +to them? Should they get higher wages, would that +make them less poor, if in consequence they worked +fewer days of the week proportionably? I have said, a +law might be made to raise their wages; but I doubt +much, whether it could be executed to any purpose, +unless another law, now indeed almost obsolete, could +at the same time be revived and enforced; a law, I +mean, that I have often heard and repeated, but few +have ever duly considered, <i>Six days shalt thou labour</i>. +This is as positive a part of the Commandment, as that +which says, <i>The seventh day thou shalt rest</i>: but we remember +well to observe the indulgent part, and never +think of the other. <i>Saint Monday</i><a name="FNanchor_R_25" id="FNanchor_R_25"></a><a href="#Footnote_R_25" class="fnanchor">[r]</a> is generally as duly +kept by our working people as Sunday: the only difference +is, that instead of employing it cheaply at +church, they are wasting it expensively at the alehouse.</p> + +<p> +I am, Sir, your's, &c.<br /> +</p> +</blockquote> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_R_25" id="Footnote_R_25"></a><a href="#FNanchor_R_25"><span class="label">[r]</span></a> This applies not so much to farmers' workmen as to <i>manufacturers'</i> +labourers.</p></div> + + +<p><i>Extract from Dr. Franklin's remarks on Luxury, +Idleness, and Industry.</i></p> + +<p>Some of those who grow rich will be prudent, live +within bounds, and preserve what they have gained for +their posterity: others, fond of shewing their wealth, +will be extravagant, and ruin themselves. Laws cannot +prevent this; and perhaps it is not always an evil to +the public. A shilling spent idly by a fool, may be +picked up by a wiser person, who knows better what +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span>to do with it. It is therefore not lost. A vain silly +fellow builds a fine house, furnishes it richly, lives in it +expensively, and in a few years ruins himself: but the +masons, carpenters, smiths, and other honest tradesmen, +have been by his employ assisted in maintaining and +raising their families: the farmer has been paid for his +labour, and encouraged, and the estate is now in better +hands. In some cases, indeed, certain modes of luxury +may be a public evil, in the same manner as it is a +private one.</p> + + +<h3>THE END.</h3> + + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + + +<p>[Transcriber's Note:</p> + +<p>Older form of contractions retained.</p> + +<p>Spelling "aground" and "a-ground" used in the text.</p> + +<p>Spelling "ale-house" and "alehouse" used in the text.</p> + +<p>Spelling "bed-side" and "bedside" used in the text.</p> + +<p>Spelling "gate-way" and "gateway" used in the text.</p> + +<p>Spelling "benefited" and "benefitted" used in the text.</p> + +<p>Spelling "licence" and "license" used in the text.</p> + +<p>Spelling "parish officer" and "parish-officer" used in text.</p> + +<p>Page 31. Letter 'f' added to text (as a matter of).</p> + +<p>Page 47. Comma, blank space and double quote removed after 'answered'. +(Wildgoose answered that as for the penalty,)</p> + +<p>Page 89. Quotation marks around 'Mrs. Hawker' removed. +(No, indeed now, Mrs. Hawker, you must)</p> + +<p>Page 109. The notation '[oe]' is used for the oe-ligature.</p> + +<p>Page 118. Word 'carrried' changed to 'carried' (accordingly carried him).</p> + +<p>Page 120. Word 'matress' spelling retained. May be period correct.</p> + +<p>Page 137. Word 'unfrequently' spelling retained. May be period correct.</p> + +<p>Page 138. Closing double-quote added. (as a fit man to keep it.)</p> + +<p>Page 145. Word 'intrusted' spelling retained. May be period correct.]</p> + + + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Christmas Stories, by Edward Berens + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHRISTMAS STORIES *** + +***** This file should be named 35397-h.htm or 35397-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/5/3/9/35397/ + +Produced by Heather Clark, billyeiser and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +book was produced from scanned images of public domain +material from the Google Print project.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Christmas Stories + +Author: Edward Berens + +Release Date: February 25, 2011 [EBook #35397] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHRISTMAS STORIES *** + + + + +Produced by Heather Clark, billyeiser and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +book was produced from scanned images of public domain +material from the Google Print project.) + + + + + + + + + + CHRISTMAS STORIES. + + CONTAINING + + JOHN WILDGOOSE THE POACHER, + + THE SMUGGLER, + + AND + + GOOD-NATURE, OR PARISH MATTERS. + + OXFORD, + + _PRINTED BY W. BAXTER_, + FOR J. PARKER; AND F. C. AND J. RIVINGTON, ST. PAUL'S + CHURCH YARD, AND WATERLOO PLACE, LONDON. + + 1823. + + + + + THE + + HISTORY + + OF + + JOHN WILDGOOSE. + +ADVERTISEMENT. + +The Author of the following Tale has, for some time, wished to put +together a little Tract on the evil and danger of _poaching_; an offence +which so often leads on to the most immoral habits, and the most heinous +crimes. It seemed that his object might be answered by the aid of +narrative and dialogue, more effectually than by a regular and continued +discourse. If it should be thought, in any degree, worthy of standing on +the same shelf with "Trimmer's Instructive Tales," and the "Cheap +Repository Tracts," the ambition of the Author will be gratified. + + _Jan._ 27, 1821. + + + + +[Illustration] + + +THE + +HISTORY + +OF + +JOHN WILDGOOSE. + +Thomas Wildgoose was an honest and hard-working man, in one of the +midland counties. He had long been attached to Susan Jenkins, a +well-behaved young woman of the same village; but from prudence and a +proper independence of mind, he determined not to take a wife until he +had a house to bring her to, as well as some prospect of providing for a +family without being a burthen to the farmers, who were already +complaining of the pressure of the poor-rates. + +In consequence of his good character he was never out of work; and +though his wages were not high, yet he almost every week contrived to +put by something, which he deposited in a bank for savings, lately +established in the neighbouring market town. His weekly deposits were +not very large sums, yet "many a little makes a mickle." This was helped +out by a legacy of thirty pounds from an uncle; so that in a few years +he was enabled to purchase a cottage with a small garden, and had still +something over for a few articles of furniture. Susan, meanwhile, had +gone on steadily in service, always making a point of putting by some +part of her wages; so that when they married, they were comparatively +rich. For some time after his marriage Wildgoose continued to work for +his old master; and Susan, by field work in the hay-making and harvest, +and by taking in sewing at other times of the year, was able to earn a +good deal towards maintaining their children. The wants of an increasing +family, however, led him to consider how he might enlarge his means of +subsistence; and the success of an old acquaintance in the adjoining +village, determined him to endeavour to purchase a horse and cart, and +commence business as a higler. + +A higler's business is liable to so many chances, and takes a man so +much from home, that perhaps he would have acted more wisely if he had +stuck to work. We cannot however blame him for endeavouring to better +his circumstances in an honest way. Though he occasionally met with some +losses from bad debts, yet upon the whole he did pretty well. + +One day in November, as he was returning home from market rather late in +the evening, and was walking quietly by the side of the cart, he was +suddenly startled by a rattling noise behind him; and turning round, saw +the True Blue stage driving furiously along the road, and the Opposition +coach a short distance behind. Wildgoose immediately went to his horse's +head, and drew his cart as close as he could to the hedge; but just at +that moment the Opposition coach had got up with the other, and in +endeavouring to pass it, one of the leaders knocked poor Wildgoose down, +and the wheels went over him. The unfeeling coachmen were too eager in +the race to attend to the mischief which they had occasioned; and the +poor man was left lying in the road, until two neighbouring farmers, +returning from market, found him, and brought him home, more dead than +alive, in his own cart. At first some faint expectations were +entertained of his recovery; but soon it was found that the injury which +he had sustained was too serious to admit of hope. + +Mr. Hooker, the clergyman of the parish, came to visit him frequently, +for the purpose both of assisting his devotions, and of comforting his +poor wife: and on one of these occasions he took an opportunity of +asking him, in as kind a manner as possible, whether he had settled his +worldly affairs. This certainly had not occurred to Wildgoose: when, +however, Mr. Hooker explained to him, that if he died without a will, +his house and garden would all go to his eldest son, subject to dower to +his wife; and that in strictness of law his household furniture, +shop-goods, and cart and horse, would be to be divided in three parts, +one to his wife, and two between his children; he saw the propriety of +arranging these matters while he was able. Mr. Smith the attorney was +accordingly sent for. Poor Wildgoose, who had reason to have full +confidence in the good sense and judgment of his wife, and in her +impartial affection to her children, felt that he could not do better +than leave every thing to her, at the same time constituting her sole +executrix. He knew that she would consider herself as a trustee for the +children, felt sure that she would not marry again, and thought it best +not to fetter her by any minute directions. Mr. Smith prepared the will +accordingly; and as three witnesses are necessary to a will bequeathing +a freehold, their good neighbour Simpson the tailor was called in, who +together with Mr. Hooker and Mr. Smith attested Wildgoose's execution of +the will. When this was done, the poor man felt his mind relieved: and +endeavoured more and more to detach his thoughts from all earthly cares, +and to fix them on subjects connected with those unseen things which are +eternal. The next day he received the sacrament, which he had been in +the habit of receiving frequently during his life; and before the end of +the week he died. + +Poor Susan had been for some time preparing for this sad event; but +still when it actually happened, it seemed to come upon her by surprise. +She felt quite stunned by the blow. At first, she could attend to, could +think of, nothing but her own loss, her own sad and desolate condition. +She was however soon enabled to turn for support to that Being, who +bids the widow to trust in him, and who promises to protect the +fatherless children. Her mind found a comfort in prayer; and the sort of +strain and oppression which she felt through her whole frame was soon +relieved by a flood of tears. The necessity of acting forced her to +rouse and exert herself. Her husband had desired to be buried in as +plain and simple a manner as possible; and she felt that she shewed him +more real respect by complying with this direction, than by spending in +useless shew that money which was wanted to provide necessaries for the +children. + +Thomas had been one of the singers. The band accordingly met, and shewed +their respect to his memory by singing the funeral psalm, after the +conclusion of the beautiful and impressive lesson in the burial service. +Poor Susan, who was naturally a strong-minded woman, had been able so +far to exert herself as to attend the last sad ceremony, but had nearly +sunk while the psalm was singing. She felt, however, the ground of +consolation suggested to her by the service. When the clergyman read, +"Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord," and again, when he spoke +of "the souls of the faithful after they are delivered from the burden +of the flesh being in joy and felicity with the Lord," she felt an +humble trust that these words were applicable to her dear departed +husband. Deep therefore and acute as her sorrow was, she endeavoured to +comply with the admonition of the holy apostle St. Paul, "not to be +sorry as one without hope." + +She had little time, however, for the indulgence of grief. The +circumstances of her family made it absolutely necessary for her to +consider by what means she should provide for them. One of her first +cares was to administer to the will. Mr. Hooker told her that she was +liable to a heavy penalty if she neglected this; and that though the +penalty was seldom levied, she was hardly complete executrix until it +was done. The next thing to be considered was, how she could get a +living without being a burden to the parish. Once she had some thoughts +of carrying on the higling business herself; but the being taken so much +from her home and children, and several other circumstances, convinced +her that this plan was not advisable. She therefore determined to sell +the horse and cart, and set up a shop, for which there was a fair +opening in the village, without doing injury to any of her neighbours. + +It went to her heart to part with the horse, which had been her dear +husband's fellow-traveller in so many journeys, and of which he had +taken such good care; but prudence forbad her to give way to feelings of +this nature. She therefore endeavoured to find for him a kind master, +and got quite as good a price as she could expect. The cart too sold for +as much as it was worth; and with the money which was thus produced, she +was enabled to open her shop with a good supply of articles purchased at +the ready money price. One plan, which she very early adopted, may be +worth the attention of those who are engaged in the same business. She +soon contrived to learn, what was the usual rate of profit, which the +shops in the neighbourhood made upon the articles which they sold. They +all sold upon credit, and of course lost a good deal by bad debts. Mrs. +Wildgoose would gladly have sold nothing but for ready money; but as she +soon found that this was out of the question, partly because some of +the poor were irregularly paid by their employers, and partly from other +causes, she adopted the following plan. In general she gave the same +credit as the other shops, and thought it fair to make the same profit, +but always gladly gave up half the profit to a ready money customer. + +Three of her children were able to make themselves of use. John, the +eldest, who was now eleven years old, was employed by a farmer at +seven-pence per day. Mary, the next, assisted in washing and mending, +and in taking care of little Sarah while her mother was in the shop; and +Sam could earn two shillings a week, sometimes by pig-keeping, and +sometimes by jingling a sheep-bell, to keep the birds from the corn. + +And here I must just mention by the bye a scrape that little Sam once +got into. He was sitting on the watch, under a hedge close to the public +road, when a flight of pigeons settled on the wheat. Up jumped Sam, and, +all at once, began hallooing as loud as his lungs would let him, and +making the most alarming noise with his bell. He succeeded in driving +off the plunderers but, unluckily, the suddenness of the noise close by +the road so frightened the horse of a gentleman who was riding by, that +he turned short round, and threw his rider into the dirt. The gentleman +was not much hurt, but a good deal out of temper; and vented his anger +by giving a few cuts with his whip to the boy, who caused his disaster. +Poor Sam meant no harm; but perhaps he deserved some punishment, as his +thoughtlessness in making a sudden noise so near the public road, might +have been the occasion of a broken limb, or even a more serious +accident. + +Notwithstanding a few occasional rubs and grievances, the family for +some time got on pretty well; but there was something in the character +of her eldest son, which gave Mrs. Wildgoose much uneasiness. He had, I +am afraid, been rather spoilt from his infancy. Both father and mother +were so fond of their first child, that they humoured him in every +thing. Whatever he cried for he was almost sure to have, and this +mistaken indulgence made him, from very early years, selfish, and +wilful. Care and diligence afterwards, prospered by the grace of God, +may certainly correct the effects of early spoiling; but, though they +had so many other good qualities, the parents of John Wildgoose had not +been sufficiently aware of the necessity of paying attention to the +forming of his temper and principles. For a few years he was sent to the +day school, and learnt to read tolerably well; but when he was between +eight and nine years old, he was taken to work; and employed, sometimes +by the farmers, sometimes to go on errands for his father. He felt his +father's death a good deal, and for some time seemed anxious to do what +he could to assist his mother. He stuck to his work, and regularly +brought his earnings home; and was kind to his brother and sisters. +Soon, however, the wilfulness of his character began again to shew +itself, and gained strength by being no longer checked by the authority +of a father. His mother was grieved to find that he would often go his +own way instead of complying with her wishes. One of his principal +faults at this time was a neglect of the Lord's day. He seldom came to +church; and when he did happen to come, was inattentive to every part of +the service. Mr. Hooker several times endeavoured to persuade him to +come to the Sunday school; he told him that one principal use of such +schools was the enabling those boys, who were engaged in labour during +the week, to keep up and to improve the learning which they had acquired +at the day school before they went to work; but he would not be +persuaded. In spring he was bird's nesting; in summer he was lying on +the grass, or bathing in the river; in autumn he was nutting, and, I am +sorry to say, was sometimes guilty of making an inroad on a neighbour's +orchard; and in winter he was engaged in sliding on the ice, hunting +squirrels, or some other diversion. Both his mother and Mr. Hooker +lamented this, and in the kindest manner endeavoured to make him +sensible of the folly of his conduct. He received their admonitions in +sullen silence; and instead of feeling, as he ought to have felt, that +their advice proceeded from a regard for his welfare, seemed to think +that it was meant to answer some object of their own. + +When he was just past seventeen, he unluckily struck up a close intimacy +with a young man in the village, a few years older than himself. His +name was William Atkins, but he was usually called Black Will. Atkins +was a lively fellow, with a good deal of coarse humour. He was one of +those men who neither fear God nor regard man, and who take pleasure in +turning religion and every thing serious into ridicule. With him young +Wildgoose passed many of his leisure hours; and sometimes on a Sunday +evening they used to join a party of idlers at the Fighting Cocks, a +lone public house, about a quarter of a mile from the village. + +Mrs. Wildgoose saw the intimacy which her son had formed with great +pain, and repeatedly cautioned him against it. "Jack," she one day said +to him, "I do wish from my heart that you would not keep company with +that Will Atkins. I am sure no good can come of it." "Why, mother," +answered Jack, "what harm is there in poor Will? He is a good-humoured +fellow, that loves a joke; and, I'm sure, he's always very kind and +friendly to me." "As pleasant as you may find him," replied his mother, +"you know that he bears but a middling character." "Yes," said the son, +"but I shall take care not to be hurt by that." "Don't be too sure," +rejoined she; "the _Good Book_ tells us, that _evil communications +corrupt good manners, that he that toucheth pitch shall be defiled +therewith_, and that _the companion of fools shall be destroyed_." Jack +never liked any thing approaching to a lecture; and sulkily saying, "I +think, mother, I'm old enough now to judge for myself," left the house. + +Black Will, among other qualifications, possessed that of being an +experienced poacher; and it was not long before he let John Wildgoose +into the art and mystery of this species of marauding. He used to tell +him stories of his dexterity in eluding the keepers, of his skill in +entrapping the game, of the fine sums of money he made by it, and of the +jolly parties which that money enabled them to have at the Fighting +Cocks. Jack was amused with his stories, and began very soon to think +that he should like to have a share in these adventures. As a boy he was +always fond of bird's nesting, and bat fowling, and was eager to try his +hand upon game of a higher description. Will was ready enough to lead +him on. The next autumn he gave him a few wires, taught him how to set +them in the most likely places, and how to make more. Young Wildgoose +was at this time employed in keeping sheep, and was with them early and +late. His friend instructed him to set his wires in the evening, and +when he returned to his flock in the morning, to go round and see how +they had succeeded. When he found a hare, he directly hid it in a ditch, +or some snug place, till dark, and then carried it to Atkins, who used +to meet him for this purpose near the Fighting Cocks. Secretly as he +managed this, he did not escape the vigilant eye of Sir John's keeper; +but besides that he felt for the young man's mother, and therefore was +unwilling to expose him, he thought that he should do his master and the +public more service by discovering the receiver of the hares, than by +proceeding against the catcher of them. He had seen the direction which +young Wildgoose usually took when he left his sheep, and contrived one +night to station himself so, that he witnessed his meeting with Atkins, +and saw the latter directly carry the booty into the public house. +Stephen Tomkins the landlord was a keen, knowing kind of person. Though +he sold a good deal of beer, yet he chose to say that he could not get +his bread by keeping to his regular business, and had many other ways of +earning a few shillings. Among the rest, he kept a horse and cart, with +which he travelled every week as a higler, either to the county town, or +wherever else suited his purpose. The game-keeper had long suspected him +of carrying game, but had never been able actually to catch him. What he +now saw, added to some private information which he had received, +satisfied him that his suspicions were just. Early next morning +therefore he applied for a warrant to search for game, and waited with +the constable and two other men at the turn of the road, before you come +to the turnpike at the entrance of the town. About the hour they +reckoned upon, Tomkins's cart made its appearance, and they sallied out +from the hovel where they had concealed themselves. Tomkins, upon being +desired to stop, at first looked a little frightened, but soon contrived +to put a good face upon the business. When they shewed him their +warrant, he pretended to be surprised, and affronted that they should +suspect such a man as him of any thing improper; at the same time +asserting with many oaths, that he had nothing in his cart but a few +fowls and the butter which he had collected from the dairymen. The +keepers, however, insisted upon searching; and were so long before they +succeeded, that they almost thought that he had got some hint of their +intentions. At last, however, quite at the bottom of the cart, under +butter baskets, fowls, and other commodities of the same nature, they +discovered first one hare, then a second, then a third. As it was market +day, the magistrates were holding their usual petty sessions. The +keepers immediately carried Stephen Tomkins and the hares into the +justice room. The regular steps having been gone through, and the +witnesses sworn and examined, Tomkins had not a word to say in his +defence. Mr. Hale, therefore, who acted as chairman of the bench, +proceeded to conviction, and addressed him in the following words. + +"Stephen Tomkins, you have been convicted upon the clearest evidence of +having game in your possession in your higler's cart, by which offence +you have incurred the penalty of 15[English Pound]; that is, 5[English +Pound] for each head of game, half to the informer and half to the poor +of the parish[a]. The law does not give us the power of mitigating this +penalty; and even if it did, we probably should not feel that there was +any cause for mitigation. The offence of which you are convicted is one, +the effects of which are very mischievous. It has been said, that if +there were no receivers of stolen goods there would be no thieves: and +it may be said, with equal truth, that there would be few poachers if +there were no clandestine receivers of game. Such men as you encourage +thoughtless young men in this manner to break the laws of their country, +and to take to a course of life which often brings them to an untimely +end. We hope that this conviction will be a warning to you, and will +induce you to desist from such practices." + +[Footnote a: See Note [A.]] + +Tomkins said, that it was very hard that he should have to pay so heavy +a fine, only for having a few hares in his cart; and did not see how he +was more to blame than the poulterer, to whom he was going to send them, +or than the gentlemen who bought them of the poulterers. Mr. Hale +replied, that he and his brother justices sat there to execute the laws, +and had not time to discuss the propriety of them, or the cases of +other offenders who were not before them. "As for you, Mr. Tomkins," he +continued, "for the reasons which I have given, I do not think your +punishment at all too severe: at all events, it is the punishment +prescribed by law, which we are bound to inflict. As for those other +persons to whom you allude, a poulterer exposing game for sale, and a +gentleman or other person _buying it_[b], are liable to the same +penalty, and if they should be brought before us with sufficient +evidence against them, it would be our duty to convict them. Perhaps I +might also feel it right to give them the same admonition that I have +given you. I might feel it right to hint to them, as I have done to you, +that they are encouraging poor men to break the laws by poaching, and +that they are in one point of view more to blame than the poachers +themselves. A poacher often pleads distress and poverty. This is no +excuse for him, but can certainly often be pleaded with truth. Now, +certainly, a poor, uneducated man, who breaks the laws through +distress--though mind, I again say, that that is no excuse for him--must +in one point of view at least, be considered as less blameable than he +who knowingly breaks them for the purpose of mere gain, or, than he who +violates them for the sake of gratifying his appetite or his vanity, by +seeing game upon his table." + +[Footnote b: See Note [B.]] + +Tomkins had nothing more to say, excepting that he had not the money by +him, and wanted a little time to raise it. The justices therefore +allowed him to defer the payment till that day fortnight. + +When the culprit returned into the market-place, he pretended to make +light of the affair; and calling at the Red Lion for a pot of ale with +some gin in it, drank "good luck to poaching," and affected to laugh at +the magistrates. Fifteen pounds, however, was really a heavy pull upon +Tomkins's purse, and whatever he might pretend, it weighed upon his mind +a good deal. + +When he got back to his own house, he was loud in expressing his ill +humour against Mr. Hale, and the whole bench of justices: and uttered +against them the most dreadful curses. "Come, come, Stephen," said old +Truman, his father-in-law, who was quietly sitting in the +chimney-corner, "come, come, you are going a little too far; I am sorry +for many reasons that you have got into this scrape, and don't wonder +at your being vexed; but what right have you to cry out so against Mr. +Hale?"--"Right!" said Tomkins, "right enough, I think. Why, has'nt he +fined me fifteen pounds?"--"Yes; but could he do otherwise? Every +magistrate, you know, is sworn to execute the laws to the best of his +judgment. If, after such clear evidence, he had let you off, he would +have broken his oath, and have acted ill towards the public at large, +and unjustly towards those who are entitled to receive the money. +Besides, Stephen, you don't suppose, because a magistrate punishes you +as an _offender_, that he bears any ill will to you as a _man_. +Excepting on licensing-day, he probably never saw you before, and never +thought about you one way or the other."--"Well then," said Tomkins, "I +hate him for being a magistrate at all."--"Now there you're wrong +again," said the old man; "I'm sure we all ought to be very thankful to +those gentlemen, who will undertake such a troublesome office, +especially as they get nothing by it. There are few people in these days +that will work without pay. The judges get some thousands a year, and a +pension when they are too old for service. I do not wish them one +farthing less, for they deserve richly all they get, and are, generally +speaking, an honour to the country. The attorneys too, if you have any +dealings with them, come pretty quick upon you with their +three-and-fourpences, and their six-and-eightpences; and the counsellors +seldom open their mouths under a guinea or two. Tho' here again I must +say, that I don't think either of these sorts of lawyers over-paid, when +you consider how many years most of them work before they get any thing, +(many, I believe, never get any thing at all.) The gentlemen, however, +who act as justices, give their time and attention for nothing, and run +the risk of giving offence to many of their neighbours into the bargain. +No one, I'm sure, will undertake the office, who values his own ease, +and quiet, and comfort, at a higher rate than the being of use to his +neighbours and the public."--"I wish," said Tomkins peevishly, "there +were no such things as laws or magistrates in the world."--"Like enough, +like enough," replied Truman, "men are apt to quarrel with the laws +when the laws are too hard for 'em. You don't often look into the Bible, +Stephen, but that would tell you, that the magistrate _beareth not the +sword in vain, but is an avenger to execute wrath upon every soul that +doeth evil_. It is, therefore, natural for a man, who has done evil, or +who means to do evil, to wish that there was no such check upon him. But +those who, instead of doing evil, wish to lead quiet and peaceable lives +in an honest way, are glad to have the laws to protect them from evil +doers, and are thankful to those who duly execute them." + +Tomkins did not much like Truman's lecture, and instead of being +benefited by it, retained in his heart all his ill-will against Mr. +Hale. In this he was not only very wrong, but, I am disposed to think, +more unreasonable than the generality of men who may be in the same +unlucky circumstances with himself. For men, who are convicted upon +sufficient evidence, have generally the sense to see that the magistrate +who convicts them, merely does his bounden duty. Tomkins put common +sense and reason out of the question, and determined to do something by +way of revenge. Mr. Hale's house was situated about seven miles off. It +stood at the extremity of a rather extensive paddock, at the other end +of which was a large fish pond, well stored with jack and perch. Tomkins +knew the pond well, and took it into his head, that he would make it +refund part of his fifteen pounds. He communicated his plan to Will +Atkins, young Wildgoose, and Mike Simmons, who readily entered into it. +They heard that Mr. Hale was from home for a few days, and determined to +execute their plan without delay. They accordingly furnished themselves +with a large net, and in the dusk of the evening proceeded to a barn, at +a little distance from Mr. Hale's grounds. Here they concealed +themselves till towards twelve o'clock at night. They then got over the +pales, and were just beginning to open their net, when they were alarmed +by the sound of horses coming swiftly along the road. They thought +themselves safe from the owner of the pond, but were of course afraid of +being seen at that time of night by any one else, and crouched down to +avoid observation. In this they did not succeed. It was a cloudy night, +but still the moon gave some light, and the horsemen, who proved to be +Mr. Hale, (who had been unexpectedly called home,) his brother the +Captain, and a servant, caught a glimpse of them. The gentlemen directly +gave their horses to the servant, and jumping over the pales hastened +towards the pond. The plunderers immediately ran off, and three of them +were soon lost in the plantations. Wildgoose, however, in the hurry set +his foot in a drain, threw himself down, and was taken. + +When told his name and place of abode, Mr. Hale said, that "he +remembered his father as an honest and industrious man:" indeed the sad +accident by which he lost his life, had made his name known throughout +the neighbourhood. And then addressing himself to his prisoner, "Young +man," said he, "I respected your father, and have heard that your mother +bears an excellent character; I am therefore, heartily sorry to find +that their son has taken to such bad practices. It is well for you that +I did not come up a little later, after you had carried your scheme into +execution. Had that been the case, you might have been transported." +"Transported!" said Wildgoose in astonishment, "what, transported for +taking a few fish!" "Yes, transported," replied the magistrate; "if a +man steals fish from a pond in any inclosed ground, he is, upon +conviction before one Justice, to be sentenced to pay five pounds: but +if he enters into any park, or paddock, or garden adjoining to a house, +and steals fish from any river, or pond in it, he is liable to be +indicted at the Assizes, and transported for seven years[c]. The law +often finds it necessary to protect, by a severe penalty, property that +is much exposed; and when a man is daring enough to carry on his +depredations in the very homestead of his neighbour, he requires a +severe punishment. In the present case, though your intention is +sufficiently clear, I have no wish, and do not feel bound, to prosecute +you. Nor shall I (as I might do) sue you for the trespass. Go home to +your mother, and never again allow yourself to be led by bad advisers +into the like crime." + +[Footnote c: See Note [C.]] + +Jack had told his mother that he was going to a friend at a distance, +and should not return home that night. This made her sadly anxious; but +she knew by experience that persuasion was lost upon him. When he +returned home in the morning, she was confirmed in the suspicion that +something was wrong. From his intimacy with Will Atkins she concluded he +had been upon some poaching scheme; and determined, as she could do +nothing herself, to try what effect Mr. Hooker could produce upon her +son. It was not long before a good opportunity offered. Just as Jack +left Mr. Hale's paddock, a heavy rain had come on, which soon soaked his +clothes. Wet as he was, he got into a shed, partly for shelter, and +partly to fill up the time, till his mother was up in the morning to let +him in. The consequence was, that he caught a severe cold, attended with +so much fever and head-ache, that he was unfit to go to work. Mr. Hooker +called, and having kindly enquired after his health, began giving some +hints on the subject of poaching. Jack sulkily answered, that "no one +had a right to consider him as a poacher, until he was caught." Mr. +Hooker, however, who had had some communication with Sir John's keeper, +soon let him know that he had good ground for what he said; and +endeavoured to make him sensible of the criminality and danger of his +conduct. Jack would not acknowledge that poaching was wrong. Stealing he +knew was disgraceful and sinful. To carry off a sheep, or to rob a +henroost, deserved, he allowed, to be severely punished; "but," said he, +"I cannot see the harm of _poaching_: animals that run wild by nature +belong to nobody, and any body that can has a right to catch them. I +don't know why it is more wrong to kill a partridge than it is to kill a +crow or a sparrow; or why catching a hare is worse than knocking down a +squirrel." "The laws of the land," said Mr. Hooker, "have made a +difference between those animals, and it is the duty of every man to +obey the laws of the country in which he lives." "Not," answered Jack, +"if the laws are hard or unfair." "Our duty," replied Mr. Hooker, "is to +obey the laws as we find them. If every one were at liberty to reject +such laws as he disliked, we might almost as well have no laws at all. +The thief would cast off the laws against stealing; the drunkard those +against drunkenness; and of course the poacher would have no laws +against poaching. The Scriptures teach us _to submit ourselves to every +ordinance of man_; why? _for the Lord's sake_:--as a matter of religious +duty. They bid us to be subject not only for wrath, for fear of +punishment, but _for conscience sake_. They teach us _to obey +magistrates_: to be dutiful _to the king as supreme, and to magistrates +as to them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers, and +the praise of them that do well_. Remember, therefore, that quiet +obedience to the laws of the land is a Christian duty. We are to obey +the laws, whether we approve of them or not: but perhaps, after all, the +laws against poaching are not so unreasonable as you take them to be. +Upon what do the hares, and pheasants, and partridges feed?" "Why, upon +a number of things; chiefly upon the grass and corn, and such like; and +a deal of mischief they do." "Well then, being supported by the produce +of the land, they ought in some way to belong to the land; but as from +their wildness they move about from place to place, it is for the law to +say in what manner they shall belong to it; and the law does this by +making a certain property in land the principal qualification for +killing game. Perhaps I may think that some alteration in the +qualification might be an advantage; but I am not a lawgiver, Jack, any +more than you; and as I said before, we are to obey the laws as we find +them." "It's very well," said Jack, sulkily, "for a gentleman like you +to talk about obedience to the laws, but I don't know what good the laws +do to such a poor fellow as I am." Mr. Hooker did not immediately notice +this, but, seeming to change the conversation, said, "By the bye, John, +I was sorry to hear of your quarrel with Tom Nutman, the blacksmith at +Ratton. I'm told that he threatens to break every bone in your skin. Are +you not afraid of meeting him?" "Afraid," said Jack, "let him touch me +if he dare." "Why, do you think that he is prevented by any sense of +religion from putting his threat in execution?" "Religion! he has no +more religion than a dog." "Oh! then you think that he is afraid of you, +and that you are more than a match for him?" "Why no, I can't say +that:--he's much the strongest man of the two, and is a noted prize +fighter." "Then why should he not dare to touch you?" "Because he +knows, that if he should strike me, I should get a warrant against him, +and have him off to prison before he was a day older." "Oh! that is what +you mean, is it? it seems then that the law is of some use to you, poor +as you are. And as you say that he is not influenced by the fear of God, +what is there that prevents his coming to-morrow, with half a dozen of +the Ratton men, carrying off every thing in your mother's shop, and +breaking your head if you said a word against it?--The laws of the land +certainly, which he knows would severely punish his wrong doing." John +was forced to acknowledge, that even the poor had an interest in the +protection afforded by the law to persons and property. + +"But," continued Mr. Hooker, "poaching is positively wrong, not only as +it is a breach of the laws, but on many other accounts. It is plainly +contrary to the great rule of doing as you would be done by. You would +not like, if the law gave you a right to any particular thing, to have +any man come and take that thing from you: and so, when the proprietor +of an estate and manor, like Sir John, is at much expence and trouble +in order to preserve the game, which the law gives him a right to +preserve, it is clearly wrong, and in opposition to the great rule which +I have mentioned, for any man to invade that right. Besides, poaching is +apt to bring a man into bad company, which is always most dangerous. The +habit of being out at nights makes him familiar with deeds which shun +the light; and too often, if he is disappointed of his game, the poacher +makes up for it by taking poultry, or any thing else he can lay his +hands on. We hear too every day, how poaching leads on to deeds of +violence, and even of bloodshed, in the conflicts which it occasions +with the men, whose duty it is to protect the game. In short, John, +poaching is wrong in itself; it leads a man into a lawless way of life, +and frequently is the beginning of all kinds of wickedness." + +Young Wildgoose felt that there was much truth in what Mr. Hooker said; +and though the pride, or stubbornness of his character would not allow +him to acknowledge it at the time, yet when he came to reflect on it +after the clergyman was gone, he pretty much determined within himself +that he would give up the sinful and dangerous practice into which he +had been drawn. Perhaps some private reason came in aid of his good +resolution. He stuck to his work; kept away from the Fighting Cocks; and +avoided the company of Will Atkins and his old associates. His mother +observed the alteration in his conduct with heartfelt pleasure. From the +odd temper of her son, she thought it might be prudent not to say much +about it: but she was particularly kind in her manner to him, and did +all that she could to make his home comfortable. Young Wildgoose felt +this as he ought, and for some time every thing went on well. + +Unhappily one evening in November, as John was returning from his work, +he accidentally fell in with his old companion Atkins: "Why, Jack," +cried he, "what have you been doing with yourself? We never see thee +among us now; and many a merry night have we had. What has made thee so +shy of late?" Wildgoose told him that he was going to turn over a new +leaf, and had given up poaching. "Well now, I'm sorry for that; but +still that's no reason why you should'nt now and then join a friend or +two over a pot of beer; so come along with me to Tomkins's. He'll be +quite glad to see thee again." John refused with some steadiness, but +Atkins said so much, with a sort of good-humoured raillery, that at last +he gave way. In one pot of ale he thought there could be no harm. + +At the Fighting Cocks they found four or five of Will Atkins's +particular friends sitting round the fire. They had not been drinking +much, seemed sociable and friendly, and talked about any thing that came +uppermost. Wildgoose soon went beyond the quantity, to which he had +stinted himself; when all at once Atkins called out, "Come now, Jack, do +tell us what could possess you to give up sporting. You used to take as +much pleasure in it as any gentleman in the land." John was taken by +surprise, and did not well know what to answer. At length he fairly +acknowledged that he gave it up in consequence of what Mr. Hooker had +said to him. "Well now, that is too bad," said Will, "I thought that you +had been a lad of too much spirit to be talked over by a parson. I +concluded that you had some real good reason, and never should have +guessed that you had nothing more to say for yourself than that." John +replied, that Mr. Hooker spoke very kindly to him; and that in what he +said, he seemed to have both sense and Scripture on his side. +"Scripture!" exclaimed Bob Fowler, "why sure enough Jack Wildgoose is +turned methodist." They all laughed heartily at the joke, and went on +for some time bantering Wildgoose upon his being so straight-laced. Jack +never could stand being laughed at. He had not resolution enough to hold +fast his integrity, when his integrity exposed him to ridicule. He did +not remember the words of the prophet, _Fear ye not the reproach of men, +neither be afraid of their revilings_: nor those of our Saviour, +_Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words_--that is, ashamed of +being religious, of being a Christian--_in this adulterous and sinful +generation, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he cometh in his +glory with his holy angels_. In short, Atkins and his comrades plied +Jack Wildgoose so successfully with ale and bantering, that he gave up +his good resolutions, and agreed to accompany them on a scheme which +they had already planned for making an attack upon Sir John's preserve. +They sat drinking till past twelve o'clock at night, and then repaired +by different roads to the scene of action. + +It so happened, that the keepers had received some information, which +had carried them to the opposite side of the manor. The gang, therefore, +carried on their operations for some time without interruption; and when +their firing had drawn the keepers towards them, one of the party, who +had been posted on the look-out, contrived to give them a signal, so +that they got away without difficulty. They returned to their rendezvous +loaded with pheasants, for which Tomkins paid them a good price, with +some gin into the bargain. They gave Wildgoose more than his fair share +of the money by way of encouragement; and agreed to meet again on the +following Thursday. + +On that day they determined to try their luck in the wood which covers +the north side of the hill, just at the outside of Sir John's park. The +party consisted of Black Will, Bob Fowler, John Wildgoose, Tom Cade, and +one more. Will and Bob were provided with guns; the rest had bludgeons, +in order to assist them, in case of any interruption from the keepers. +Atkins and Cade entered the wood from the park, and the three others a +little lower down. Atkins had just fired at a pheasant, when one of the +under keepers jumped up out of the ditch, and calling out, "Holloa! what +are you at there?" ran to Atkins, and collared him. Tom, who was at a +small distance behind a tree, immediately came to his friend's +assistance, and a well aimed blow of his bludgeon laid the assailant at +their feet. At this moment the head keeper and several of Sir John's men +came up, and secured Tom. The other poachers were brought by the noise +to the field of battle, and attempted to rescue their comrade; but as +Fowler was aiming a blow at the man who had hold of him, one of Sir +John's garden men struck him on the right arm, just above the elbow, +with such tremendous force, that the bone was broken. The poachers, who +before had begun to find that the keepers were too many for them, +immediately ran, leaving Bob wounded, and Tom a prisoner. The former, in +consequence of the hurt which he had received, was allowed to return to +his family; but Tom was carried off to a magistrate, and then to gaol, +in order to take his trial at the ensuing Quarter Sessions. The other +three, when they found themselves safe from pursuit, slackened their +pace. Will first broke silence, by exclaiming, "A pretty business we +have made of it to-night. Well, we can't always manage as we did last +week; but I hate to go home empty-handed." They were now passing through +the orchard at the back of Farmer Dobson's house, when Will spied some +turkeys, which had imprudently chosen to roost in the trees, instead of +going into the poultry house. The opportunity was tempting; and for want +of other game, Will twitched two of them from their branch, and carried +them off so quietly, that the farmer's dog did not utter a single bark. +Wildgoose was a good deal shocked at this. In the pursuit of game, +though illegal, he thought there was something spirited and manly; but +revolted at the idea of _stealing_. What Mr. Hooker had said on the +tendency of poaching to lead on to other crimes occurred to him. He +ventured to remonstrate; but Will answered, "Why, what's the harm? The +old fellow is rich enough, and can well spare a turkey or two. If I had +left them, they would only have bought a little more finery for his +daughters." John still persisted that stealing was dishonourable, but +his comrade replied, "Come, come, let's have no more preaching; in our +way of life a man must not mind trifles. To tell you the truth, I have +done as much by a sheep before now;--only then, to be sure, I had a +little bit of a grudge against the farmer, and I knew he could easily +afford it." Wildgoose was more and more staggered. He saw how easily a +man, who was in the habit of breaking the laws in one instance, could go +on to break them in another, but gave up arguing the point with his +companion. + +Fowler contrived to get home with his broken arm before the morning. +When the surgeon arrived, he found that the fracture was a bad one; and +the worse from the severe bruise with which it was accompanied. On the +Saturday morning, his wife, who had four small children, went to the +overseer for relief. "And so you think," said he, "Nanny, that because +your husband has thrown himself out of work, by his own misconduct, he +is to be supported out of the pockets of the farmers? We have enough to +do to pay rents and taxes, and provide for our own families, without +having to provide for the families of poachers. If your husband had met +with an accident in an honest way, I'm sure, I for one should have been +for giving him all possible assistance; and no farmer in the parish +would have said a word against it: but it is very hard that we should be +expected to pay for his bad deeds." Nanny Fowler felt the truth of what +he said, but replied, "that still they must not starve." "It is true," +answered the overseer, "the law does say that nobody shall starve; but +you must not expect much more from me than is just necessary to keep you +from starving. I'm sorry, Nanny, for you and your children, but when the +father of a family breaks the laws, he must expect his family to suffer +for it as well as himself. It is in the nature of things that it should +be so. You shall have from the parish just what is necessary; but even +that you shall receive by way of loan[d], and if your husband recovers +the use of his arm, we shall compel him to repay it in the summer. If +his arm never gets well again, which I fear may possibly be the case, +we can't expect to get the money back; but we shall not maintain him in +idleness. We shall set him to do what he can; and if he earns but a +little, and is kept but just from starving, he will have no one to blame +but himself." + +[Footnote d: See Note [D.]] + +The bad success of the last expedition, and the loss of strength which +they had sustained, kept the gang of plunderers comparatively quiet. +Jack Wildgoose, however, and Black Will, again took to their old +practice of wiring hares[e]; and contrived to dispose of a considerable +number. The keepers were aware of it, but somehow could never manage to +come upon them exactly at the right time. One Sunday morning, when Jack +had gone round to examine into the state of his snares, and had just +taken up a hare with the wire round its neck, Stokes the under-keeper, +who had been concealed on the other side of the hedge, suddenly started +up, and caught him in the fact. An information against him was +immediately laid by one of Stokes's fellow-servants; a summons was +procured; and John Wildgoose appeared at the Justice meeting, which took +place next day. + +[Footnote e: See Note [E.]] + +The information having been read, and Wildgoose having pleaded not +guilty, the keeper was sworn, and began to give his evidence. Being +asked at what hour in the morning the transaction took place, he +replied, "A little after seven: for I had heard the great clock at Sir +John's strike a few minutes before." "That's false, however," said a +voice from the crowd, which was assembled in the Justice room. "Come +forward there," said one of the Justices; when who should make his +appearance but Black Will. The magistrate told him not to interrupt the +witness, but that if he had any thing to say, he should state it upon +oath when the keeper's evidence had been gone through. This was soon +done; and then Atkins being sworn, and desired to state what he knew of +the business, replied, "I know but little about it; but this I _can_ +say, before seven on Sunday morning Jack Wildgoose and I started +together to see a friend at Hollybourn, which your Worship may perhaps +know is about six miles off. We went to church there, and did not get +back till the afternoon. So how Jack can have been wiring hares after +seven I don't very well know." The Justices looked surprised, as the +under-keeper had the character of being an honest, truth-telling man. +Wildgoose himself said nothing. Mr. Hale, who acted as chairman, was +beginning to put some questions to Stokes, in the hope of finding +something either to confirm or to weaken his testimony, when an elderly +man in a smock frock came to the bar, and said, "I should be as glad as +any one to have the young man got off, both for his own sake, and for +the sake of his good mother; but I cannot stand by in silence, and hear +a man take such an audacious false oath as that sworn by Will Atkins. +Why you know, Will," continued he, "that you skulked by the Fighting +Cocks soon after seven; I was afraid that you were about no good, and if +the gentlemen won't believe me, I can name another who saw you as well +as I." This was old Truman, who had got a lift in Tomkins's cart for the +sake of hearing the proceedings, but without the most distant thought of +taking any part in them himself. His high respect for the name of God, +and his general love of truth, compelled him to speak against his own +wishes. + +The fact was this. Atkins, who had gone to meet Wildgoose on the Sunday +morning, in order to receive from him the hares which he had snared, +heard that he had been detected, and almost immediately determined to +try the chance of setting up an _alibi_. For himself, as he had not the +fear of God before his eyes, he cared not whether what he swore was +false or true, so that it answered his purpose. He therefore had +directed Wildgoose, though without telling him his intention, to keep +close at home, and let no one see him; and had hastened himself to get +out of the village, unobserved as he thought by any one. + +When Truman spoke, Black Will turned pale with vexation and rage, and +darted at the old man a look, which said that he longed to strike him to +the earth. When Truman, however, had repeated his statement upon oath, +Atkins endeavoured to get out of the scrape as well as he could, and +stammered out something about mistaking the hour. Mr. Hale the chairman +gave him a most serious reprimand. He told him, that "the deliberately +calling upon the God of truth to bear witness to a falsehood, was daring +the Almighty to his face. That, as the property, the good name, and +even the lives of men depended in great measure upon preserving the +proper respect for an oath, the man who wilfully took a false oath +deserved to be banished out of all civilized society; he added, that he +hoped Sir John would indict him for perjury." He then proceeded to +convict Wildgoose. "The penalty," said he, "for using engines for the +destruction of game, on other days, is, as you know well enough, five +pounds. But as your offence was committed on the Lord's Day, the penalty +is any sum that we think fit, provided it is not more than 20 [English +Pound] nor less than 10 [English Pound]. In compassion to your mother we +will fix the lower sum. This it is our duty to sentence you to pay. If +you cannot pay it, and have not goods which we can distrain, you must go +to prison." Wildgoose answered that as for the penalty, he neither could +nor would pay it: that he had no goods, as he was only a sort of a +lodger in his mother's house, and that he had as soon go to prison as +not. He knew that there he should have plenty to eat and little to do. +In this last supposition he was mistaken, as the magistrates had, though +with some difficulty, contrived to find work enough to keep the +prisoners continually employed. The parish constable, under whose care +Wildgoose was, said, that of his own certain knowledge he was able to +confirm the truth of his statement as to his having no goods to +distrain. The commitment therefore was made out, and Jack was sent off +to the county gaol. + +Lightly as he had talked of going to prison, yet he felt a good deal +when actually on his way thither; and when he saw the high walls, the +grated windows, the narrow cells,--still more when he heard the clank of +the fetters of some of his fellow prisoners, who were confined for +heinous offences, his soul sank within him. He was shocked too and +mortified at being required to put on that token of disgrace, a prison +dress. He did not, however, remain there long. His poor mother was +thunderstruck at hearing that her son was really sent to prison, and +lost no time in endeavouring to get money enough to pay the fine in +order to procure his freedom. She had hardly any money in the house; but +her neighbours were ready to lend her what they had by them; and four +pounds, being the whole of her savings in service, were eagerly and +freely given by Lucy Wilmot, a well-behaved young woman, to whom Jack +Wildgoose had for some time been attached. + +Mrs. Wildgoose could not bear to be in debt; and as she never was able +to do much more than just maintain her family, she knew that she must +deny herself and her children every little indulgence in order to repay +her kind neighbours. But she thought that any thing was better than +suffering her son to remain in prison, in the society, it might be, of +depraved and abandoned characters. + +The penalty having been paid, Jack was immediately set at liberty. He +felt a little abashed at first coming home; but the kind manner of his +mother, who, though her heart was full of grief, would not utter the +least reproach, relieved him. Jack soon observed in a variety of little +things a change in his mother's manner of living. She had been +accustomed, for instance, to give her children a bit of meat baked with +a pudding on Sundays. When, instead of this, nothing made its appearance +but some potatoes and dripping, with bread and cheese, the girls looked +disconcerted, and Sam cried out, "Why, mother, what's become of the +meat and pudding? This is no better than a working-day's dinner." Mrs. +Wildgoose told them, that she could not at present afford to give them a +better, and they should be thankful for what they had. John knew well +enough the meaning of this, and, to do him justice, felt a good deal. +Often did he now wish that he had in his pocket again those many +shillings and sixpences, which he had uselessly spent at the Fighting +Cocks. + +His mother, who had always been pleased with his attachment to Lucy +Wilmot, thought it but fair to tell him one day how generously she had +contributed to his enlargement. John was much overcome, and took the +first opportunity of warmly thanking Lucy for her kindness to him. Lucy +was vexed at his knowing it, and was a good deal confused; but there was +something in her manner, which encouraged him to express his hopes of +being some day united to her. Lucy was a frank, ingenuous, open-hearted +girl, and did not pretend to deny the regard that she felt for him; +"but, John," said she, "I can never consent to marry a poacher; I should +not think it right to unite myself to a man who lives in the habit of +breaking the laws. I could not bear to have for a husband, the companion +of nightly plunderers, drunkards, and sabbath-breakers. Besides, I +should never have a moment's peace. The thoughts of fines, and +imprisonments, and fightings with game-keepers, and all sorts of +terrible things, would never be out of my head. Instead of your coming +home to me at night, I should expect to hear of your being taken up, or +wounded, or being forced to fly the country. No, John; I don't pretend +to deny the kindness I feel for you. We were play-fellows when children; +were always good friends as we were growing up; and--perhaps--I might +now use a stronger term of regard; but I never will--I never can--marry +a poacher." Wildgoose promised again and again, that he would give it +up. "So you said before, John. Nobody could promise fairer than you did; +and for a little while I hoped you would keep your promise. But you know +how little came of it after all." John promised that this time he would +be more steady. Lucy replied, "As yet, John, we are both much too young +to think of settling. If I know my own heart, I think that I shall +never love any man but you: but I will never become your wife, until you +have shewn, by the experience of a year or two, that you have firmness +enough to keep to your present resolution." + +Wildgoose's spirit was a little _up_ at Lucy's not choosing to _trust_ +him at once. He was deeply gratified by her acknowledgment that she was +attached to him; but at the same time felt something like pique and +ill-humour, at what he called her want of confidence in him. He was +doubly resolved, however, to prove by his conduct that she had no reason +to doubt his steadiness. + +Every thing now seemed going on well. John passed his days in honest +labour, and spent his evenings at home. He saw Lucy frequently; but soon +after Christmas she was obliged to return to her place, which was in the +family of a respectable gentleman, at some distance. + +Towards the latter end of the second week in January, Wildgoose happened +to be passing the public house, when Atkins and two or three others came +running out, and eagerly asked him whether he had heard the news. +"News!" said John, "what news do you mean?" "News in which you are very +nearly concerned," said Mike Simmons; "but we can't tell you here; come +in with us into the house." To enter the door of the Fighting Cocks was +rather contrary to Wildgoose's resolution; but his desire to hear news, +in which he was so greatly interested, got the better of his scruples. +He therefore went in, and found two or three other men, of no very good +character, sitting round the fire, with their beer on the table. Jack +felt bound to call for some too, and asked to hear their news. "And sad +news it is," said Will; "the Quarter Sessions are just over; and--would +you believe it!--they have sentenced poor Tom Cade to transportation." +Wildgoose did not happen to have heard of the law, by which such nightly +depredators, if armed in any way, are made liable to that punishment[f], +and expressed some surprise. "Yes, they have condemned him to +transportation," exclaimed the whole party; "transportation! only for +trying to shoot a pheasant or two." "Now there you mistake the matter," +said old Truman, (who, as he lodged with his son-in-law, was present at +more of these conversations than he wished,) "you mistake the matter +altogether. The law does not transport a man merely for killing a +pheasant, but for going out at night _armed_, and prepared for deeds of +violence against those whose duty it is to protect the game. The law +gives every man a right to take care of his property. It gives the owner +of a manor and land a sort of property in the game on his manor and +land, and a right to appoint persons to preserve it. If lawless men +choose to go, where they have no right to be at all, prepared to beat, +wound, and perhaps to kill, the men, whose duty it is to protect the +game, they deserve to be trounced pretty tightly. Besides, you must +remember, when a man is taken to in this way, he can't be punished at +all without a fair trial by a jury; while in common game cases the +justice is both judge and jury too. To be sure," added he, "if a man +thinks himself wronged by a justice's judgment, he has always a right to +appeal against it." Having said this, old Truman, who did not much like +the company, and had no hopes of reforming them, went to bed. + +[Footnote f: See Note [F.]] + +"For all the old man's fine talking," cried Atkins, "I say it is very +hard and cruel usage of poor Tom: and I never suffer a friend to be +wronged without being revenged. Sir John's pheasants, at all rates, +shall pay for it, and I would advise the keepers not to put themselves +in harm's way." "Let's go to-night," said Tim Nesbit, "there will be a +fine moon; and besides, I understand Sir John comes home to-morrow from +Wales, and then we shan't have so good a chance." This was agreed upon, +and Tim began singing the poacher's song; + + Oh! 'tis a merry moony night; + To catch the little hares O! + +They sat on drinking, though not so as to get intoxicated, till they +thought the time suited their purpose. When preparing to start, Atkins +said to Wildgoose, who had taken a good deal more beer than of late he +had been accustomed to, "You'll go with us, Jack?" Wildgoose replied, +that he had given up poaching for good and all, and should go quietly +home. "Now don't ye be shy," said Maurice Croft, "come along, like a +hearty fellow as you used to be." John still continued firm, and said +that he should go back to his mother. "Aye, let Johnny go and be tied +to his mother's apron string; that's a good Johnny," cried Tim Nesbit, +"I always thought him a chicken-hearted fellow. Why, did'nt Bob tell you +that he was turned methodist? You can't expect a fellow like that to be +true to his friends, or to have any spirit about him." "When a man has, +as you may say, lost a limb in the service," said Bob Fowler, who was +sitting by the fire with his arm in a sling, "it's all fair that he +should be a little backward, but I can't bear that a stout young fellow +like that should turn coward." Wildgoose felt mortified, and vexed, and +angered; and his anger was upon the point of so far getting the better, +as to make him still more determined upon avoiding their company; when +Atkins, who had not joined in the cry against him, pretended to take his +part. "Jack's as stout-hearted a fellow as any of you," said he, "and +he'll shew it to-night. I know he'll go with us, if it's only to +pleasure me, that have always been his friend, and run the risk of the +pillory to get him off; and just to prove to you once for all that he's +no coward." "Come, Jack, I know you'll come with us this once, and we +won't plague you again about it. What has been said now, was all said in +joke, so you mus'nt be angry. You know you need'nt carry a gun if you +do'nt like it, but you _shall_ just come and see the sport. No harm +_can_ come of it: as we shall be five of us, you may be sure the keepers +will be wise enough to keep their distance." + +Wildgoose, at last, suffered himself to be persuaded. He thought that +Lucy would not hear of it; and that at all events it should be the last +time. Away they went, and were soon at the outside of Sir John's +preserve. It was a still serene night. The moon shone brightly, and the +hoar frost sparkled like diamonds on the twigs and few dead leaves. + +Atkins, who on these occasions always took a sort of lead, turned to his +companions, and said, "Now, remember, my boys, we don't come here to be +taken, and sent out of the country like poor Tom. For my part I don't +think the keepers will come near us; but if they do, we must stand true +to each other, and send them home again as wise as they came." They +entered the wood, and dispersing themselves so as to be at no great +distance from each other, began their attack upon the sleeping +pheasants. They had not fired many shots before the game-keeper, who was +going his rounds, was brought to the spot. As he was getting over the +hedge, one of the stakes of which he had taken hold broke short off, and +let him fall back into the ditch. The noise gave the alarm to the +poachers, and they most of them concealed themselves behind large trees, +or the inequalities of ground in an old gravel pit. Michael Simmons was +not so quick as the rest. The keeper got sight of, and soon contrived to +seize him, exclaiming, "So ho! my lad! you must go along with me." He +hardly uttered the words, when Maurice Croft came to the rescue of his +comrade. The keeper, who was a powerful man, still kept hold of him, and +warded off a blow or two which Maurice aimed, as well as he could, when +he found himself suddenly seized by two men from behind, and borne to +the ground. "Blind his eyes, that he may'nt see too much of us," said +Black Will; "tie his hands behind him, and make him fast to this young +oak tree; he shall then have the amusement of hearing what pretty work +we make among his pheasants." + +These orders were immediately obeyed. His gun was given to Wildgoose, +who was growing more and more eager in the sport. A handkerchief was +placed over his eyes, and he was bound to the tree so tightly, as to +occasion a considerable degree of pain. The gang went gaily to work +again, and the keeper had the mortification of hearing the pheasants +fall on all sides of him. + +His trusty fellow-servant, Stokes, however, was not idle. He inhabited a +cottage in the park. The first shot that was fired had made him rub his +eyes and raise his head from the pillow: and the second made him jump +out of bed. From the number of shots he judged that the poachers were in +force; and accordingly called up the two garden-men, the stable +servants, and a labourer or two, who were kept in pay for such +occasions. They hastened altogether to the scene of action, armed, some +with guns, and the rest with stout bludgeons. The marauders soon got +together, and appeared disposed to face them: but when a few blows had +been struck, they found themselves so decidedly outnumbered, that they +turned about and ran off in different directions. Some of Sir John's men +hastened to unbind the game-keeper, while others went in pursuit. +Stokes, as it happened, followed Wildgoose, and having nearly come up +with him, called upon him to surrender. Wildgoose turned short round, +presented his gun, and bad him keep off, or he would fire. He was +determined not to be taken: and upon recognizing Stokes, he saw in him +the occasion of his imprisonment, and of the difficulties which the +payment of the fine had occasioned to his mother. He ought rather to +have felt that he himself was the only cause of these evils, and that +Stokes had merely done his duty. He had no time for reflection however; +and his angry feelings of hostility, together with the desire to escape, +so got the better of him, that upon Stokes's advancing to take hold of +him, he fired. Stokes uttered a cry--exclaimed, "I'm a dead man"--and +fell lifeless upon the ground. + +Upon hearing the report of the gun, the keeper and his men quitted the +pursuit of the other poachers, and hurried to the spot. For a moment or +two Wildgoose stood motionless with horror at what he had done; but +when he saw the men coming towards him, he endeavoured to provide for +his safety by flight. Some difficulty which he found in clearing a +hedge, enabled three of them to get up with him. He defended himself for +a short time with the butt end of the fowling piece, but was at length +overpowered and taken. + +During the remainder of the night he was guarded at the keeper's house; +and next morning was carried before a magistrate, who having taken the +evidence of Sir John's men, committed him to the county gaol in order to +take his trial at the Assizes. + +Every body was sorry for poor Stokes, who was as honest and civil a +fellow as any in the neighbourhood. All too felt for his widow, who with +three small children were thus suddenly deprived of a kind husband, on +whose industry and good character she depended for subsistence. + +When the dreadful intelligence reached Wildgoose's mother, she stood +like a statue. She shed no tears; she uttered no lamentations; she +stirred neither hand nor foot. At last, uttering a faint scream, she +dropped senseless on the floor. Her eldest daughter, and a neighbour who +had been called in, got her to bed, and it was long before she came to +herself. At first she had but an indistinct recollection of what had +happened, and felt as if awaking from a horrible dream. In proportion as +her senses returned, she felt that it was no dream, but a sad reality. +Her first impulse was to go to her son; but when she attempted to get +up, she was unable to stand, and fell back upon the bed. A violent fever +came on, attended with almost constant delirium, and the doctor had +great apprehensions for her life. + +The country house of the gentleman, in whose family Lucy Wilmot lived as +house-maid, was at a considerable distance; and she had now accompanied +her master and mistress to London. It so happened that the sad news did +not reach her till a few days before the Assizes. When she had a little +recovered from the first dreadful shock, she immediately determined to +hasten to poor Wildgoose, in order to give him whatever comfort or +assistance his awful situation would admit of. She requested therefore +her mistress to allow her a short leave of absence; borrowed a few +pounds of the house-keeper, placed herself on the top of a stage, and +next morning reached the county town. With an aching heart, and +trembling steps, she hurried to the gaol. The gaoler, who, like most of +his brethren of the present day, was a kind and humane man, having asked +her a few questions, conducted her into his own parlour, and promised to +bring Wildgoose to her: adding, that though his duty did not permit him +to leave them alone together, yet that they might depend upon his not +repeating any thing of what might pass between them. Poor Lucy's heart +sickened at the heavy creaking of the door which led to the prisoners' +day room; and she was nearly fainting when she heard footsteps +approaching the little parlour where she was sitting. When Wildgoose +entered, she started up, and without speaking, eagerly tried to take his +hand. He, however, uttering a deep groan, clasped both his hands to his +face, and turning his head away, burst into a convulsive fit of sobbing. +Lucy still held her hand stretched towards him, when he at last said in +a smothered voice, "Oh! Lucy, don't try to shake hands with me; the hand +of such a good girl as you are must not be touched by the hand of a +murderer." He then sank on a bench, and in spite of all his efforts to +command himself, gave way to an agony of grief. Lucy could hardly stand; +she had, however, been internally seeking strength from Him, who alone +can give it, and by his aid was supported. Her ardent wish too, to be of +use, led her to exert herself to the utmost. When, after some minutes, +Wildgoose became a little more composed, she spoke to him of taking +steps for his defence at his trial; and said that she was provided with +money in order to secure the assistance of a lawyer. At first he would +not hear of it. He said that it would be of no use, and that he deserved +to suffer. Lucy herself, from what she had heard, hardly indulged any +hope of his acquittal; but still urged him to make use of what +assistance he could, both that he might have longer space for +repentance, and also for the sake of his mother. "Oh, my mother! my +dear, dear mother!" exclaimed Wildgoose, striking his hand to his +forehead, and giving way to the expression of the most piercing anguish. +Several minutes passed before he could at all compose himself, but when +he was a little calmed, he at last consented that Lucy should take +whatever steps she thought expedient. With a voice almost stifled with +emotion, Wildgoose then asked Lucy if she had heard any thing of the +poor woman who had been deprived by his rashness of a tender husband. +Lucy replied that she had not. "Alas!" said he, "what is done cannot be +undone, nothing can make up to her for her loss; but if my life should +be spared, how gladly would I work night and day, to keep her and her +poor children from want." + +The gaoler now hinted to them that his duty required his attendance in +another part of the gaol. The prisoner was therefore reconducted to his +ward; and Lucy was just leaving the parlour, when a gentleman entered. +From his dress and appearance she guessed him to be the chaplain of the +gaol; and having ascertained by a timid and respectful enquiry that her +conjecture was well founded, she implored him in the most earnest and +pathetic manner to use his best offices in preparing Wildgoose for +whatever might be the event of his trial. The chaplain answered, that he +had already had many very serious conversations with the prisoner, about +whom she seemed to be so much interested, and that he trusted that he +was properly affected by his awful situation; "He appears," said he, +"never to have been entirely without some impressions of religion, +though his conduct was not sufficiently governed by it; and dreadful as +is the crime with which he is charged, yet it has not the additional +guilt of premeditation. I never dare to build much upon a profession of +repentance occasioned by the near prospect of death; but as far as I can +judge, his repentance is deep and sincere. He is full of shame and +sorrow for having lived in such neglect of God and his laws, and for +having paid no better attention to serious religion. The anguish which +he feels from this last fatal deed is heart-breaking; and it becomes +doubly acute, when he thinks of the desolate condition of her whom his +hand has made a widow. His only hope of forgiveness is founded on God's +mercy in Christ." "May I understand then, Sir," said Lucy, in an eager +though tremulous voice, "that you think that if--if--if he should suffer +for the crime, his eternal interests are safe?" "I dare not say so; it +is not for one sinful and erring mortal to pronounce confidently on the +final state of another. The mercy of God is extended to all truly +penitent sinners, through the atonement of Christ. I hope that the faith +and the repentance of your friend are sincere; but, generally speaking, +repentance under such circumstances must be attended with much of fear +and doubt[g]. As I said before, I hope that the penitence of this poor +young man is such, that it would, if his life should be spared, shew +itself to have been real, by producing the fruits of a holy life; but I +presume not to speak with confidence. Let us both pray to God to perfect +his repentance, and to increase and strengthen his faith." Many +aspirations to this effect had already been fervently offered up by +Lucy, and she renewed them with redoubled earnestness. + +[Footnote g: See Note [G.] To which I particularly request attention.] + +Lucy was allowed to see Wildgoose frequently. When the anxious time of +trial came, she secured him the assistance of an able lawyer, who +exerted himself in his defence. It was however all in vain. The facts of +the case were so clear, and the evidence so strong, that the jury +without hesitation returned a verdict of guilty. The Judge, after a +short preface, in which he emphatically introduced the words of +Scripture, _whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed_, +proceeded to pronounce the awful sentence of the law. He did this in the +most feeling and impressive manner, and many of the audience were in +tears. When he concluded in the solemn words, "The Lord have mercy on +your soul," the prisoner, who during the trial had maintained a steady +but melancholy composure, seemed torn and agitated by conflicting +emotions. After half uttering a deep and smothered groan, however, he in +some measure recovered himself, and was removed from the bar. Lucy, it +may easily be imagined, could not bear to be present at the trial, but +waited in painful and breathless suspense at her lodgings. She thought +that she was prepared for the worst, and had in fact never allowed +herself to encourage any hope; but when the tidings of the sentence +reached her, she felt a sudden mist before her eyes, and fell lifeless +on the ground. The woman of the house kindly gave her every assistance; +but it was long before she came to herself. At length she opened her +eyes, and wildly looking round her, exclaimed, "Where is he? where is +he? they have not torn him from me?" Again her eyes closed; and she lost +the sense of her misery in another swoon. When she was a little +recovered, the people with whom she lodged endeavoured to prevail on her +to go to bed. She was, however, steady in her refusal; and as soon as +her limbs were able to support her, hastened to the prison. + +She now found Wildgoose heavily ironed, and additional measures taken +for securing him. They grasped each other's hand in silent agony, and +were long unable to speak. At length Wildgoose exerted himself so far as +to give her a message to his mother and family, and Lucy employed the +little time she was allowed to remain with him, in suggesting such +religious consolation as seemed most adapted to his situation. The next +day, which was Sunday, she received the Sacrament with him. Wildgoose +was calm beyond her expectations; and behaved throughout with a +seriousness and fervour of devotion, which gave her more comfort than +she had yet experienced. + +I must spare both myself and the reader the pain of speaking of +the awful scene of the day following. It is distressing even to +think, or to speak of an execution. How is it possible that such +numbers--sometimes, I fear, even women--can seem to take pleasure in +going to witness the last pangs of a fellow-creature, who is condemned +to forfeit his life to the offended laws of his country! I would have +every one pray for, and feel for, the criminal, but on no account seek +to gratify curiosity, by actually witnessing his death. + +The following paper was handed about, as the last dying speech of John +Wildgoose. + +"I acknowledge the justice of the sentence by which I suffer; and would +have all young men take warning from my example. I attribute my crime +and punishment, in the first place, to my neglect of the Lord's Day; and +in the second, to my keeping bad company. Had I been regular in going to +church, and attentive to my religious duties, I should, under the +blessing of God, have preserved and increased the good impressions, +which I had received from my parents. These impressions, however, I +suffered to wither away. By keeping bad company I was led into +_poaching_, in which I at first thought there was not much harm. When by +a kind friend I was convinced that it was wrong, the want of firmness +in religion prevented me from giving it up. Poaching made me the +companion of sabbath-breakers, swearers, drunkards, and thieves; and at +last led me on to the dreadful crime of murder. May God support and +comfort the poor woman whom my hand has robbed of a husband, and the +dear and excellent parent, whom the same rash action has deprived of a +son; may He make my sad fate productive of good to all who hear of it; +and may He have mercy on my own soul through Jesus Christ!" + +As soon as Lucy had recovered her strength sufficiently to enable her to +travel, she went to her native village, where she found that Mrs. +Wildgoose had passed the crisis of her disorder, and was beginning to +recover. Her two daughters were most attentive to her; but Lucy obtained +permission to assist them in nursing, and to take her turn in sitting up +by her bed-side during the night. When the poor woman's health was in +some degree re-established, Lucy felt it right to return to her kind +mistress; but her cheerfulness and good spirits had entirely forsaken +her, and a settled melancholy seemed to have taken possession of her +soul. Her only comfort is in prayer, and the consolations of religion. + +After a confinement to her bed of several weeks, Susan Wildgoose was at +length able to move about her house; and the wants of herself and family +forced her to return to her former occupations: but she hardly spoke to +any one; she served her customers in silence; and it is evident that the +deep affliction under which she continually labours, will shortly bring +her to the grave. Her daughters and surviving son have youth and health +on their side; but their behaviour and appearance are totally changed: +and instead of being merry and light-hearted, they have become pensive +and serious. Time will wear away much of the acuteness of their grief, +but it is probable that, as long as they live, they will never be free +from the most painful and distressing recollection, that they have had a +brother who was executed as a murderer. + +_N.B. This Tale is sold as a Tract, price 9 d._ + +NOTES. + +_The following Extracts from Acts of Parliament are much abridged._ + + +[Footnote A.: + +If any higler, carrier, inn-keeper, &c. shall have in his possession, or +shall buy, sell, or offer for sale, any hare, pheasant, partridge, or +grouse, every such higler, &c. unless such game be sent by some person +qualified, shall forfeit for every hare, pheasant, &c. the sum of five +pounds, half to the informer, and half to the poor. 5 Ann. c. 14. s. 2.] + + +[Footnote B.: + +If any person whatsoever, _whether qualified or not qualified to kill +game_, shall buy any hare, pheasant, partridge, or grouse, he shall, on +conviction before one justice, forfeit 5_l._ half to the informer and +half to the poor. 58 G. III. c. 75. s. 1. + +Any person may recover the said penalty by information, or may sue for +and recover the _whole for his own use_, in any court of record, wherein +the plaintiff if he recovers shall have double costs. Sect. 3.] + + +[Footnote C.: + +If any person shall enter any park or paddock, fenced in and inclosed, +or into any garden, orchard, or yard, adjoining or belonging to any +dwelling house, and shall steal any fish kept in any water therein; or +shall be assisting therein; or shall receive or buy any such fish, +knowing the same to be stolen; and at the Assizes be convicted of such +offence, he shall be transported for seven years. 5 G. III. c. 14. s. 1, +2. + +And if any person shall take or destroy, or attempt to take or destroy, +any fish, in any other inclosed ground, being private property, without +the consent of the owner, he shall upon conviction by one justice +forfeit 5_l._ to the owner of the pond or fishery, and, in default of +payment, shall be committed to the house of correction for any time not +exceeding six months. Sect. 3, 4.] + + +[Footnote D.: + +Whenever it shall appear to the justices, or to the overseers, to whom +application shall be made for relief of any poor person, that he might, +but for his _extravagance_, _neglect_, or _wilful misconduct_, have been +able to maintain himself, or to support his family, it shall be lawful +for the overseers (by the direction of the justices, &c.) to advance +money to the person applying, by way of _loan_ only, and take his +receipt for, and engagement to repay, (without stamp;) upon default of +payment, two justices may commit him for not exceeding three calendar +months. 59 G. III. cap. 12. sect. 29.] + + +[Footnote E.: + +If any person shall knowingly and wilfully kill, take, or destroy any +hare, or use any gun, dog, snare, net, or other engine, with intent to +kill, take, or destroy any hare in the night, (or in the day time, upon +a Sunday or Christmas-day,) he shall on conviction, on oath of one +witness, before one justice, forfeit for the first offence not exceeding +20_l._ nor less than 10_l._; and for the second not exceeding 30_l._ nor +less than 20_l._] + + +[Footnote F.: + +If any person or persons, having entered into any park, wood, +plantation, or other open or inclosed ground, with intent illegally to +take, or kill, game, or rabbits, or to aid and assist in so doing, shall +be found at night armed with any gun, fire arms, bludgeon, or any other +offensive weapon, such person being lawfully convicted, shall be +adjudged guilty of a misdemeanour, and shall be sentenced to +transportation for seven years, or such other punishment as may be +inflicted on persons guilty of misdemeanour; and if any such offender +shall return before the expiration of such term, he shall be sentenced +to transportation for life. 57 G. III. cap. 90. sect. 1.] + + +[Footnote G.: + +_Extracts from Stonhouse's "Sick Man's Friend," on a Death-bed +Repentance._ + +Bishop Burnet, in his excellent book entitled the Pastoral Care, (page +173, of the fourth edition,) says, "A clergyman ought to give no +encouragement to men, who have led a bad course of life, to hope much +from a death-bed repentance; yet he is to set them to implore the +mercies of God in Christ Jesus, and to do all they can to obtain his +favour. But unless the sickness has been of long continuance, and that +the person's repentance, patience, and piety, have been very +extraordinary during the course of it, he must be sure to give him no +positive ground of hope, but leave him to the mercies of God. For there +cannot be any greater treachery to souls that is more fatal and +pernicious than the giving quick and easy hopes, upon so short, so +forced, and so imperfect a repentance. It not only makes those persons +perish securely themselves, but it leads all about them to destruction, +when they see one, of whose bad life and late repentance they have been +the witnesses, put so soon in hopes, nay by some unfaithful guides made +sure of salvation. This must make them go on very secure in their sins, +when they see how small a measure of repentance sets all right at last: +all the order and justice of a nation would be presently dissolved, +should the howlings of criminals and their promises work on juries, +judges, and princes. So the hopes that are given to death-bed penitents +must be the most effectual means to root out the sense of religion from +the minds of all who see it. Therefore, though no dying man is to be +driven to despair, and left to die obstinate in his sins, yet, if we +love the souls of our people, if we set a due value on the blood of +Christ, and if we are touched with any sense of the honour or interests +of religion, we must not say any thing that may encourage others, who +are but too apt of themselves, to put all off to the last hour. We can +give them no hopes from the nature of the Gospel covenant; yet, after +all, the best thing a dying man can do is to repent. If he recover, that +may be the seed and beginning of a new life, and a new nature in him: +nor do we know the measure of the _riches of God's grace and mercy_." + +"When," says Dr. Assheton, page 45 and 46 of his Death-bed Repentance, +"you visit sick beds, and hear a poor dying creature lamenting his sins +with tears, and most earnestly begging pardon for the sake of Jesus +Christ; when you observe how passionately he resolves, that if God will +but spare him, he will become a new man, and never be guilty of such +extravagance; what do you say or do in such a case? Nay, what must such +a wicked man do, who having lived in sin, shall thus happen to be +surprised by death? Dare you be so uncharitable as to declare that he is +past hope, that there is no remedy, but that he will certainly be +damned? I answer, that I dare not presume to limit God, whose mercies +are infinite. In such a case I will not censure him, but admonish and +instruct him to the best of my judgment and abilities. I will exhort the +dying sinner to remember his sins, to bewail them, to beg pardon for +them, to form firm resolutions of amendment, and (when there is +occasion) to make restitution; and having prayed earnestly for him, and +recommended him to God's mercy, do I _then_ say such a one will be +damned? No, I _dare_ not. But do I say he shall be _saved_? No, I +_cannot_. What then do I resolve? What do I determine in this matter? I +will be silent, and determine nothing; for as I dare not flatter him +into a false and groundless presumption, so neither would I sink him +into the horror of despair. I say, I will determine nothing: I will +judge nothing before the time. However, I must be so faithful to my +ministerial office as to admonish this dying sinner, that the Gospel (by +the laws of which we are to be judged) expressly declares, that "without +holiness no man shall see the Lord," and that Christ is the author of +eternal salvation unto them (and to them _only_) who obey him. _Heb._ v. +9. When therefore the sick man has been vicious and extravagant all his +life long, if God accepts his dying _resolutions_, it is more than he +has _promised_, and it is more than he has given his ministers power to +_preach_ and _declare_." + +Repentance is a change of heart from an evil to a good disposition; no +man can justly be called a true penitent, till his heart be thus +changed, and whenever that change is made, repentance is certainly +complete. + +Now there is reason to conclude, God will consider that life as amended, +which would have been amended if he had spared it. Repentance in the +sight of man cannot be known but by its fruits. The only way man can +judge is by the rule Christ himself has given us, "by their fruits ye +shall know them." _Matt._ vii. 20. + +But God (our great Creator) sees the fruit in the _blossom_ or in the +_seed_. He (and He _only_) knows those resolutions which are _fixed_; +those conversions which would be lasting; and will receive such as are +qualified by holy desires for works of righteousness, without exacting +from them those _outward_ duties, which the shortness of their lives +hindered them from performing. All, therefore, a minister can do, is to +recommend a _death-bed_ penitent to the mercies of God. But it is +impossible for _him_ to pronounce what will be his state in another +world.] + + + THE + SMUGGLER. + + +ADVERTISEMENT. + +It is possible that in the following little Tale there may be several +inaccuracies with regard to the habits and manners both of seamen, and +of smugglers. The residence of the author in an _inland_ county must be +his apology. + +The similarity in some respects of the offence of smuggling, to the +illegal pursuit which forms the subject of the preceding Tale--written +two years ago--must be the author's excuse for the recurrence of similar +sentiments and expressions. + + _Jan. 1823._ + + + + +[Illustration] + + +THE + +SMUGGLER. + +It was the latter end of the month of November, when Mary Waldron, +having carefully put her two children to bed, sat down with an aching +head and a heavy heart, to wait for the return of her husband. + +He had sailed from Folkestone in a stiff half-decked vessel, in company +with eight or ten of his sea-faring companions, and then told his wife +that she might expect him back on the day following. But that day and +another had passed away, and he was still absent. + +The night was dark and tempestuous. The wind howled mournfully round the +house; the rain beat hard against the windows; and whenever the storm +seemed lulled for a moment, the continued roar of the waves, as they +broke on the shingly beach, came heavily on her ear. She tried to occupy +herself in mending one of her husband's fishing jackets; but her hands +and the jacket were constantly in her lap, and it was with difficulty +that from time to time she was able in some degree to rouse herself. + +At length, wearied out with watching and anxiety, and her candle having +nearly burnt to the socket, she lay down on the bed in her clothes, and +was just falling into an unquiet slumber, when she was waked by a +knocking at the door. She hurried down stairs, and let in her husband, +who was accompanied by a short stout-built ill-looking man, in a rough +seaman's jacket, from one of the pockets of which peeped forth the butt +end of a pistol. Both were wet and tired, and both seemed sullen, and +out of temper. At their first entrance, Mary eagerly cried out, "Oh! +James, I am so glad to have you home again. I have passed a sad +wearisome time since you went." But Waldron received his wife's greeting +coldly, and almost in silence. He walked up to the fire place, and, +stooping over the embers, began drawing them together, at the same time +telling his wife to get a bit or two of wood, and then to warm a little +beer. His companion had under his arm a large bundle, tied round with a +piece of sail-cloth. "At least we've got that safe," said James, placing +it in one of the chairs: and he then ordered his wife to put it under +the bed for the night, and to carry it early in the morning, before it +was quite light, to Mrs. Hawker's shop, near the church. "I," added he, +"shall be glad to lie in bed a bit, after being up three nights +running." When they had finished their beer, the stranger withdrew; and +Mary, after uttering a fervent prayer for all who are in peril by land +or by water, and for the bringing back to the right way of those who +have strayed from it, retired to rest. + +Early the next morning, Mary, in compliance with her husband's +directions, carried the sail-cloth bundle to Mrs. Hawker, who received +it with one of her most gracious smiles, while her little black eyes +sparkled with satisfaction. She immediately took it into a back parlour, +and then returning to the shop, pressed Mary Waldron to take a glass of +something comfortable. This Mary declined, and immediately hastened +home, carrying with her a loaf for her husband's breakfast. + +She found him still asleep, and the eldest of the two children trying to +keep his little sister quiet, that she might not disturb him. At +length, towards eleven o'clock, he got up, and the refreshment of a +night's rest, a comfortable breakfast, and the active though quiet +assiduity of his wife, seemed to have restored him to good humour. "We'd +a roughish time of it last night," said he. "Yes, indeed," replied Mary; +"and I wish, my dear James, you did but know a hundredth part of what I +have suffered since you took to your present way of life." "Why should +you be more uneasy now," said James, "than when I was nothing but a +fisherman? We were then often out night after night, and sometimes in +rough weather too." "To be sure, I used now and then to be a little +anxious," said Mary, "but you were seldom out when it blew hard, and +besides"--she hesitated a little--"besides--don't now be angry with me, +James, for saying it--I felt then that you were trying to get your +living in a lawful and honest way. Now when you are absent, my thoughts +run upon all horrible things. I do not think so much of the perils of +the wind and the waves, though that is bad enough, as of the chance of +your being taken as a smuggler, or of your doing some dreadful deed in +order to escape. They tell me, that the preventive-service men keep a +sharp look out." + +"A pretty deal too sharp," said Waldron, "I can tell you; if it had not +been for them, we should have been back to Folkestone the night before +last. We were to have landed our tubs just beyond Dimchurch, and had +made a signal for the men to be ready with the horses to meet us. There +was a thickish fog at the time; but still, these fellows somehow got +sight of us, and pulled off in their boat, just as we were nearing the +land. Jack Spraggon, the man that was here last night, proposed sinking +them; but, though they deserved it, I was not quite bloody-minded enough +for that. We had nothing else to do, therefore, but to put about, and as +the wind blew off shore, we soon by the help of the fog gave them the +slip. As it was of no use to think of landing then, we stood right out +to sea. The wind soon after chopped about, and freshened to a gale. When +we were nearly off Folkestone, a Dane merchantman had managed to run +aground at some distance from the shore. The king's men--I must say +_that_ for them--are always ready enough to help any ship in distress, +and dashed away to take the poor fellows off the wreck. And while they +were busy at this job, two of our boats came out to us, and put us and +part of our cargo on shore in East Weare Bay--just under the red and +white cliff there, under the signal house. As ill luck would have it, +one of the men on the look out saw us, and gave the alarm. We soon +knocked him down; but the rest of them got together so fast, that we +were forced to run for it, leaving our tubs behind. I kept hold, +however, of my bale of silk, and Jack and I scrambled up one of the +winding paths in the cliff, and got clear off." + +"Oh! James," said Mary, "how many risks do you run since you've taken to +this free-trading, as you call it." + +"Nonsense," replied Waldron, "a seaman's wife must never talk of +danger." + +"I feel," replied Mary, "as if I could almost consent to your braving +any danger in a good cause; but the cause that you are now engaged in is +not a good one." + +"Not a good one! Why where's the harm, I should like to know, in buying +in France a little brandy, or a few silks, or cambric, or laces, or what +not, and selling them cheap in England, without going through all the +trouble and expense of the custom-house?" + +"There _must_ be harm," said Mary, "in constant opposition to the laws +of the land; there _must_ be harm in living with such wicked men, as you +now keep company with." + +"Why, to be sure," replied Waldron, "the consciences of some of our +free-traders are not over-scrupulous, but there are indifferent +characters in all professions; and as for breaking the laws, I don't see +much harm in that--I'm sure the laws do me no good." + +"And what else but the laws," said Mary, "protect your house from +plunder, and your wife and children from violence, when you are far +away? But I don't pretend to argue the matter, nor is it necessary that +I should; you know the word of God." + +"Come, come," retorted James, with a good deal of quickness and ill +humour, "don't be trying to come over me with your lecturing and cant." + +"Oh! my dear, dear James," said Mary, with much earnestness, "if you +love me, do not let me again hear you call the mention of the word of +God by the name of cant. You used formerly to keep your church, and you +still sometimes read your Bible; surely the evil men with whom you have +associated lately have not taught you to deny the authority of the +Scriptures?" + +"Why no," said James, "it's not quite so bad as that; but what do the +Scriptures say about the laws, or about smuggling?" + +"Why, in one place the Scriptures tell us to _submit to the powers that +be_, that is, to the laws and constitution of the country, not only from +fear of punishment, but _for conscience sake_, and from a sense of the +advantage derived from them by society. In another place they bid us _to +submit to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake_. And with respect +to smuggling, they command us to _render tribute to whom tribute is due, +custom to whom custom_. Therefore, whenever you smuggle goods into the +country without paying duty at the custom-house, you directly fly in the +face of this injunction of the Scriptures. And at the same time that the +smuggler thus breaks the laws of God and the laws of his country, he +also injures the regular trader by underselling him; for, of course, the +man, who conscientiously pays duty, cannot sell so cheap as he who pays +no duty at all." + +"And that puts me in mind," said Waldron, who wished to put an end to +the conversation, "that I shall want a couple of pounds before night. +Do, Mary, just step up to Mrs. Hawker's, and ask her to let me have them +on account of the silk." Mary was always ready to comply with the wishes +of her husband, and putting on her cloak, went to Mrs. Hawker's house. + +She found her in her back parlour, shewing the silks to two smartly +dressed young ladies. The eldest appeared to be about nineteen, the +other two or three years younger. The countenances of both were +expressive of good humour and liveliness, without much indication of +thought or reflection. Each had selected a sufficient quantity of silk +for a gown, and they were in the act of cheapening their purchases, when +Mary came in. "No, indeed now, Mrs. Hawker, you _must_ take off a +shilling a yard. We really could get it as cheap in London, and, after +all, the English silk they make now is quite as good." "That may be +true," said Mrs. Hawker, "but you must consider, my dear young ladies, +the difficulty I have in getting it, and the risk the poor fellows run." +"Yes, indeed," said Mary, with a sigh, "it is the blood of men that you +are buying." + +The young ladies, who had not before seen Mary, as she was waiting near +the door, turned round, and were just going to ask her what she meant, +when one or two loud authoritative raps were heard at the outer door. At +the same moment the maid servant came running in with every symptom of +alarm, saying, in a suppressed voice, "Mistress, Mistress, make haste, +the custom-house officers are here." Mrs. Hawker's countenance changed, +but she was too much used to such occurrences to lose her presence of +mind. "There, ladies, pop the silks under your pelisses--there--quick." +The knocking was repeated more loudly than before. "Who's there," said +Mrs. Hawker, in a shrill tone. A man's voice replied, "Let us in, we +must come in directly." "Coming, sir, coming immediately." then in the +same breath turning to the young ladies, "Stay, that will not do. If +they find you here, they, perhaps, will search you. There, run into that +back pantry, and keep the door tight." Molly, meanwhile, had run off +with the bale of silk to a hiding-place prepared for such occasions, +and Mrs. Hawker hastened to the door. + +Before the officers had time to express their anger at being kept +waiting, she put on one of her best smiles, and addressed them with, +"Mr. Scroggins, is it you? Well now, I'm so sorry that you've had to +wait; but the girl was down at the farther end of the garden, and I +happened to be busy with my needle up stairs, and did not come down the +first moment, as I did not know but that she was in the house. But pray +come in--I'm so sorry that I made you wait." + +This speech gave their wrath a little time to cool: but Scroggins +answered gravely, "Mrs. Hawker, we are come upon rather an unpleasant +piece of business. We have had information that a suspicious looking +parcel was brought to your house this morning." + +"What, to my house!" said Mrs. Hawker; "well! what will people say next. +I'm sure I should never have thought of such a thing; but pray satisfy +yourselves--search wherever you please." + +The officers looked about the shop and the back parlour, and went up +stairs. The place where the silk was concealed was, however, so well +contrived, as to escape their observation; and Mrs. Hawker put on the +appearance of innocence so completely, that the men began to think that +they really had been misinformed. The young ladies trembled with +apprehension when they heard them come into the kitchen, and still more, +when, as they passed the pantry, one of the men called out, "What door +is that?" "O," said Mrs. Hawker, "that is a sort of out building, but it +let in so much cold wind to the kitchen, that we had it nailed up before +Michaelmas;--but, I dare say, we can get it open, if you wish to see +it;--I'm sure I want no concealment;--run, Molly, run down to Mr. +Bellows, the blacksmith--you know where he lives--near the pier."--"Why, +I believe, we need not give you that trouble," said Scroggins; "I must +say that you have been very ready to let us search every where: and, to +tell you the truth, we are just now rather in a hurry, and it would be +some time before Bellows with his lame leg could hobble here." + +"Well, as you please," said Mrs. Hawker, "it's all one to me--I only +hope that another time, Mr. Scroggins, you will not be quite so ready to +believe idle stories that people make against their neighbours." The +officers wished her good day, and walked off. + +She watched them to a considerable distance before she ventured to +release her prisoners from their confinement. They had been sadly +frightened, but could not help laughing when they got out, though the +eldest of them had greased the bottom of her pelisse against a flitch of +bacon, which was lying on the bricks under the dresser; and the feathers +of her sister were not improved by the intercourse which had taken place +between them and a bunch of tallow candles, which were suspended from +the low ceiling. + +Having directed the silks which they had purchased to be wrapped up in a +few yards of Manchester cotton and sent after them, and having put half +a dozen pair of French gloves in their reticules, they set out on their +return to Sandgate, where their father, Admiral Mowbray, had passed the +greatest part of the autumn. + +Before descending the hill, they stopped, as in their walks back from +Folkestone they generally did, to contemplate the scene before them, +which though, perhaps, not remarkably striking, has something of a +pleasing character. Immediately beneath them was Sandgate, sheltered +from the east and north by a range of sand hills of no great height, +but presenting considerable variety of form. From the top of this range +a nearly level tract of country stretched along to the foot of the chalk +ridge, the line of which is here relieved by several singular conical +hills, which stand forward as detached outworks of the principal rampart +of chalk. Close under them on the left was the castle, the grey tints +and roughnesses of which have been smoothed and polished away by modern +trowels, till it has acquired the appearance of a cluster of Martello +towers. Beyond Sandgate were some traces of the unfinished works, once +destined to protect the commencement of the military canal, and the sea, +now nearly at high water, almost breaking over the road. The middle +distance was formed by the town of Hythe, with its church on the bold +rising ground to the north, its lancet-shaped east window peeping +through the trees; and far to the left ran the long line of low land +terminating in Dunge Ness. The fishing boats of Hythe and Romney, with a +revenue cutter and three or four brigs, gave animation to the near sea +view; while, at a considerable distance, a couple of Indiamen were +majestically making their way down the channel. + +After admiring the prospect, the two sisters were slowly descending the +hill, when they heard behind them the footsteps of two persons, who +seemed to be rapidly approaching. Their imaginations were filled with +the idea of custom-house officers, and they immediately concluded that +they were pursued. They therefore walked on as fast as they could, being +apprehensive that if they _ran_ they should confirm the suspicions of +their pursuers. The same apprehension prevented them from looking back. +The strangers, however, continued to gain upon them, but when almost +ready to sink with alarm, the young ladies found that their fears were +groundless. They were overtaken and passed by a remarkably well-made +active man, with a stout bludgeon in his hand, in company with a woman +of a slight and elegant form, who contrived to keep pace with him, +though she had a child in her arms. + +They were in earnest conversation; the woman appearing to be using +entreaties, to which the man refused to listen. Just after they had +passed them, they heard the man say in a voice, at once expressive of +determination and of an agitated state of feeling, "Come--there's no +use in trying to persuade me; I've told you that I must be in the marsh +to-night. Do you go home and mind the children, I shall not be absent +long, and shall, most likely, get back to you before to-morrow night." +He then seemed to make an effort, disengaged himself from his companion, +and went on with a hurried step. + +The poor woman gazed after him for some time, and then turned back with +an expression of anxiety and woe, which went to the hearts of the two +sisters. Their compassion and benevolence prompted them to endeavour to +offer some consolation, but delicacy prevented them from intruding on +the sorrows of a perfect stranger. Upon looking at her more attentively, +they recognized the same woman whom they had seen, not long before, at +Mrs. Hawker's, and by whose remark upon their smuggling purchases they +had been surprised and shocked. They could not resist bringing it to her +recollection, and asking her what she meant. Poor Mary immediately burst +into a flood of tears; the violence of her grief affected and alarmed +the young ladies; and while they were trying to soothe both her and her +child, the eldest of the young ladies exclaimed, "Surely you are--but +no, it is not likely:--you cannot be the Mary Allen, who, about ten +years since lived as house-maid with Mrs. Stanwick in Hertfordshire?" + +Surprise and a sensation of pleasure checked the current of Mary's +sorrow. "Yes, indeed, I am," said she; "and is it possible that you +young ladies are my dear mistress's nieces, who used so often to be +staying with her when your father, the Admiral, was at sea? Oh! how kind +you were to me, and how fond I used to be of you both! But then you were +both little girls, and I could venture to talk to you with freedom." + +"And so you may now," said Emily Mowbray; "you seem to be in some +affliction. Before we knew who you were, we longed to comfort you; and +now that we find that you are an old acquaintance, we shall have double +pleasure in being of any use to you." + +The circumstance of having, in early youth, been inmates of the same +house, and in habits of frequent and kindly intercourse, leaves +generally a lasting impression upon the heart. This is often felt by +schoolfellows, who, when they meet, after having been long separated, +have a peculiar frankness and warmth of feeling towards each other, +which is seldom produced by an acquaintance contracted in maturer years. +And something of the same warmth and disposition to freedom of +communication is occasionally produced in children--children of the +gentler sex particularly--towards the tried and valued servants of the +families, in which many of their earliest and happiest days have been +passed. + +This species of feeling now glowed in full vigour in the bosoms of the +two sisters, and of Mary Waldron. Mary had met with sympathizing friends +when she most wanted them; and the Miss Mowbrays found the interest, +which had been excited by witnessing her grief, increased to a ten-fold +degree by this unexpected recognition. They pressed her to accompany +them to their father's lodging house. The child, however, which she had +left at home under the care of a neighbour, made this impossible. They +therefore turned back, and walked slowly with her towards Folkestone, +Caroline Mowbray having relieved her, by taking the child out of her +arms. + +During their walk, Mary told them, that nine years before she had +accompanied her mistress to Hastings. They passed the winter there, and +during that time, she became acquainted with James Waldron, who +frequently came to the house with fish. Every body spoke well of him, as +a sober, industrious, good-tempered man; and she became his wife when +Mrs. Stanwick returned into Hertfordshire. For about six years they +lived happily together at Hastings; they then removed to Folkestone, +where a small house had been left to Waldron by a relation. Here he +continued for some time to follow his old occupation, but unhappily +became acquainted with some notorious smugglers, and was persuaded +occasionally to accompany them in their expeditions to the French coast. +He was led on step by step, till smuggling had become his principal +employment. + +"From the time that he took to the smuggling line," continued poor Mary, +"my happiness has been at an end. He used to be the kindest of husbands +and of fathers. Now he is seldom at home, and when he is, is generally +out of temper. Now and then he will play with his children a little, but +more frequently complains of their being troublesome. He used to be +sobriety itself, but latterly has taken to drinking spirits. His very +countenance is changed; it used to be frank and open, but now is apt to +have a downcast anxious look, like that of a man who has some sad burden +on his mind. And oh! how many fears do I have for him! Sometimes, I +think he will be lost at sea, for they are out in all weathers; and +sometimes I tremble lest he should be taken on shore, or that to prevent +himself from being taken, he should do some dreadful deed that should +bring him to the gallows." + +"I now too well understand," said Emily Mowbray, "what you meant by what +you said to us at Mrs. Hawker's." + +"I should not have said it," answered Mary, "had I known who I was +speaking to--but still it was nothing but the truth. Little do ladies, +who in the lightness of their hearts come to purchase the smuggled +silks, and the gloves, and the cambrics, little do they think what a sad +business they are encouraging; that they are in fact buying men's blood. +And oh! my dear, dear young ladies, would to heaven that were all--I +tremble to think how not only the lives, but the souls, of these poor +fellows--the soul of"--but here her voice failed, she clapped her hands +to her face, and burst into an agony of grief. The two sisters soothed +her as well as they could, and when she seemed tolerably composed again, +turned their steps towards Sandgate. + +The Admiral had been a little uneasy at their long absence. "Well! +girls," he exclaimed upon seeing them, "where _have_ you been all this +time?" "Why, papa?"--"Well, you must not stop to tell me now, but make +haste to get ready for dinner. Your cousin Harry Stanwick has promised +to dine with us. We can seldom catch him, you know; but I told him, that +coming to us was not being off duty, as he is as handy here as at the +castle, in case any of these smuggling fellows should require to be +looked after." + +The young ladies hurried to their rooms, and when they came down stairs, +found their cousin already arrived. The Admiral was eagerly trying to +get from him some of the particulars of his saving the poor shipwrecked +Danes. "We had some difficulty," said Lieutenant Stanwick, "in launching +our boat. The first time, when we had just got her into the water, a +heavy wave knocked her clean over. Upon a second attempt we got her +afloat, and were just beginning to use our oars, when she was swamped +again, and two of the men were nearly lost in trying to get back to the +shore. My brave fellows, however, would not give it up: they could not +bear, they said, to leave fellow-creatures to perish almost within hale +of the land. At the third trial we succeeded. We got under the lee of +the ship, and found her fast a-ground, her main-mast and mizen-mast +blown away, and a tremendous sea breaking over her. Several of the crew +had been already washed off the deck. I never shall forget the joy the +poor fellows expressed, when we got them into our boat. There was a +black man particularly, whom they had brought with them from the West +Indies, and who seemed quite overpowered with gratitude. We brought them +all safely on shore, and weary and buffeted as they were, the +preventive-service men gave them up their beds, and the greatest part of +their rations[h]." + +[Footnote h: Founded on fact.] + +During dinner the Admiral was continually asking for some particulars +respecting the shipwreck, and it was with delight, mixed with a sort of +trepidation, that the sisters heard the different instances of +intrepidity and considerate kindness of these rough seamen. Emily +Mowbray especially, every now and then, could not help betraying, by the +animation of her eyes and the glow on her countenance, the deep interest +she felt in the display of these qualities in their commander, anxious +as he seemed to be in his narrative to keep himself in the back ground. + +When the servants had withdrawn, the Admiral turned to his daughters, to +enquire what had become of them all the morning. "Why to tell you the +truth, papa," said Emily, "we had a little business in Folkestone." +"Some smuggling transaction, I dare say," replied the Admiral; "but why +did that detain you so long?" + +The young ladies felt, that in prudence the less they said the better, +but still they were so full of their morning's adventure with the +custom-house officers, that they could not help telling it. "And could +there, papa, have been _really_ any danger of their searching us?" + +"They would not have dared," said Henry eagerly, his dark eyes flashing +fire, and his face becoming crimson; but almost immediately both his +manner and his countenance changed--"But I don't know--perhaps they +would." + +"Yes, indeed," said the Admiral; "from what little I have seen or heard +of these custom-house officers, they are well enough disposed to be +civil where they have no ground of suspicion; but where persons choose +to place themselves in suspicious circumstances, they are bound to do +their duty.--I own I am quite astonished that any lady, with the +slightest sense of propriety or delicacy of feeling, can expose herself +to the possibility of being placed in so unpleasant a predicament." + +"Why do you speak of ladies only, papa? I'm sure gentlemen smuggle as +much as we do." + +"I am afraid that some do," said the Admiral, "but it is generally in +your service. I am quite hurt for the credit of the class of society +with which I associate, when I hear of any gentleman or lady taking +advantage of the confidence, which is reposed in them as such, for the +purpose of evading the laws of their country. And for what?--for the +sake of saving a few pounds; or for the gratification of some foolish +vanity. I have sometimes fallen in with men, who would have shot me +through the head if I had barely hinted the possibility of their telling +a lie, who would yet be guilty of the most paltry falsehood and +equivocation for the sake of deceiving a custom-house officer; who, +after all, allowed himself to be deceived, only because he trusted that, +being gentlemen, they would not condescend to lie. No, my dear girls, +don't let me hear of your smuggling again." + +The two sisters in the course of the morning had received a lesson +against smuggling, which had not been lost upon them; but still the +spirit of Emily rose at this attack, and she replied, "What, not smuggle +at all? Why it is one of the chief amusements of coming to the sea +coast." + +"I wonder what pleasure you can find in it," said her father. + +"Why, in the first place, the things are so much better and prettier +than we can get in England; and then the little difficulties which we +have to surmount, and the contrivances and concealment which we have to +manage, produce a sort of excitement, somewhat similar to that, which I +imagine men to derive from the sports of the field. And, after all, +what is the harm of smuggling? It is no offence in itself, and is merely +made an offence by the arbitrary enactments of human laws." + +"And ought you not, my dear Emily, to pay obedience to the laws, under +the protection of which you live? I might take higher ground, and refer +you to the express words of Scripture.--You know the passage to which I +allude.--The poorest man in the country is protected by the laws, but if +he is not sufficiently aware of the benefits which he derives from them, +some little allowance may be made for him on the plea of ignorance, want +of education, and the many wants and privations which he actually +encounters. No such excuse, however, can be made for you, possessed as +you are not only of all the necessaries, but of many of the +superfluities, of life. In the enjoyment of all these comforts and +luxuries--in the rank and station which you hold in society--you are +protected by the laws of your country, and surely those laws have a just +claim to your obedience." + +"There is, I acknowledge," replied Emily, "much force in what you say; +but I am sure, that you must think the laws against smuggling are much +too severe." + +"The severity of laws is occasioned by the boldness of those who break +them: when more lenient methods are found ineffectual, recourse is had +to stronger and harsher measures. Smuggling, as you know, consists +either in evading the payment of the legal duties, or in purchasing +articles which are prohibited altogether.--The evading of the payment of +duties is clearly the same as robbing the public of so much of its +revenue[i]. A poor man, who steals from distress, is punished, and +justly punished, for no distress can justify doing wrong; but, I must +say, that I think a well-educated person, who is guilty of wilfully +plundering the public by smuggling, is a more guilty person than he is." + +[Footnote i: "_Worthy._ Pray, Mr. Bragwell, what should you think of a +man, who would dip his hand into a bag, and take out a few guineas? + +_Bragwell._ Think! why I think that he should be hanged, to be sure. + +_Worthy._ But suppose that bag stood in the king's treasury? + +_Bragwell._ In the king's treasury! worse and worse! what, rob the +king's treasury! Well, I hope the robber will be taken up and executed, +for I suppose we shall all be taxed to pay the damage. + +_Worthy._ Very true. If one man takes money out of the treasury, others +must be obliged to pay the more into it; but what think you if the +fellow should be found to have stopped some money _in its way_ to the +treasury, instead of taking it out of the bag after it got there? + +_Bragwell._ Guilty, Mr. Worthy; it is all the same, in my opinion. If I +was a juryman, I should say, Guilty, death. + +_Worthy._ Hark ye, Mr. Bragwell, he that deals in smuggled brandy is the +man who takes to himself the king's money in its way to the treasury, +and he as much robs the government, as if he dipped his hands into a bag +of guineas in the treasury-chamber. It comes to the same thing exactly." + +From the Cheap Repository Tract, called "The Two Wealthy Farmers:"--a +story, which, while it abounds in most useful moral and religious +instruction, displays an insight into human nature, a talent for lively +description, and a turn for quiet humour, which have seldom been +surpassed.] + +"Well; but you can't say that we defraud the revenue, when we buy silks, +or gloves, or lace, upon which we _can_ pay no duty, even if we wished +it!" + +"These articles are absolutely prohibited by law, and you break the laws +by purchasing them." + +"But if the English can't make these things so well as the French, I +don't see why I am obliged to buy inferior articles when I can get +better--I am sure that I have heard you say yourself, that all matters +of trade and manufacture should be suffered to find their own level, +with as few restrictions as possible." + +"This doctrine may be generally true; but there are many circumstances +of a local or of a temporary nature, which may make restrictions +expedient. However, you and I Emily are not _legislators_. _Our_ +business is to obey the laws of our country, even if they should happen +to be not quite consistent with our own notions of political +[oe]conomy.--But I must just add one or two observations upon the +articles which you ladies are the most fond of smuggling. The +prohibition of French and Italian silks was intended for the +encouragement of our home manufacturers; especially the silk weavers in +Spitalfields. You have often heard of the distress and poverty of those +poor people. By buying foreign silk in preference to British, you, to a +certain degree, add to that distress, and rob them of the encouragement, +which they are entitled to by law. Of late, I believe, that branch of +our manufactures has been in a flourishing state, and that the silk +weavers are not only fully employed, but that they manufacture silks +quite equal to those from abroad. If so, the ladies who smuggle them +have no inducement but the pleasure of doing what is forbidden. The +French and Italians you know, have advantages in the production of the +raw material, which we have not; and it seems reasonable to give our own +countrymen some protection to countervail those advantages.--So again +with respect to gloves, and lace. One of the principal difficulties +which in these times we have to contend with, is the difficulty of +finding employment for our overflowing population. Glove-making and +lace-making furnish employment for our poor women; employment the more +desirable, inasmuch as they follow it at their own homes. If you knew +how eagerly multitudes of your own sex catch at any employment, by which +they can earn but a few shillings a week, both your patriotism and your +benevolence would render you unwilling to deprive them of it. For you, +Emily, with your warm and affectionate heart, are not one of those who +would annihilate all distinctions of kindred and country, in a vague +idea of universal benevolence. + +"But, after all," continued the Admiral, "perhaps my principal objection +to your smuggling is the encouragement, which you thereby give to the +poor fellows, who follow this dangerous and illegal occupation. The +habit of living in constant opposition to the laws is not only criminal +in itself, but has a most injurious effect upon the whole of a man's +character. I have just given you credit for some feelings of patriotism, +but you know that these feelings seldom exist in the breast of a +smuggler. We have Buonaparte's testimony, that, during the war, they +were constantly employed in traitorously giving intelligence to the +enemy; and in assisting the escape of the French prisoners of war. This +is bad enough; but we all know how frequently they are guilty of crimes +of a still higher description, of the dreadful crime of murder itself. +And are you lady-smugglers quite sure that you are clear of all +participation in this accumulated guilt? The receiver of stolen goods is +deemed by the law the accessary of the thief: and is not the purchaser +of smuggled goods in some degree an accessary of the smugglers? Besides, +if you knew the distress and misery which smuggling often occasions to +the families of those engaged in it, you could not, I think, encourage +it." + +The sisters felt the force of this latter argument more deeply than +their father was aware of. They were both silent. At length Emily said, +"Come, cousin Henry, cannot you put in a word to help us?" + +"To help you?" replied he; "no indeed:" and then added gravely, "But I +am sure, that my dear cousins will not continue smuggling, while I and +my brave fellows are daily hazarding our lives for its prevention." + +Emily looked down, while her face and neck became scarlet, and a long +pause ensued. The Admiral felt that enough had been said, and was +endeavouring to change the conversation to some other subject, when a +servant opened the door, and said to Henry, "You are wanted, if you +please, Sir." + +He went out, and returning in a few minutes, said to his uncle, "I must +be off directly. A large smuggling lugger has been for some time +hovering off the coast, and we have reason to believe, that they mean +to land their cargo to-night in Romney Marsh, in spite of us. One of my +brother officers has sent me word, that a number of men from a +considerable distance inland are getting together with their led horses, +and that he apprehends that they will muster one or two hundred. We, of +course, must join forces to be a match for them; so good night." + +He affectionately shook hands with the Admiral and the two sisters, and +went out. The door had hardly closed, when he came back, and a second +time, taking Emily's hand, said, "You are not angry with me for what I +said?" "Angry, oh no!" He pressed her hand in his, and disappeared. + +In less than five minutes, he was in his boat. Two of his men waited on +the beach to shove him off, and then jumping in, they pulled stoutly to +the westward. The moon shone brightly, the water sparkled on their oars, +and the clean white sides of the boat were reflected brilliantly on the +waves. + +They had passed Hithe, and were nearly off Dimchurch, when they saw the +lugger at some distance from them getting under weigh. By the assistance +of her sweeps, and that of a favourable breeze which had just sprung +up, she was soon out of sight. Five boats had just completed their +second trip, and were beginning to land the remainder of her cargo. + +The beach presented an animated scene of activity and bustle. Several +horsemen, each with one or more led horses, were gallopping down the +beach, making the pebbles fly around them in all directions. One of +their light carts was disappearing behind the mound of earth, which at +high water forms a sort of barrier against the sea; a second was +labouring up the steep bank of shingles; and two others were just +quitting the water's edge. A considerable number of men on foot, each +with a tub slung at his back, were hurrying from the shore. The men in +the boats were clearing them of the remainder of their cargo as fast as +possible; while others were loading with tubs the horses which had just +reached them. + +At some distance to the right, Lieutenant Stanwick, to his surprise and +indignation, discovered a pretty strong party of king's men in a state +of inaction, and apparently uncertain what to do. The fact was, that the +smugglers had posted behind the sea bank, which served as a breastwork, +two strong parties of sixty or seventy men each, one on each side of the +passage leading to the sea. These parties, being well provided with +fire-arms, rendered any attempt to approach the carrying party extremely +hazardous. Stanwick made his men pull right for the shore; but the +moment the boat touched the ground, they were received with a volley of +musketry, discharged by an invisible enemy. The balls whistled over +their heads, but from the lowness of their position not a man was +touched. + +They immediately leaped on shore, and advanced rapidly towards the spot +from which the fire proceeded. A second volley more destructive than the +first arrested their progress. Three of their number fell; one killed on +the spot, and two dangerously wounded. Stanwick himself received a +bullet in his left arm, which shattered the bone a little above the +elbow. + +The men for a moment hesitated, and seemed almost disposed to retreat. +Their commander, however, having contrived to support his arm in the +breast of his jacket, again pressed forward, calling to his men, "Come, +my lads, don't let us be beat by a parcel of smugglers!" At the same +moment they were joined by the other party of seamen, and both uniting +together, soon came to close quarters with the motley, but resolute, +band of men, who were opposed to them. + +The vigour of their attack made the smugglers give ground; but as they +were almost immediately supported by the party from the other side of +the road, the combat was renewed. The seamen fought with the most +determined gallantry, but were so greatly outnumbered, that they were in +some danger of being overpowered, when they heard the trampling of +horses rapidly approaching, and saw the glittering of arms in the +moon-light. The alarm had been given at the barracks, and a troop of +dragoons had been immediately ordered out, who had been directed by the +firing to the scene of action. The smugglers, who, by this time, had +nearly secured the whole of their cargo, commenced a hasty retreat, +leaving three of their number killed. + +For a short distance, they kept the public road; then turning suddenly +to the right, crossed a broad ditch by means of a light wooden bridge, +or pontoon, which was ready prepared for that purpose; and continued +their flight across the marsh. The cavalry came up in time to make +prisoners of two of the gang, who having been slightly wounded, had not +kept up with the rest: but they found the bridge removed. + +The three foremost of the dragoons, without hesitation, spurred their +horses at the ditch. One of them swerved to the left; another came +against the opposite bank and fell back upon his rider, who extricated +himself with difficulty from his perilous situation. The third leaped +short, and came into the ditch on his legs: he floundered on for a short +way in the mud, the dragoon preserving his seat as steadily as if he had +been on parade, until a low place in the bank enabled him to scramble +back to his companions. The moon was now setting, and farther pursuit +appeared to be not only useless, but dangerous. + +The excitement occasioned by the short but vigorous conflict having +ceased, Henry Stanwick found his strength beginning to fail. Exhausted +by pain and fatigue, and faint from the loss of blood, he sunk down on +the sea bank. One of his men, however, quickly contrived to tap one of +the kegs, which had been dropped in the confusion, and gave him a small +quantity of brandy, by which he was a good deal revived. As his men were +anxiously proffering assistance, "Never mind me," said he, "I am only +hurt in the arm, and shall do well enough; but there's a poor fellow +there, who stands much more in need of assistance than I do." At the +same time, he pointed to a man in a seaman's jacket, who was lying on +the ground at a short distance from him. His hat was off, he had +received a severe gash in the forehead, and a pistol ball had passed +through the upper part of his body near the right shoulder. An old +musket which appeared to have been recently discharged, and the stock of +which was broken, was lying near him. When Stanwick's men approached +him, he was hardly able to articulate. They, however, made out, that he +wished to be conveyed to Folkestone. + +They accordingly carried him carefully down the beach, and placed him in +the boat, in the easiest posture they could. Henry Stanwick was able to +get on board without much assistance. + +They rowed slowly back to Sandgate, and having landed their Lieutenant, +proceeded on to Folkestone. + +It was not without difficulty that the wounded man was lifted from the +boat; and then, some of his brother townsmen having taken a door off the +hinges, and gently laid him on it, set off with slow and heavy steps +towards his house. As Waldron had told his wife not to expect him till +the next day, she had gone to bed, and was quietly asleep with her +children. Hannah Reeves, a poor woman who lived near the pier, had +kindly gone forward to prepare Mary for what she had to go through, and +knocked gently at her door. She started up in her bed immediately, for +the anxious state in which she had been living had accustomed her to +awake at the slightest noise. Having put on a few clothes, and struck a +light, she hurried down stairs. In the countenance and manner of her +kind-hearted neighbour, she immediately saw that she had some sad +intelligence to communicate; but when she heard that her husband had +been brought to Folkestone severely wounded, her eyes grew dizzy, her +head swam, and she would have fallen to the ground had not Hannah +supported her. + +It was no time, however, for giving way to grief, and, by a strong +effort, she almost immediately roused herself. Understanding that there +might be some difficulty in getting her husband up the narrow winding +staircase, she set to work, with the assistance of Hannah Reeves, to +bring the matress on which she slept into a little back room, the floor +of which was boarded. She made it as comfortable as she could, and had +hardly completed her preparations, when the heavy tread of a number of +men was heard approaching the door. Mary was unable to speak, but +silently assisted in placing her unhappy husband on the bed, that she +had got ready for him. The rough weather-beaten countenances of the men +who had brought him, were softened to an expression of mournful +sympathy; the eyes of several of them were filled with tears. As soon as +they found they could be of no farther use, they quietly withdrew. + +Waldron had hardly shewn any signs of life, excepting by uttering now +and then a deep and heavy groan: but when the men were gone, he +contrived to raise himself a little in the bed; and taking the hand of +his wife, who was hanging over him in speechless agony, said in a voice, +almost inarticulate from weakness and emotion, "Oh! Mary, why did I not +listen to your advice! I might have earned my bread in an honest way, +and been happy with you and the children; but I listened to the +persuasion of evil men, and now, smuggling has brought me to this." He +would have said more, but the effort which he had made was too much for +him--he sank down on the bed, and after one or two deep but feeble +groans, expired. + +Mary did not immediately perceive what had happened; but when the +dreadful reality burst upon her, the shock was too powerful for her +frame, exhausted as it was by anxiety and grief. While there was an +immediate call for exertion--while there was any thing to be done for +her husband--the exertion had roused and supported her. That support was +now at an end, and she fell senseless on the floor. + +Hannah Reeves was up stairs with the children, one of them having begun +to cry, and she had succeeded in quieting and lulling it asleep. Upon +returning to the back room, she found Mary Waldron extended motionless +by the side of her husband. Gently raising her up, she endeavoured to +restore her to herself by throwing cold water in her face, applying +burnt feathers to her nostrils, and making use of such other remedies, +as either she, or two or three neighbours, who had come in to her +assistance, could think of. For a long time their endeavours were +ineffectual. At length a slight convulsive tremor seemed to pass over +her. Her lips, which had been deadly pale, began to assume something of +their natural colour, and after one or two deep and long drawn sighs, +she appeared to breathe with some degree of freedom. The first care of +her kind attentive neighbours was, to remove her from the sad object +which was stretched out by her side. With difficulty they got her up +stairs, and undressing her, laid her in the same bed with her children. + +Hannah Reeves was anxiously watching over her, when she opened her eyes, +and said in a faint voice, "What, is it you, Hannah? What brings you +here so early in the morning? But I suppose it is time for me to think +of getting up.--Oh! Hannah, I have had such a dreadful dream! But it is +all over now, I am so glad that you woke me." And then after a little +pause, added, "How soon do you think James will be home again? He told +me that he should come back before night." Poor Hannah turned away her +head, and seemed to busy herself in another part of the room, and Mary +again fell into an unquiet slumber. + +Henry Stanwick had been landed near the castle at Sandgate, supported by +one of his men, he was slowly ascending the beach, when he was met by +the Admiral muffled up in a sea cloak. He had heard of the engagement +with the smugglers, and of his nephew's wounds. "Come along, Harry, with +me," said he, "we must nurse you at my house. I have no doubt that you +would be taken very good care of here: but still there are some little +comforts, which perhaps can be furnished better at a private house; and +we must allow that the women understand these matters better than we +do." Henry yielded to his uncle's persuasions. He found his two cousins +ready to receive him, with looks expressive of tender affection, mixed +with deep anxiety. They had been busily occupied in preparing his room. +As the surgeon was expected every moment, they were fearful of altering +the position of the wounded arm until his arrival. + +In the interval Lieutenant Stanwick, though suffering a good deal of +pain, shortly mentioned a few particulars of the conflict; adding, "I +cannot help longing to hear what becomes of the poor fellow, that we +brought away in our boat. He wished to be carried to Folkestone, and +"--"To Folkestone!" exclaimed Emily, "I hope it is not poor Mary's +husband!" "He did not mention his name," said Henry; "indeed he could +hardly speak at all, but he was a remarkably well-made active looking +fellow, and I was vexed to my heart at his having engaged in such a +service." The sisters could not help having some misgivings, but they +had a nearer cause for anxiety in the severe wound of a relation so +deservedly dear to them. + +When the surgeon arrived, he found the bone of the arm so much injured, +that immediate amputation was necessary. The operation was successfully +performed, but was followed by a considerable degree of fever, during +which the two sisters nursed him with unremitting assiduity. + +The fourth day after the amputation Henry seemed much better, and both +he and the Admiral begged them not to continue to keep themselves such +close prisoners, but to resume their usual exercise. They were the more +ready to comply, as they were very anxious to go themselves to +Folkestone, to enquire after Mary Waldron. They found out the house; but +upon approaching it, observed a degree of bustle, and saw several men in +sailors' jackets--most of them with some symbol of mourning about their +dress--issuing from the door. Presently the coffin was brought out; the +men raised it on their shoulders; the black pall was thrown over it; and +with measured steps they moved towards the church-yard, while the solemn +toll of the bell, being heard at shorter intervals, announced the near +approach of the corpse to its last mansion. + +The sisters waited at some little distance, till the melancholy +procession had passed on; and then going up to the door of one of the +neighbouring cottages, enquired with feelings of deep interest after +poor Mary. + +She, they found, was perfectly insensible to all that was passing. The +morning after her husband had been brought home, she for sometime +appeared to retain no trace of what had happened. The circumstance of +her being not in her own bed, and the manner of Hannah Reeves, who was +unable to control her feelings, by degrees brought back to her +recollection the dreadful calamity which had befallen her. She uttered +one piercing cry of woe, and then a deadly stupor took possession of her +whole frame. From this she had at last been roused, but it was succeeded +by a wild delirium, and a burning fever, which no skill or attention had +been able in the slightest degree to mitigate. + +The sisters went to this house of mourning. The children had been +removed to the cottage of a neighbour, but Hannah Reeves came down to +them. She had hardly ever quitted the bedside of the sufferer, and +attended her with that watchful kindness, which the poor so often shew +to each other when in distress. The Miss Mowbrays begged Hannah to let +nothing be omitted which might contribute to the recovery of poor Mary, +at the same time mentioning their intention to take every expense upon +themselves. They did not know Hannah, but there was something in her +manner which told them that any hint of remuneration to her would be +misplaced. + +Upon their return to Sandgate they found sitting with the Admiral the +captain of the troop of dragoons, which had come to the assistance of +the seamen. From him they understood, that of the two smugglers who had +been taken, one was a Folkestone man of the name of Spraggon, a man of +notoriously bad character, and who had behaved in the engagement with +the king's men with a boldness bordering on ferocity. The other prisoner +was a labourer belonging to a village just above the marsh, who had long +been in the practice of assisting in running smuggled goods. He received +high pay--five, eight, ten shillings a night--sometimes even more. Money +obtained by breaking the laws seldom does a man any good. And, in fact, +when he came to deduct the sum which he might have earned by more +creditable work--for a man who had been out all night could not work +the day following--and also the money which went in drink and other +expenses--it was generally found that little came home to his family. +His earnings of all descriptions, however, were now put an end to. He +and Spraggon were convicted at the next assizes of the murder of the +seaman; and two days after were executed. + +It was long before Mary Waldron shewed any signs of returning health. +The fever, however, gradually gave way, but it left her in a state of +the most deplorable weakness. Emily and Caroline called at the house +very frequently during the whole progress of her illness, supplying +abundantly whatever they thought likely to contribute to her recovery, +or to her comfort in her present state of suffering. But from the time +that her reason and recollection began to return, their walks to +Folkestone became almost daily. In the gentlest and kindest manner they +said and did all they could, to comfort her, and to assist in directing +her thoughts to the only unfailing source of consolation--to that Being, +who invites the widow to trust in him, and promises to protect and +provide for the fatherless children. + +From such considerations as these, and from that aid which was granted +from above in answer to her humble and fervent supplication, Mary +recovered a degree of calm composure almost sooner than the sisters had +anticipated. + +Once, when speaking of her future means of subsistence, they hinted the +idea of making up, with the assistance of their friends, an annual sum, +which would be sufficient to keep her from want. But Mary would not hear +of this. "If it please God," said she, "to restore me to health, I have +no doubt, but that by taking in washing and needle work, I shall be able +to get bread for myself and my poor children; and as long as I am able +to work for myself, I could not bear to be a burden to any one." "But it +would be no _burden_ to _us_ at all," said Emily. "Of that," replied +Mary, "I am well assured, from the kindness, which you have already +shewn me; but I feel that I could not be so happy if I depended for my +livelihood, under Providence, upon any one but myself." + +In their walks to Folkestone they were often accompanied by their cousin +Harry, who in consequence of his wound had been relieved from the +painful service in which he had been employed, and appointed first +lieutenant to a frigate, which was destined to the Mediterranean, but +was not to sail for some months. + +One day, as they were approaching Mary's house, the two little children +came running out, with much glee and animation in their eyes, to thank +them for their nice new frocks. The sisters knew not what they meant. +Upon entering the house, Mary expressed her acknowledgments for what +they had sent the children, as well as for the gown and other clothing +which she had received herself. They looked surprised, and said that +they had sent nothing. The colour of Henry's face soon told Mary who had +been her benefactor. + +In their walk they had passed by Mrs. Hawker's shop, and found the +windows shut up. They asked Mary the meaning of this. She told them, +that some time before, the officers had made a large seizure of smuggled +goods in her house, and had sued her for the penalties, which amounted +to so large a sum, that she was utterly ruined. + +It is hardly necessary to say, that the Miss Mowbrays had never visited +her house since their purchase of the silks. The many crimes and +calamities which a single day had witnessed, had given them a sufficient +lesson upon the evils of engaging in illicit traffic; and neither the +stump of Henry Stanwick's arm, nor the sight of the widowed Mary and her +fatherless children, were needed to make them resolve, that they would +never again be guilty of _smuggling_. + + + GOOD-NATURE, + + OR + + PARISH MATTERS. + + + + +[Illustration] + +GOOD-NATURE, + +OR + +PARISH MATTERS. + +Mr. Stanley had just reached the last stile in the footpath leading to +Inglewood parsonage, when his progress was for a moment interrupted by +two persons, who were talking so earnestly, that they did not see him. + +One of them was a short fat man, in the dress of a farmer. His round and +rosy face seemed to be full of good cheer and good humour; but bore no +great signs of intelligence. He was speaking to an untidy looking woman, +whose manner was expressive of a sort of low familiarity, not however +unmixed with symptoms of servility and cringing. + +"Never mind, Nanny," said the farmer, "never mind--neighbour Oldacre is, +I must needs say, a little hard upon the poor--but never mind; I shall +take to the books in a fortnight's time, and then things will be +better." "But you know, master," said the woman, "if you could but +manage that little job for us, we should hardly trouble the parish at +all." "Well, I'll do what I can," answered the farmer; "my being a +parish-officer, will help." The woman was going to reply, but happening +to see Mr. Stanley, she drew back from the stile, and allowed him to +pass on. + +Trifling as the occurrence was, Mr. Stanley happened to mention it to +his friend at the parsonage, as they were sitting together after dinner. +Upon his describing the figure and face of the farmer, "Yes," said Mr. +Hooker, with a smile, "that must have been my parishioner, Farmer +Barton. He is, as you describe him, a good-humoured looking fellow, and +it has always been the height of his ambition to be reckoned a +_good-natured_ man." + +"I cannot much blame him for that," replied Stanley; "_good-nature_ is a +most amiable quality, and I heartily wish there was more of it in the +world than there is." + +"In that wish I cordially agree with you," said Mr. Hooker; "if by +_good-nature_ you mean a genuine spirit of kindness or Christian +benevolence, which prompts a man to do whatever good he can to the +bodies and souls of all within his reach. The _good-nature_, however, of +Farmer Barton is not exactly of this description. It springs from a love +of low popularity, from a wish to gain by whatever means the good will +and good word of all descriptions of people. This wish leads him to +assent to whatever is said, and to accede to almost every request, +unless it immediately touches his pocket. To that indeed his +_good-nature_ does not always extend. In his fear of being thought +_ill-natured_, he very often loses sight of duty, and his dread of +offending or of contradicting those who happen to be _present_, makes +him not unfrequently forget what is due to those who are _absent_." + +The conversation was interrupted by the entrance of the servant, who +came to tell his master that Farmer Barton wished to speak with him. +"Pray shew him in," said Mr. Hooker; "but I am unable to guess what his +business can be." + +The farmer came in, and, upon Mr. Hooker's asking him what he wanted, +replied, "Why, it is only to get you to put your hand to this bit of +paper." "Let us look at it," said Mr. Hooker; and then casting his eye +over it, added, "This I see is an application to the magistrates, to set +up a new public house in the village, and a recommendation of Robert +Fowler as a fit man to keep it." "Yes, Sir," replied the farmer; "poor +Bob since he got the hurt in his arm has never been able to do the work +of another man, and he and Nanny have begged me and some of the +neighbours to help him to set up a public house, as a means of keeping +him off the parish." + +"And do you, Farmer Barton, honestly think," said Mr. Hooker, "that we +_want_ a public house here? You know that there is hardly any +thoroughfare through the village; and even if there was, we are but two +miles from a market town, where there are inns and ale-houses in +abundance." + +"Why I can't say there is any particular want of it," said Barton. "But +Fowler's family is likely to be a heavy burden to the parish." + +"The parish, I am satisfied," rejoined Mr. Hooker, "would be no gainer +in the end. Don't you suppose that many of the labouring men would +often, after their day's work, go to the ale-house, instead of going +home; and spend there, some part of the money which ought to find food +and clothes for their wives and families? A country ale-house is too +often found to be attended with raggedness and hunger in the women and +children; and I know that this is the opinion of the poor women +themselves. Besides, don't you remember, what drunkenness and +quarrelling we used to have before Tomkins's house was put down?" + +"Why, I must say, that the men have been more quiet and sober of late." + +"As clergyman of this parish," said Mr. Hooker, "I shall never assist in +setting forward a measure, which I think would be hurtful to my +parishioners: and I must own, that I am surprised to see that so many +sensible and respectable men have signed their names to this +recommendation." + +"Why a man don't like to seem _ill-natured_," said the farmer. + +"We must not," replied Mr. Hooker, "for the sake of assisting one man +or one family, do that which would be prejudicial to the whole parish. +And besides, I thought that Fowler was one of the most drunken, idle +fellows in the village." + +"Why to be sure," said the farmer, "he does like drink better than +work." + +"And yet you and your brother farmers are here ready to certify that he +is of good fame, sober life and conversation, and a fit and proper +person to be intrusted with a licence! Do you not see that you have all +set your hands to a direct falsehood?" + +Barton looked foolish, but added, "Why one don't like to refuse such a +thing--and when others do it, it would look so _ill-natured_." + +"And so, for fear of being thought _ill-natured_, you can not only set +your name to a lie, but give a helping hand to a measure, which by your +own acknowledgment would be likely to increase the poverty as well as +the immorality of many of your poor neighbours. Indeed, indeed, Mr. +Barton, an English farmer ought to have had more manliness of character +than this comes to." + +"But then poor Bob is such a _good-tempered_ fellow; and besides, you +know, he is half disabled for work!" + +"Yes, he received his hurt in the very act of breaking the laws of the +land by poaching, and I do not think _that_ a reason for putting him in +a situation in some respects above that of the generality of cottagers." + +Farmer Barton found that he was not likely to succeed in the object of +his visit; and saying with a smile, "Well, Sir, I did not think you had +been so hard-hearted," quitted the room. + +"There! Stanley," said Mr. Hooker, "that's the way of the world. Most of +the men who have signed that certificate are, as times go, decent and +respectable men, and would, I doubt not, pretty much agree with me as to +the probability that both poverty and immorality would be increased by +the establishment of an ale-house in the village; but yet for the sake +of being _good-natured_ to an individual, they set forward a measure, +which they think will be generally pernicious; and set their hands to a +lie, rather than refuse an unreasonable request. Their _good-nature_, to +be sure, is not confined to Fowler as its only object. Some of them, +probably, wish to be _good-natured_ to a brother farmer, who is the +owner of the house; and some think that they shall do a kindness to the +brewer, who will supply it with beer." + +"But what," replied Stanley, "shall you do in this business?" + +"Why, I don't very well know," said Mr. Hooker. "You have been +acquainted with me long enough to be assured, that I would suffer my +hand to be cut off, rather than set it to a palpable falsehood;--and +that I would never take any _active_ step in assisting a measure which +in my opinion will be hurtful to my parishioners.--But perhaps something +of the same sort of weakness which I blame in others, may prevent me +from taking any _active_ measures _against_ it. I am not fond of going +into public, or of encountering the bustle of the justice-room.--Perhaps +I shall be _passive_, and try to quiet my own conscience by saying, that +things must take their course: that it is not for me to come forward in +opposition to the declared wish of most of the respectable part of my +parishioners." + +"But surely the magistrates will not set up a new public house without +the signature of the clergyman to the certificate?" + +"The new Act requires the signature _either_ of the clergyman, _or_ that +of the majority of the parish officers, together with four reputable and +substantial householders;--or that of eight respectable and substantial +householders. Fowler's certificate has all the parish officers but one, +and other names in abundance, and _good-nature_ will prevent any one +from saying that some of those names are neither respectable nor +substantial. The magistrates will see that the requirements of the Act +are complied with, and they will perhaps feel like me;--they will be +unwilling to incur the odium of opposing the wishes of all those +_respectable_ and _substantial_ personages, and thus _good-nature_ may +induce them to sign the licence." + +"At all events," said Stanley, "you will be able to keep Fowler in order +by the penalties of the new Act. The old system of absolutely forfeiting +the recognizance was too severe to be acted on." + +"Perhaps," said Mr. Hooker, "now and then, in some flagrant case, by +which some individual is _personally_ injured, these provisions may be +called into play. But how seldom do you hear--in the country at +least--of penalties being enforced from a sense of public duty? +_Good-nature_ is always against it; and the man who from the purest +motives endeavoured to enforce them, would be sure to have all the host +of the _good-natured_ arrayed against him." + +Two days after was the licensing day: the _good-natured_ Barton having +undertaken the patronage of Fowler's application, set out in good time +to advocate it at the justice-meeting. He had got about three quarters +of a mile from the village, in his way to Chippingden the market town, +when he was overtaken by Mr. Bentley, one of the magistrates. + +"You have a dreadful road here, Farmer Barton," said Mr. Bentley. "Who +is your surveyor?" + +"Why, I am at present," replied Barton, "and as we are a little behind +hand with the duty, I am afraid that I shall have to go on for another +year." + +"Then why do you suffer the road to continue in this state? The ruts are +so deep, that it really is hardly safe." + +"It is all occasioned by that high hedge," answered the farmer, "which +keeps off both sun and wind.--And besides, from there being no trunk or +tunnel in that gate-way, the water of the ditch is thrown into the road. +To be sure it _was_ pretty dirty in the winter, for all we buried so +many stones in it." "Then why was not the hedge cut, and a tunnel made +in the gateway to carry off the water?" said Mr. Bentley. + +"I did once give Farmer Dobson a hint about it," answered Barton, "but +he says, that the hedge is not above nine years' growth, and that he +shall have better poles by leaving it a few years longer." + +"But you know very well," replied the magistrate, "that your warrant +empowers you to require him to cut it, and if he refuses, to do it +yourself at his expence." + +"I know that well enough," said Barton, "but that would be so +_ill-natured_ and unneighbourly-neighbourly, that I could not bear to +think of it." + +"And so," rejoined Mr. Bentley, "the necks and limbs of his Majesty's +subjects are to be endangered, and the whole neighbourhood put to +inconvenience, for the credit of your _good-nature_? A man in a public +office, Mr. Barton, should always execute the duties of that office with +as much civility and kindness as possible; but he must never neglect his +public duty, for the sake of gratifying any private individual +whatever.--And look! what business has this dunghill here? your warrant +tells you that nothing should be laid within fifteen feet of the middle +of the road--and this dunghill is so close, that the road is ruined by +the moisture proceeding from it. And see how the farmer has cut the road +to pieces by drawing out his dung in the wet weather." + +"To be sure, what you say is true, but the field won't be ready for the +dung till the spring." + +"Another sacrifice of the interests of the public to private +convenience!--And here again--you'll think and call me a troublesome +fellow, Mr. Barton--but why do you suffer these heaps of stones to be so +forward in the road? They are absolutely dangerous." + +"Why the men who work on the road like to have them _handy_." + +"As they are paid by the day it can make no difference to them, and even +if it did, you must not endanger the safety of travellers from a +_good-natured_ wish to humour your workmen--I suppose the same reason +induces you to allow them to put in the stones without breaking them?" + +Barton acknowledged that it was. Mr. Bentley charged him again not to +let his _good-nature_ make him forget his duty to the public--"But," +added he laughing, "perhaps I must confess that it is some feeling of +the same sort, which keeps me from fining you five pounds, as I might +and ought to do, for these neglects of your duty as surveyor." + +They now reached the town, and happening to use the same inn, rode into +the yard together. Fowler and his wife, who were already there, augured +well from this circumstance--and Mr. Bentley was hardly off his horse, +when Nanny accosted him in a wheedling tone, with, "I hope, Sir, you'll +be so kind as to _stand our friend_ about this licence." + +"We shall see about that presently," said Mr. Bentley, as he walked off, +wishing to cut short applications of this nature till he got into the +justice-room. He found his way stopped, however, by two or three poor +women from the village near which he resided. "Well!" said he, "and +what brings you all to Chippingden?" + +"Why, Sir, we want a little of your kindness." + +"My _kindness_! why can you find none of my _kindness_ at home?" + +"O yes, Sir, you are always ready to assist a poor person yourself, but +we want you to _stand our friend_, and order us a little more relief +from the farmers." + +"That, my good woman, is quite a different story. As a magistrate I must +not be a _friend_ to any one person more than to another; but must +endeavour to act without favour or affection either to rich or poor. +With respect to parochial relief, our business is to consider, as well +as we are able, what the laws require and allow, and to act accordingly. +Poor people often apply to us in great distress, and the relief which we +can order seems but very little. If we listened to our own feelings, our +own _good-nature_ as you would call it, we should often be glad to order +much more, but we must not indulge such feelings at another man's +expense--we must not be _good-natured_ with other people's money." + +"But, Sir," said Betty Horseman, "I only wanted about a shilling a week +more, and I'm sure that can't hurt the farmers." + +"Whether it is much or little," said Mr. Bentley, "we cannot order more, +than the law, in our opinion, appears to require. Knowingly to order +more than that, is to rob those out of whose pockets the poor rates are +paid. You would not wish me, Betty, to help you in picking a man's +pocket." + +"But it is so little that I ask for," said Betty, still harping upon the +same string. + +"We may not pick a man's pocket of sixpence, any more than of a hundred +pounds. Your application shall be heard presently, Betty, and we will +give it the best attention we can. If we think that you ought to have +more, we will order it.--But you must remember, that if you have a +shilling a week more, every family in the like circumstances will expect +the same, which will make your shilling a week a pretty round sum. In +short, I am always glad as far as I can to help a poor person out of my +own pocket, but must consider well before I help him out of the pockets +of other people." + +Mr. Bentley now joined his brother magistrates in the justice-room. The +licensing business came on first; and the licences to the old +established houses having been renewed, the applications for _new_ +houses were taken into consideration. Fowler produced his certificate. + +"This certificate," said Mr. Hale the chairman, "has not the clergyman's +name; how happens that?" + +Farmer Barton was at Fowler's elbow, and immediately answered, "Mr. +Hooker has laid down a rule not to set his hand to an application of +this sort, and could not break through it--but I'm sure he has no +objection." + +"And besides," said one of the justices, "if my memory does not deceive +me, there was a man of that name in your parish who was a noted +poacher." + +"Why, I must confess," said the farmer, "that some time back the poor +man was led by distress to go out once or twice; but he has, long ago, +given it up, and is now quite an altered character.--When a man has seen +his fault, and turned over a new leaf, I am sure, gentlemen, that you +are too _good-natured_ to bring it up against him." + +The justices still hesitated; but Barton and two or three of the farmers +of the village represented to them that there always used to be a public +house; that it was in many respects inconvenient to be without one; and +that in this instance, it would give occupation and maintenance to a +poor family. At length the magistrates said, that in general they were +not disposed to increase the number of ale-houses, but that they would +give way to the declared wish of almost all the leading men in the +parish. In a case of doubt, they naturally leant to the side of +_good-nature_. Accordingly the licence was granted. + +Fowler was overjoyed at his success, and after making his +acknowledgments, set off, first to the carpenter, and then to the +painter, to give directions for a sign and its appendages. After these +matters of business, he could not think of returning without drinking +the health of the magistrates at the Red Lion. + +Several friends dropped in to congratulate him; and when he thought +about going home, he was not quite able to walk straight. The butcher's +boy, who had made one of the party at the Red Lion, offered to give him +a lift in his cart. They set off in high glee, and the exalted state of +their spirits induced them to urge on the horse. Though the night was +dark and the horse sometimes swerved to one side of the road and +sometimes to the other, yet the light colour of the road served for a +guide, and they felt that as long as they kept to that they were safe. +They were mistaken, however. They were within a mile of Inglewood, and +had got the horse almost into a gallop, when all at once the wheel came +upon one of the heaps of stones, which had been shot down in the +_quartering_, and the cart was overturned. Peter, the butcher's boy, +called out that he was killed; but having got up and shaken himself, and +found that he had received no sort of injury, he burst into a loud fit +of laughter. + +Poor Fowler, however, lay groaning in the road, unable to stir. He was +severely bruised, and both the bones of his right leg were broken. Peter +scratched his head, and was quite at a loss what to do, when luckily +Farmer Barton and one of his neighbours came to the spot, in their way +back from market. They extricated the horse, which, having put his foot +in the deep rut, had fallen with the cart, and then raised the cart +without difficulty. It was not, however, so easy a matter to get Fowler +into it. He cried out from pain every time that they took hold of him, +and sometimes begged that they would leave him to die where he was. At +last, however, they succeeded, and at a slow pace he was conveyed to his +humble cottage, which was soon to assume the dignity and importance of a +public house. + +His wife helped to get him to bed, though not without reproaching him +with some asperity for staying so long at the Red Lion after he had sent +her home. Having taken as much care of him, as in her opinion he +deserved, she hastened down stairs to comfort herself with some tea, of +which two or three of her neighbours, who had been brought to the house +by the tidings of the accident, were invited to partake. The condolences +and lamentations were soon over, and they fell into the usual train of +village gossip. The hardness of the times, of course, was one of the +topics of conversation. "Well, Hannah," said one of the party, "and +what did you get from the justices?" + +"Oh! there's no use in a poor person's going to them," said Hannah, +"they're all for the farmers?" + +"I wonder to hear you say that," said Nanny, who was naturally disposed +to be in good humour with the magistrates, who had just granted a +licence to her husband; "I wonder to hear you say that, for as I was +going out of the room, I fell in with two or three overseers, who were +saying just the contrary. They were complaining that the justices were +ready to hear all the idle stories of the poor about wanting relief, and +that they were much too apt to order some little addition. In fact, they +said, that they were all in favour of the poor; and the farmers could +not stand it." + +"If the poor complain that they were in favour of the farmers, and the +farmers that they favoured the poor," said an old man sitting in the +chimney corner, "I dare say they pretty nearly did the thing that was +right between both parties." + +"Well," said Hannah, "if I was a justice, I could'nt bear that the poor +should think me _ill-natured_. Be it how it would, I'd take care to have +_their_ good word, even if I did now and then order a trifle more than +was quite right." + +"What should you say, Hannah," said the same old man, "of a justice who +acted contrary to law for the sake of a sum of money?" + +"What! a bribe! Why I'd have him turned out before he was a day older." + +"And is not acting contrary to law for the sake of any one's good will, +or good word, pretty much the same as doing so for a bribe? A magistrate +is sworn to do justice, according to law, to the best of his knowledge." + +All the women, however, consoled themselves with the near approach of +the time, when the poor would have to apply for their weekly allowances +to Farmer Barton instead of Farmer Oldacre; it being the custom of the +parish that the overseers should divide the year between them, each +taking the trouble of the office for six months. + +"Yes, indeed," said Hannah Bolt, "it will be a happy day for us poor +creatures, when Mr. Barton takes the books;--Farmer Oldacre was always +a hard man to the poor." + +"Farmer Oldacre a hard man to the poor!" said old John Truman, who came +in at the moment from the sick man's room--"Farmer Oldacre a hard man to +the poor! I'm sure you're an ungrateful woman for saying so; as I should +be an ungrateful man, if I allowed you to say it without taking you to +task.--I've worked for him now these seventeen years, and a better or a +kinder master cannot be. Did'nt I see you, Hannah, day after day, when +your little boy was ill, going to his house, sometimes for a little +milk, sometimes for a little made wine, and did he ever refuse you? did +he ever refuse _any_ poor person, who was really in want, any thing that +he was able to give?" + +"I can't say but that he's ready enough to help a poor body with any +thing he has himself; but then if one asks him for a little more parish +relief, he's so terrible particular, and asks so many questions, that +it's quite unpleasant, and perhaps we can get nothing after all." + +"In short," said John, "you mean to say that he is liberal and kind in +giving from his own pocket, but careful and cautious how he makes free +with the pockets of other people. And then again--who employs so many +men as Farmer Oldacre? I'm sure I have often known him in the winter try +to find out jobs for the sake of keeping the men at work; and after all +I believe, that he feels the change of times as much as any man, and +that he and his family allow themselves little beyond bare necessaries. +And even with respect to parish relief, I believe that the _old_ men and +women, who are really past work, are better off when Farmer Oldacre has +the books, than at any other time." + +"But then," answered Hannah, "Farmer Barton is so _good-natured_ when we +go to him. He says that a shilling or two cannot signify to the farmers, +and is not worth thinking about." + +"I believe it would be better for all parties," replied Truman, "if the +able-bodied poor thought less of running to the parish, and more of +depending, under God's blessing, on themselves. When I was young, a man +would have been ashamed of begging for parish relief. Indeed, the law +was, that those who were relieved were to be marked by a badge. I know +that I contrived to bring up a family of seven children without being +beholden to any body. For a few years it was certainly hard work, but +God helped us on." + +"But wages," said Nanny Fowler, "were better in those days." + +"Compared with what they would buy, perhaps they were, but their being +low now is, I take it, partly owing to the poor rates." + +"Why how can you make that out?" cried the whole party. + +"In the first place, can you tell me, why wheat is so cheap just at +present? It was, you know, ten shillings the bushel, and indeed +sometimes a great deal more--it is now less than five." + +"Why it's cheap to be sure, because there is such plenty of it." + +"And is it not the over-plenty of labourers, that makes labour cheap? I +remember this village when there were not more than fifty labourers' +families, each with a cottage to itself; now there are upwards of eighty +families, and sometimes two crammed together in one house. I have read +in the newspapers, that the people throughout England have increased in +the last twenty years thirty-two in every hundred--that is, where there +were but ten, there are now more than thirteen." + +"But what has that to do with the poor rates?" + +"Why do not you think that the poor rates are an encouragement to early +marriages?" + +"And what then," said Hannah; "did not the Almighty say, _Increase and +multiply_?" + +"The command to _increase and multiply and replenish the earth_, was +given--_first_, when there were upon the face of the whole earth no men +and women at all, excepting the first pair: and _again_, when all +mankind had been destroyed, with the exception of the family of Noah. +The world was pretty well empty of inhabitants then, and wanted +_replenishing_. But the case is different in an old inhabited country, +which is already so _replenished_--so full and over-full--that the +people stand in each other's way." + +"But surely, John, you are not for preventing marriages?" + +"Heaven forbid!" said the old man, wiping a tear of thankfulness from +his eye; "Heaven forbid! It is to marriage that I owe the greater part +of the happiness that I have enjoyed in this life; and marriage, I +trust, has assisted in preparing me, through divine grace and the merits +of my Redeemer, for happiness in the life to come. I know too who it is +that has said, _Marriage is honourable in all_.--No, no, I am no enemy +to marriage, I am its warmest friend. But then, as the Prayer-Book tells +us, there are _two_ ways of engaging in marriage. Men may either enter +upon it _reverently_, _discreetly_, _advisedly_, and _in the fear of +God_; or else they may engage in it _inadvisedly_, _lightly_, and +_wantonly_, '_like brute beasts that have no understanding_.' I am +afraid that now-a-days young people are more apt to engage in marriage +after the latter manner, than after the former. When I was young, men +generally did not like to marry--I'm sure I did not--till they had +secured a bit of a cottage to put a wife in, and a few articles of +furniture, and perhaps a few pounds to begin the world with. Now boys +and girls marry without thought and reflection, without sixpence +beforehand, and trust to the parish for every thing--house, goods, +clothes, and the maintenance of their children. As for the parish +finding houses for all that wish to marry, it's what can't be +done.--No, no, I don't want to prevent their marrying, I only want them +to wait a very few years, that they may have a better chance of +happiness when they marry. We all know, that _when want comes in at the +door, love is very apt to fly out at the window_; and parish pay is but +a poor dependence after all. + +"And why should they not wait? Those, who are better off in the world, +are for the most part forced to wait a good number of years. The sons of +the farmers, of the tradesmen, and of the gentlemen, generally wait, I +think, till they are nearer thirty than five and twenty. Look at Squire +Bentley's family: there's his eldest son that is the counsellor, who, as +they say, has been for some years engaged to one of Mr. Hale's +daughters; he is now, I take it, upwards of thirty, but he waits till +they have a better chance of maintaining a family. There's his second +son, who is to be a physician; and the third in the army; both I dare +say would be glad enough to marry, if they could marry with any sort of +prudence.--It is because the poor think that the parish must find every +thing, that they marry without thought or care; and then the numbers of +the people increase till there are more hands than work; and that makes +wages so low. + +"There's another way in which the poor rates keep down the price of +labour. A man is out of work. He goes round to the farmers; but they all +say that they don't want him: they have hands more than enough already. +He then goes to the overseer for employment.--Now the parish--if bound +by law to find work for him at all, about which there seems to be some +doubt--is only bound to pay him enough to keep him from starving, and +for that may require a full day's work. The farmers of course know this; +and as in these times it is natural for them to wish to get hands at as +low a rate as possible, one of them tells this man that he will give him +a trifle more than the parish, though still a _mere trifle_, and turns +off one of his regular workmen to make way for him; and so it may go on, +till all are brought down to the same low key.--Or perhaps the farmers +will pay all the labourers, either in whole, or in part, out of the poor +rates. This I take to be a very bad plan for the farmers in the end; for +as men will seldom do more work than they are paid for, the work will +not be done so well or so cheerfully; and besides, it sadly breaks the +spirit of the labourers. In short, I wish, as I said before, that the +poor depended less upon parish pay, and more upon themselves." + +"But, John," said Hannah, "you are not for knocking up the poor laws +altogether?" + +"By no means," answered John: "I am in one sense a poor man myself; and +I am glad that there is such a provision for those, who can do nothing +for themselves, and for those who are thrown back by a severe sickness, +or by some accident. For myself, I hope that, by the blessing of God, I +shall never be forced to stoop to ask for parish relief. As my wife and +I contrived to bring up a family without any help from an overseer, so +when our children were old enough to get out, and take care of +themselves, we began to think of putting by a trifle against old age. +The savings bank notion has given us a lift, and I think that I have +that there, which will keep me from being a burden to any one. As times +are now, a man with a large family can't help going to the parish, and +no one can blame him for it--I only wish that times were such as to +enable him, with industry and prudence, to look for maintenance to no +one but himself and God Almighty." + +By the time that old Truman had finished this _dissertation_ on the poor +laws, the surgeon had arrived. He examined Fowler's leg, and found the +fracture to be as bad a one as well could be. It was attended too with a +considerable degree of fever, which was increased by the heated state of +the blood, occasioned by excessive drinking. + +The next day he was delirious, and the fever had increased so much, that +but slight hopes were entertained of his recovery. He remained for some +days in this state, hanging between life and death, till at length the +fever abated. The delirium too was at an end; but it left him in a state +of the most deplorable weakness. + +Nanny Fowler never had bestowed one serious thought upon a future life; +but some of her neighbours told her, that with her husband in such a +dangerous condition, she ought to desire the parson to come and see him. +This she accordingly did. + +Mr. Hooker, at his two or three first visits, found both body and mind +so weakened, that he did little more than pray by him. Neither Fowler +nor his wife entered much into the meaning or spirit of his prayers, but +still they were flattered and pleased by the attention of their pastor. + +For many years Fowler had hardly set foot in church, excepting once to +attend the funeral of a relation, and twice as godfather to the children +of two of his friends. Though he had not shewn any positive disrespect +to Mr. Hooker to his face, yet he was in the habit of laughing at him +behind his back, and of trying to turn whatever he did or said in the +execution of his sacred office--and indeed his office itself--into +ridicule. In this, according to the opinion of his thoughtless and +profligate companions, he succeeded tolerably well; for he had a turn +for low humour; and it is sometimes found, the more sacred any thing is, +the greater is the effect of representing it in a ludicrous point of +view, to those who are unrestrained by any sense of decency or of +religion. From Mr. Hooker he had never received any thing but tokens of +kindness, but he disliked him, because he knew that he disapproved of +his manner of going on, and still more, for one or two admonitions +which he had received from him. He now felt ashamed of his former +disrespectful behaviour towards his worthy minister. + +The fever having entirely left him, Mr. Hooker determined to take +advantage of the opportunity which this accident afforded, for the +purpose of endeavouring to bring Fowler to some proper sense of +religion. He accordingly often talked to him in the most serious manner, +trying both to inform his understanding, and to affect his heart. + +One day when he called, he found Barton sitting by the bed side. The +farmer immediately got up to go away; Fowler, however, begged him to +stay; and Mr. Hooker was not without hopes, that what he said might not +be entirely lost upon Barton, of whose religious sentiments he had but +an unfavourable opinion. + +After making use of the prayers in the Visitation Office, he represented +to Fowler the folly of living without God in the world; the hateful +nature of sin; and the awful consequences of continuing in sin without +repentance. He spoke of the great atonement, but told him that the +benefits even of that would be lost to those who continued hardened and +impenitent. He added a few words upon the particular vice of +drunkenness, upon its tendency to lead on to almost all other sins +without exception, and upon its dreadful punishment in the world to +come, since _drunkards can not inherit the kingdom of God_. + +Fowler appeared to be attentive, and to feel what was said, and Barton +looked every now and then a little uneasy. His uneasiness was +occasioned, not by the slightest degree of apprehension for his own +religious interests, but by the wound which his _good-nature_ received, +at hearing such strong things said. The farmer accompanied Mr. Hooker +down stairs; but the moment he had quitted the house, exclaimed, "I +wish, Nanny, you would not let the parson come to your husband any more. +I'm sure it's enough to make a man ill to hear him talk." "Why, what's +the matter?" said Nanny, "what's the matter?" + +"Why, he has been talking about his soul, and getting drunk, and heaven, +and hell, and I know not what besides; I'm sure, I thought it very +_ill-natured_ of him. It's bad enough for poor Bob to have broken his +leg, without being troubled with such melancholy thoughts. And what's +the use of it? There's no chance of his dying this bout, and there can +be no occasion for his making himself uneasy with these church-yard +thoughts yet." + +"Surely you are not in earnest, neighbour," said Farmer Oldacre, who had +called in to enquire how the broken leg was going on; "you cannot really +mean what you say." + +"Yes, but I do though," replied Barton, "and I say again, it was very +_ill-natured_ of Mr. Hooker." + +"I always thought," said Oldacre, "that you professed and called +yourself a Christian." + +"As good a Christian as yourself," rejoined Barton, with some quickness; +"aye, or as Mr. Hooker _either_, though, perhaps, I mayn't talk so much +about it as some people." + +"Well, don't be angry," said Oldacre calmly, "but just listen to me for +two minutes. If a Christian, you of course acknowledge the Scriptures +to be the word of God?" + +"To be sure I do." + +"Well--you know--the whole parish knows--that poor Bob Fowler was +leading a most ungodly and wicked life." + +"No, I do _not_ know it; poor Bob was nobody's enemy but his own; and if +he did get drunk now and then, what was that to any body else? I don't +call that being wicked." + +"And what _do_ you call being _wicked_?" + +"Why, I call a man wicked, when he robs and steals, or commits murder, +or--let me see--let me see--when he takes a false oath before a +justice--or--when he slanders his neighbours." + +"These, certainly," answered Oldacre, "are instances of great +wickedness; but you seem to confine the word _wickedness_ almost +entirely to offences, by which _men_ are injured; now I call a man +_wicked_, when he lives in the wilful and habitual neglect of any part +of his duty; and since the Scriptures tell us, that the first and chief +part of our duty is our duty towards God, I particularly call a man +wicked when he lives in the open neglect of that duty--when he leads, in +short, an ungodly life." + +Barton made no answer, but seemed to be waiting to hear what was to come +next. + +"Now as for poor Bob Fowler, you know very well that he never went to +church, never thought of keeping holy the Lord's day, that he was in the +constant habit of profane swearing, that he never spoke of religion but +to laugh at it, and that instead of having God in all his thoughts, he +lived in a total forgetfulness both of him and of his laws. Now the +Scriptures tell us, over and over again, that _the wicked shall be +turned into hell, and all the people that forget God_. If these words of +Scripture be true--and you acknowledge yourself that they are so--Fowler +was certainly in a dangerous state. Now, neighbour, suppose you were to +see a blind man walking right on to the brink of a pit, and ready to +fall into it, should you think it _ill-natured_ to tell him of his +danger? And is it _ill-natured_ of Mr. Hooker, to try to save a man from +falling into the pit of destruction?" + +"But why should he do it at such a time--when Bob has a broken leg to +vex him?" + +"I know," replied Oldacre, "that Mr. Hooker did sometimes speak to him +when he was in health; but Fowler was either sulky, or turned it into +joke: he was one of those, who _sit in the seat of the scornful_; it was +like _casting pearls before swine, which turn again and rend you_. His +present confinement offers an opportunity for giving him some notions of +religion; and our good minister, who is always on the watch for +opportunities of being of use, most likely felt, that if this +opportunity was not taken advantage of, he might never have another." + +"But is it not enough to drive a man to despair," said Barton, "to talk +to him about death and judgment, and future punishment?" + +"It is rather the best way to save a man from despair. Mr. Hooker speaks +to him of future misery, in order that he may escape it. I dare say that +he tells him, as he tells us in church, that if he will but repent of +and forsake his sins, full forgiveness is offered, through the mediation +of the Redeemer. A man who wilfully goes on in a worldly, ungodly +course of life, has certainly nothing before him but a _fearful looking +for of judgment and fiery indignation_. Surely it is not _ill-natured_, +but rather the kindest thing that can be done for such a man, to try to +persuade him to flee from the wrath to come, by changing his course of +life by the aid of God's grace, and by seeking for God's mercy through +Christ, before the gates of mercy are closed for ever." + +There was a pause of some minutes. Barton, however, did not like to give +up his notions of _ill-nature_, and returned to the charge. "Still, I +must say, neighbour Oldacre, that the parson speaks of these things much +too plainly and too strongly; and, to tell you the truth, that is the +reason why I so seldom go to hear him in church. It would not look well, +you know, for a man like me _never_ to go to church at all, so I drop in +sometimes when there is no sermon. I like to be _good-humoured_ and +pleasant, and don't like to think of these melancholy subjects until +I've occasion." + +Oldacre found that he was impenetrable by any thing that _he_ could say, +and was not inclined to resume the conversation, and went up stairs to +Fowler to ask him how he was. + +Barton quitted the house, but the door was hardly closed, when his +_good-nature_ was put to a fresh trial of a different description. He +was met by a stranger, who, having asked him whether his name was +Barton, and received his answer that it was, put into his hands a paper, +which he found was a notice to him as surveyor, that a certain part of +the road in the parish had been indicted at the Quarter Sessions which +were just over, and a true bill found. + +The fact was this.--A gentleman, who was going to the Sessions on +business, had occasion to travel along the road, the bad state of which +Mr. Bentley had pointed out to Farmer Barton. One of his coach-horses +shyed at a heap of dung lying close to the road side, the coachman +whipped him, the horses sprang forward, but in crossing the deep ruts, +one of the fore springs of the carriage snapped, and the near horse was +thrown down, and cut both his knees. The gentleman proceeded slowly to +Chippingden; and while his servants were getting the spring made safe +for the remainder of his journey, had the worst part of the road +measured, and then travelling on to Sessions in the full heat of his +anger and vexation, preferred a bill of indictment against the parish of +Inglewood. + +This Farmer Barton thought the most _ill-natured_ proceeding that ever +was known; and in the first warmth of his indignation said, that there +should be no _putting off_, but that the parish should try it out at the +following Sessions. He was still surveyor, for he had so entirely +neglected calling out the statute-duty, and indeed every part of his +office, that he was ashamed to attend the justice meeting, which was +held for the purpose of appointing new surveyors; and felt pretty sure, +that his non-attendance would not be taken notice of. The magistrates, +every now and then, threatened _stoutly_, and talked of fining the +absentees, but they would not be so _ill-natured_ as to carry their +threats into execution; and the comfort and convenience of the public, +and the real interests of the several parishes themselves, were +sacrificed for the credit of their _good-nature_. + +Fowler's leg, meanwhile, continued to mend, and he was able to get down +stairs, and attend to his new business. What Mr. Hooker had said to him, +produced considerable effect upon his mind and conduct. But though he +left off drinking himself, yet from his former habits and character he +could not be expected to possess much authority over those who resorted +to his house. Many of the poor never entered the public house at all; +many went to it now and then for a pot of beer to drink in a quiet +family way at home; but a few of the married men, and several of the +young ones, spent there many of their evenings, and most of their money. + +Many little disturbances consequently took place in the village. One +evening in particular, Tim Nesbit came from the public house so drunk, +and was so noisy and troublesome, that some of the neighbours talked of +having him fined, or set in the stocks. "Surely you wou'dn't be so +_ill-natured_ as that comes to," said Barton. "When a man robs and +steals, punish him to the utmost; but drunkenness is a _good-natured_ +fault, and the drunken man is nobody's enemy but his own." + +"Nobody's enemy but his own!" said old Truman, who happened to be +standing by, "I think a drunken man the enemy of every body. He is +ready to quarrel with every body that comes in his way, and to do all +sorts of mischief." + +"Yes," replied Barton, "but when a man don't know what he is doing, he +has a right to be excused." + +"Now I say just the contrary," answered Truman. "When a man chooses to +throw away his reason, and to bring himself down to a level with a +beast, he must take the consequences. Drunkenness, instead of being an +excuse for any fault, is an aggravation, and the law of the land says +the same. I heartily wish that the laws against tippling and +drunkenness[j] were more frequently put in execution." + +[Footnote j: If any person (with a few particular exceptions) shall +continue drinking or tippling in a public house, he shall forfeit three +shillings and fourpence to the use of the poor, or be set in the stocks +for four hours. + +Any person convicted of drunkenness shall for the first offence forfeit +five shillings to the use of the poor, or be set in the stocks for six +hours. Upon a second conviction the offender shall be bound, with two +sureties, to be thenceforth of good behaviour.] + +"These laws," replied Barton, "cannot, generally speaking, be put in +force, unless some one will _inform_, and that would be so +_ill-natured_. And besides, every one hates and cries out against the +very name of an _informer_." + +"I grant you," said Truman, "that when a man turns _informer_ from +spite--or for the sake of getting money--or from a view to private +interest of any sort--he may perhaps deserve to be disliked. But a man +who, _after fair notice, informs_ against an offender from a sense of +public duty--with a view to check a bad practice which is hurtful both +to society and to those who are guilty of it--or from a sincere zeal for +the interests of morality and religion, is a benefactor to the +community. The lawless and profligate, who would be glad to get rid of +all the restraints of every sort, will of course try to run him down; +but he ought not to mind that, and he certainly deserves the thanks of +all the friends of good order and morality." + +Not only was the quiet of the village of Inglewood sometimes disturbed +by drunken _rows_, but many little acts of mischief were committed, not +from any particular spite, but in the mere wantonness of drunkenness. +The farmers too found some of their men less disposed to work than +formerly, and more disposed to be saucy; and they saw the wives and +children of some few growing more and more ragged and miserable. They +consoled themselves by abusing the justices for consenting to the +establishment of the alehouse, and by blaming their minister for not +taking more active measures to prevent it; and said for themselves, that +they would never have set their hands to the certificate, if at the time +they had not felt sure that the licence would not be granted. + +Fowler's friends, however, determined to make it as good a thing for him +as they could. His accident, and long confinement in consequence of it, +had thrown him back, and they wished, they said, to give him a _start_. +They resolved to have some _pastime_ in the village, and tried to make +up a purse for two prize fighters, who resided in the neighbourhood. +Barton entered zealously into the scheme, and took care to have the fame +of the projected amusement spread through the adjoining villages. Having +occasion to call on Mr. Hooker on other business, he said that he hoped +that he did not object to what was going forward. Mr. Hooker replied, +that "he disapproved of it most decidedly." + +Barton's _good-nature_ was immediately up in arms. "Surely, Sir, it's +very hard that the poor may not have a little amusement now and then. +Our only object is, to give them a day's pleasure, and at the same time +to give a little help to Fowler in his business, after his sad accident, +which has thrown him back so unluckily." + +"Nobody," said Mr. Hooker, "can be more friendly than I am to the +amusements of the poor; provided they are _innocent_, and do not, almost +necessarily, lead to immorality and sin. You know, Mr. Barton, as well +as I do, that the _pastime_, as you call it, which you propose, will be +attended with a great deal of drunkenness. Your avowed object is, that +Fowler should sell as much beer and spirits as possible. I need not tell +you, that drunkenness is not only a great sin in itself, but that it +also leads to sins of every description. You know very well too, that on +occasions of this sort, there is generally a great deal of swearing, a +great deal of improper language, and, perhaps, a great deal of +quarrelling. With respect to _prize-fighting_, sensible men have +entertained different sentiments. My own opinion is, that it is a +positive offence against the laws both of God and man; that it is a most +disgusting exhibition; and surely a most improper sight for the women +and children, who, in a village, will be spectators of it. I think also, +that if one of the combatants should be killed, as is frequently the +case, all those who have promoted the battle are parties in the guilt of +manslaughter. + +"Do not say that I am an enemy to the amusements of the poor. I like to +have them enjoy themselves at proper times, and in a proper manner. I +can take pleasure in seeing them engaged in a game at cricket, at +football, at quoits, or any other manly exercise, provided they engage +in it without swearing, or drunkenness, or other vice; but of the +amusement now proposed in the village, I disapprove most decidedly." + +The disapprobation of the clergyman, however, was not attended to. +Barton talked of the parson's _ill-nature_ in grudging the poor a little +enjoyment, and said it was all of a piece with his finding fault with +the poor boys for going to play on a Sunday, instead of going to church +or the Sunday school. + +The promised day at length arrived. The village was filled with a motley +concourse from all the country round, and the fight took place. The men +were equally matched, and fought with skill and courage. Both got +severely bruised; but one of them received an unfortunate blow under the +ear. He fell into the arms of his second, and it was soon discovered +that the blow was mortal--he never spoke again. This sad _accident_ +threw a damp over the amusement of the day, and many repented of the +_good-nature_ which had led them to promote the _pastime_. + +We will not, however, dwell upon this melancholy event, but proceed to +the result of the indictment of the roads of the parish of Inglewood. + +January came, and the Quarter Sessions. Both parties wished to have the +indictment tried at once, and came prepared--the prosecutor with +witnesses to prove that the road was very bad and unsafe--and Barton +with several _good-natured_ men, who were ready to swear, that it was as +good a road as they wished to travel. The parish, however, was beat; +and it being proved that frequent representations had been made of the +bad state of the road in question, Inglewood was sentenced to pay a fine +of fifty pounds, together with all costs, which amounted to forty more. + +Farmer Barton hardly knew which was most _ill-natured_, the prosecutor, +the jury, or the bench of magistrates. Perhaps he was most out of humour +with the _jury_; for consisting, as it did principally, of farmers, they +might, he thought, have put their oaths and their consciences a little +on one side, where brother farmers were concerned. However, there was no +help for it, and the money was to be found before the Easter Sessions. + +He returned to Inglewood to console himself with the popularity, which +he acquired in the exercise of the office of overseer. His _good-nature_ +led him to accede to almost every application, but his _good-nature_ +arose rather from his "fear of offending the importunate, than his +desire of making the deserving happy[k]." The industrious and the modest +remained contented with their former pittance; but the forward, and the +impudent, and the clamorous, were continually urging their claims for +more relief, and seldom urged them in vain. + +[Footnote k: Goldsmith.] + +"I hope, Farmer Barton," said one woman, "you will give me a little more +allowance: when bread, and candles, and soap are paid for, there's +hardly any thing left for tea and sugar." "Why I suppose then I must +give you a trifle more--the parish can't miss it." One petitioner he +manfully refused, and told her she must be content with what she had. +"And how am I to buy snuff out of that[l]?" The overseer relented: he +loved a pinch of snuff himself. Farmer Oldacre would gladly have filled +a deserving old woman's snuff box at his own expense, but not at the +expense of the parish. + +[Footnote l: Fact.] + +The liberal allowances granted by Barton, of course, required frequent +rates, which it was not very convenient to the farmers to pay. Those, +however, who happened to have money by them, paid, and allowed +themselves the satisfaction of grumbling. Those who had it not, begged +for time, and kept their grumbling to themselves. Barton's _good-nature_ +did not permit him to be very pressing. The consequence was, that, as he +was neither disposed, nor perhaps able, to advance the money from his +own pocket, fresh rates became necessary, and those who _could_ pay made +up for the deficiencies of those who could not. + +Farmer Oldacre was one of the former description; and though he often +told his brother overseer, that he was bound in law to levy and expend +one rate before he applied for another; yet when his own pocket seemed +to be concerned, he would not be peremptory. + +Another of those who were always ready with their money, and were +consequently entitled to the privilege of grumbling, was Richard +Sterling. + +Richard occupied five or six acres of land, kept three cows, and got on +pretty well by supplying his neighbours with milk. "What, another rate, +Master Barton!--why it seems but t'other day that I paid the last."--"It +can't be helped, Richard;--the poor must be provided for."--"I know they +must," answered Sterling, "and as for those who cannot keep themselves, +and are come to poverty without any fault of their own, I should not +grudge it them if they had more;--but there are some who might as well +help to support me, as I to support them. Pray, what may you give to Tim +Nesbit?"--"Why--perhaps the matter of three and sixpence a +week."--"Three and sixpence a week?--that comes I think to about nine +pounds twelve a-year.--Tim and I were born in the same year; when we +grew up we worked for the same master; we married much about the same +time, and our families are of the same size. The only difference between +us was, that while I tried to put by what I could spare, Tim, whether +single or married, always carried good part of his earnings to the +ale-house. Now is it not a little hard that I must now be forced to help +to maintain him, because he chose to squander away his money? He might +at this present time have been every bit as well off in the world as I +am; but because he chose to be careless and a spendthrift, I am forced +to take bread, as it were, from my own children, and give it to his[m]." + +[Footnote m: See a lively dialogue to this purpose in that excellent +little publication, the Cottagers' Monthly Visitor.] + +One day, when Barton was going towards his house, he was overtaken by +Ralph the butcher's lad, who accosted him with, "Mr. Barton, I want you +to do me a kindness." "What is it?" said Barton. "Why, you must know, +that I have some thoughts of marrying, and want the parish just to run +me up a bit of a house. Master will give carriage, and I can manage a +good deal of the labour myself, so that it will cost the parish a mere +trifle." + +"_You_ going to be married!" said Barton laughing, "why, how old are +you?" "Old enough in all conscience, I shall be nineteen come February." +"It might be as well to wait a few years longer," answered Barton; +"however, I can't wonder at you; and we'll see what can be done." + +He accordingly mentioned the subject to his brother overseer, whom he +found in the field near his house. "I must say," replied Oldacre, "that +I am no friend to these early marriages in any class of society. Young +men and women--or rather I should say, boys and girls--take it into +their heads to marry, before they can be supposed really to know their +own minds. They are struck by something in the outward appearance, or +taken by some whim and fancy, and become partners for life, before they +have become acquainted with each other's temper or character, and +before they have considered how to provide for a family. The consequence +too often is, that the marriage turns out unhappily. Among the poor +especially, who look to the parish for every thing, these early +marriages produce a habit of dependence, which lowers their character +and spirit for life." + +"What you say, is much about the truth," replied Barton, "but these +young people are bent upon marrying, and then, you know, there's no +stopping them. Of course they must have a place to be in, and I suppose +we may as well run him up a bit of a cottage at once." + +"It is a serious thing," said Oldacre, "for farmers at rack-rent to +begin building houses for their poor; but I am against it, for the sake +of the poor themselves." + +"Now I'm sure you _must_ be wrong in that opinion," said Barton. + +"Do just tell me," answered his brother overseer, "have we already +labourers enough to do all the work of the parish?" + +"Enough, and much more than enough. You know how puzzled we are to find +employment for them in the winter. Indeed, excepting just in hay-making +and harvest, we have always some men to be paid for their work out of +the rates." + +"Then is not increasing the number a bad thing for the poor themselves, +if they already stand in each other's way? And do you not see, that +building cottages is just the way to increase them? If you built twenty +cottages, you would have them filled in a week's time. We have of late +been forced to _double_ some families, but that must be so uncomfortable +in every way, that people do not like to marry upon such a prospect. But +there are plenty of young men and women quite ready to hasten to the +altar, if they could be sure of a roof to themselves to shelter them at +night[n]. This of course, would make a lasting addition to the poor +rates, would throw a heavy burden on the land, and render it still more +difficult for the poor to find work. + +[Footnote n: Townsend.] + +"The cottages that we have I wish to see as comfortable as possible, and +would have the poor people who inhabit them take a pride in keeping them +neat and clean, and their gardens in nice order; but I am not for +increasing the number of them. Such increase, I am persuaded, would be +against the interest of the poor themselves." + +Mr. Stanley, during a former visit to Inglewood, had often fallen in +with Mr. Oldacre in his walks, and got into conversation with him: he +happened to come up at the moment, and catching the last words that had +fallen from the farmer, said to him, "I suspect, Mr. Oldacre, that you +are not very friendly to the system of the poor laws." + +"I will not by any means say that," replied Oldacre; "I believe that in +every state of society, in a populous and old-inhabited country +especially, there always will, and must, be poor. As the Scripture says, +_The poor shall never cease out of the land_. I am glad, therefore, that +provision is made by law for those who are unable to help themselves. +Private charity, in many places, does a great deal; and if there were no +poor-laws, would do a great deal more. But if all were left to be +provided for by private charity, the kind-hearted would be oppressed by +claims, and often give more than they could afford, while the selfish +and covetous would contribute nothing. It is right that these latter +should be forced to take their share of the burden. In many places +again, if there was nothing but voluntary benevolence to trust to, +multitudes would starve, and no civilized country ought to suffer that, +if it can help it. Indeed, I wish that we were able to give a larger +measure of parochial relief to the aged and infirm, who are reduced to +want through no fault of their own. But then, I must say, though I shall +be thought _ill-natured_ for saying so, that I cannot help seeing that +the poor-laws--whether from bad management, or from the peculiar +circumstances of the times, I will not pretend to say--have in many ways +done no good to the character and the habits of several among the poor." + +"I know," said Mr. Stanley, "that many sensible men entertain the same +opinion; but, perhaps, you can give me a few instances which may make +your meaning more clear." + +"Many of the poor," replied Oldacre, "have not been hurt by them, but +still preserve the steady, manly, independent character, which becomes +an Englishman. But too frequently dependence on parish rates has +produced very pernicious consequences. + +"The connection between a farmer and his labourers--you will say, that I +speak like a farmer, in mentioning that _first_--ought to be +advantageous to both--not merely as a contract, by which the employer is +to receive so much work, and the workman so much money; but as it tends +to produce an interchange between them of kind offices and kind +feelings. By many of the labourers this is still felt as it ought to be +felt, and they take a pride and a pleasure in working year after year +for the same master, and try to obtain his approbation by industry and +good conduct. Some of them, however, have no notion of fixing +themselves. They care little whether their employer is pleased with them +or not, and upon the slightest affront as they call it, or the slightest +difference about wages, they are off directly. If one wont employ them, +another _must_; or, at all events, they _must_ be employed by the +parish. + +"Again; the natural affection which subsists between parent and child, +is strengthened and increased in both--as is the case indeed with brute +animals--by the dependence of the children on their parents for +subsistence. But now this dependence is, in many instances, removed from +the parent to the overseer. On the other hand, when the parents grow old +and infirm, the children often might do much to assist them, and if left +to themselves would delight in doing so. But under the present system, +if they do it at all, they do it by _stealth_; for _why_, say they, +_should we favour the parish_? If they happen to have a little matter of +money left them, they are tempted for the same reason to conceal it. +Here again they ask, why should they favour the parish? and they will +not feel, that the receiving of parish relief, when they have any thing +of their own, is a fraud upon the parish, an act of dishonesty. + +"Few virtues are more useful in any condition of life than _frugality_ +and _foresight_. Upon these, however, the poor laws have certainly made +a sad inroad: unmarried men, or those, who though married have no +families, or whose children have _got out_, while they continue in full +health and vigour, might often contrive to lay by something against old +age. But this few of them think of doing, for _why should they favour +the parish_? The parish must provide for them at any rate, and so they +may as well spend their money as fast as they get it. The _future_ +satisfaction of living on their own means, instead of on parish pay, is +not sufficient to stand against the temptation of _present_ +pleasure.--Savings banks are an excellent institution, but when once a +man has quartered himself as a pauper upon the parish, he will not make +use of them. Why should he put money into the bank in order to _favour +the parish_?--I shall tire you, Sir, I fear," continued the farmer, +"but you must let me mention one thing more. _Beneficence_ is, we know, +twice blessed; it blesses him that gives, and him that takes; but parish +relief comes sadly in the way of beneficence. When men are forced to pay +so much to the poor through the hands of the overseer, they have neither +the inclination, nor, in fact, the power, to give so largely in the way +of voluntary charity. + +"Many other instances I could give of the unfavourable effect which the +poor laws have had upon the characters, and consequently upon the +happiness, of the poor[o]. I do not blame the poor:--many, who would +otherwise keep off the parish, are driven to it by the low rate of +wages, which has been occasioned, I suppose, partly by an oversupply of +hands, and partly by irregularities in our currency. + +[Footnote o: See the eloquent and forcible Pamphlets of Townsend, +Bicheno, and Jerram; and particularly the judicious and well-arranged +Sermon on "the Immoral Effect of the Poor-Laws," by Dr Richards of +Bampton.] + +"As I said before, I am glad that a legal provision is made for the +poor, but I wish that more than half the money we now pay in rates was +paid in wages, and that wages were such that a man in health, and with a +good character, might always be pretty well able to provide for a +moderate-sized family by his own exertions. The parish pay should be +kept chiefly for unforeseen calamities, for the orphan and for the +widow. We should then be able to give _them_ a better allowance. Now +there are so many claimants, that we cannot give _much_ to any, and the +able, bodied and strong are the means of lessening the pittance of the +sick and the helpless." + +Lady-day was now approaching, and with it the time when Barton was to go +out of office. His _good-nature_ had lavished so much of the public +money upon clamorous applicants, that many parish bills were still +unpaid. The fine too imposed upon the inhabitants of Inglewood upon the +indictment of the road, and the legal costs attending it, were also now +to be cleared off, so that altogether a very considerable sum was to be +made up. It was well known, that many of the rates were much in arrears; +and the farmers who had hitherto paid with some degree of punctuality, +grumbled more and more at the neglect of the acting overseer in not +levying them. Most of them expressed their determination to pay no more, +till all arrears were cleared up. One large farm was about to change its +occupier, and the in-coming tenant declared--as he had a good right to +declare--that he would have nothing to do with the debts of the parish +incurred before his coming into it. Strong hints also were thrown out, +that Barton should take the consequences of his own neglect upon +himself, and should make up all deficiencies out of his own pocket. +These threats answered the purpose of alarming Barton, whose +_good-nature_, great as it was, had never been able to stifle his regard +for his own interest. He accordingly set actively to work to collect the +arrears. + +Those who had been unable to pay _one_ rate, were not likely to pay +_four_, which had now become due, together with the heavy addition +occasioned by the indictment. Some of the defaulters blamed the +overseer, for having let it run on so long; and all found fault with him +for having brought so serious an expense upon the parish by his neglect +about the roads. + +_All_, I should not say;--for the poor widow Wildgoose uttered not a +word of reproach or complaint against any one, but when asked for her +arrears of rates, passively replied that she had no money, and that the +parish must take her goods. + +She had never held up her head since the death of her eldest son. When +she first set up her shop, she dealt a good deal for ready money, of +course selling to ready-money customers at a much lower rate. From the +time of her son's death, however, her activity and attention to business +had deserted her. She suffered many of the poor to run deeply in her +debt, and if she hinted any thing about payment, they pretended to be +affronted, and took all their ready money to the other shops. Farmer +Barton, too, thought that it would be _good-natured_ to give the poor +widow the _credit_ of his custom and protection, and had almost all his +shop-goods and grocery from her house. Unfortunately, however, neither +his _good-nature_, of which he had so much--nor his sense of justice, of +which he had but little--ever led him to recollect to pay her. She was +too much depressed--too _meek-spirited_--to urge, or even to ask for, +payment, and the consequence was, that she was just approaching to utter +ruin, which was of course likely to be accelerated by her goods being +distrained for poor rates. Her surviving children were in service in +creditable places, and would have helped her in a moment; but she could +not bear to tell them of her difficulties. Now, however, one of her +neighbours contrived to let them know the situation, in which their +mother was. Immediately they made up out of their wages a sum +sufficient not only to pay off her arrears, but to give her a trifle for +her present wants. And soon after she received by the post a blank cover +addressed to her, inclosing a five pound note. She had no guess who +could have sent it, but it was soon discovered that it came from Lucy +Wilmot, a young woman to whom her eldest son had been attached. Her +second son Sam lived with a kind-hearted lawyer in London, who, upon +hearing of the distress of the poor widow and its cause, not only sent +her some assistance in money, but promised to take an early opportunity +of looking into her affairs, and of taking measures for compelling those +of her debtors who were able, to pay what they owed her. + +Of the other defaulters, some contrived to procure the necessary money; +some were summoned before the magistrates, and then, finding that they +had no remedy, found a friend to advance the money; against others +warrants of distress were issued. + +No case excited more commiseration than that of Michael Fielding. +Michael had been a remarkably industrious and prudent labourer, and had +managed to save a considerable sum of money. He married a young woman +of similar character, and being naturally anxious to get forward in the +world, they had ventured, seven or eight years before, to take a small +farm. The rent was moderate when they took their lease, but they had +felt the change of times severely. The property was in the hands of +trustees, who did not feel justified in making a diminution of rent; and +consequently poor Michael, every year, saw his means growing less, while +his family grew larger. He was at work early and late, his wife gave all +the help she could in the farm, and mended the children's clothes as +long as they would hold together; and the hard-earned bread, upon which +the family lived, was so coarse, that many of the labourers in the +village would have turned from it in disdain. Michael was naturally of a +cheerful disposition, and not apt to murmur or complain; sometimes, +however, he could hardly suppress a sigh, when he thought of his own +children, and of the hard fare to which they were accustomed, and saw in +the parish-books the large sums that were given by the _good-nature_ of +Barton to idle and worthless characters[p]. Now and then he had +ventured gently to remonstrate upon the hardship of being obliged to +contribute so large a portion of his limited means towards the +maintenance of men, who had begun the world with the same advantages +with himself, and who, but for their own improvidence, might have lived +without being a burden to any one. The comparative smallness of his +farm, however, and his former situation in life, prevented his +remonstrance from being of much weight. He was now nearly insolvent. +Several persons, to whom his character was known, would have been happy +to have assisted him, but he was too high-minded to acquaint them with +his difficulties. All the money, that by his utmost exertion he could +scrape together, was just gone for rent, and he had nothing at all left +to meet the demand for the arrears of rates, and for his portion of the +expenses of the indictment. Barton, in spite of his _good-nature_, felt +obliged to distrain. This brought other creditors upon poor Michael, and +he was obliged to sell off every thing. + +[Footnote p: Townsend.] + +Barton, however, was enabled to make up his accounts, and had got them +passed at the vestry, though there certainly was among his brother +farmers a little grumbling. Barton defended himself as well as he could, +and added, that at all events he had got the _good-word_ of the poor; +that he always had borne, and always hoped to bear, the character of a +_good-natured man_. Farmer Oldacre could not suffer this to pass without +observation. He had been a little irritated by some things which he had +witnessed at the vestry, and felt deeply for poor Michael, who had +formerly worked upon his farm, and whom he had always loved and +respected. "Come, come, neighbour Barton," said he, "let us hear no more +of your _good-nature_, for which we all have to pay so dear. Your wish +to obtain the _good-word_ of the poor has not really benefitted them, +and has done serious injury to the rest of your neighbours. Your +_good-nature_ about the licence has increased the immorality and the +poverty of the parish;--and your _good-nature_ to the road-workmen has +given Fowler a broken leg;--your _good-nature_ to farmer Dobson, in not +making him cut his hedge, and do his statute-duty, has cost us ninety +pounds;--and your _good-nature_ as overseer has made the parish less +able to pay that sum, and has helped to complete the ruin of two or +three deserving families. And--if I may venture here to mention so +serious a consideration--your _good-nature_ would have allowed a sinner +to go on towards eternal destruction without warning, and, for the sake +of avoiding uneasiness of mind _here_, would have suffered him to incur +everlasting punishment _hereafter_. + +"Farmer Barton--I value brotherly-kindness most highly. I know that the +love of our neighbour, and a readiness to do him good offices, is the +second great commandment both of the Law and of the Gospel. But I hope +that I shall ever be on my guard against that love of low popularity, +that weak fear of giving offence, that sacrifice of _public_ principle +to _private_ considerations, which, under the engaging name of +_good-nature_, often lead to forgetfulness of duty both towards God and +man, and do as much harm in the world as positive dishonesty." + + +NOTES. + +Dr. Benjamin Franklin is well known as the friend of the poor and of +liberty, and as one of the founders of American independence. The +following observations will, with many persons, have additional weight, +as coming from _his_ pen. + +_Extract from Observations written in Pennsylvania in 1751._ + +2.--When families can be easily supported, more persons marry, and +earlier in life. + +3. In cities, where all trades, occupations, and offices are full, many +delay marrying till they can see how to bear the charges of a family; +which charges are greater in cities, as luxury is more common: many live +single during life, and continue servants to families, journeymen to +trades, &c. Hence cities do not, by natural generation, supply +themselves with inhabitants; the deaths are more than the births. + +4. In countries full settled, the case must be nearly the same, all +lands being occupied and improved to the height; those who cannot get +land, must labour for others that have it; when labourers are plenty, +their wages will be low; by low wages a family is supported with +difficulty; this difficulty deters many from marriage, who therefore +long continue servants and single. Only, as the cities take supplies of +people from the country, and thereby make a little more room in the +country, marriage is a little more encouraged there, and the births +exceed the deaths. + + +_Dr. Franklin's Letter on the Labouring Poor. Dated April, 1768._ + + + _Sir,_ + + I have met with much invective in the papers, for these two + years past, against the hard-heartedness of the rich, and much + complaint of the great oppressions suffered in this country by + the labouring poor. Will you admit a word or two on the other + side of the question? I do not propose to be an advocate for + oppression or oppressors; but when I see that the poor are, by + such writings, exasperated against the rich, and excited to + insurrections, by which much mischief is done, and some lose + their lives, I could wish the true state of things were better + understood; the poor not made by these busy writers more uneasy + and unhappy than their situation subjects them to be, and the + nation not brought into disrepute among foreigners, by public + groundless accusations of ourselves, as if the rich in England + had no compassion for the poor, and Englishmen wanted common + humanity. + + In justice, then, to this country, give me leave to remark, + that the condition of the poor here is by far the best in + Europe; for that, except in England and her American colonies, + there is not in any country in the known world (not even in + Scotland[q] or Ireland) a provision by law to enforce a support + of the poor. Every where else necessity reduces to beggary. + This law was not made by the poor. The legislators were men of + fortune. By that act they voluntarily subjected their own + estates, and the estates of all others, to the payment of a tax + for the support of the poor, encumbering those estates with a + kind of rent charge for that purpose, whereby the poor are + vested with an inheritance, as it were, in all the estates of + the rich. I wish they were benefitted by this generous + provision, in any degree equal to the good intention with which + it was made, and is continued; but I fear the giving mankind a + dependence on any thing for support, in age or sickness, + besides industry and frugality during health, tends to flatter + our natural indolence, to encourage idleness and prodigality, + and thereby to promote and increase poverty, the very evil it + was intended to cure; thus multiplying beggars, instead of + diminishing them. + +[Footnote q: This, I believe, is inaccurate.] + + Besides this tax, which the rich in England have subjected + themselves to in behalf of the poor, amounting in some places + to five or six shillings in the pound of their annual income, + they have, by donations and subscriptions, erected numerous + schools in various parts of the kingdom, for educating, gratis, + the children of the poor in reading and writing; and in many of + these schools the children are also fed and clothed; they have + erected hospitals at an immense expence, for the reception and + cure of the sick, the lame, the wounded, and the insane poor, + for lying-in women, and deserted children. They are also + continually contributing towards making up losses occasioned by + fire, by storms, or by floods; and to relieve the poor in + severe seasons of frost, in time of scarcity, &c. in which + benevolent and charitable contributions no nation exceeds us. + Surely there is some gratitude due for so many instances of + goodness. + + Add to this all the laws made to discourage foreign + manufactures, by laying heavy duties on them, or totally + prohibiting them; whereby the rich are obliged to pay much + higher prices for what they wear and consume than if the trade + was open. There are so many laws for the support of our + labouring poor made by the rich, and continued at their + expence: all the difference of price between our own and + foreign commodities, being so much given by our rich to our + poor; who would indeed be enabled by it to get by degrees above + poverty, if they did not, as too generally they do, consider + every increase of wages only as something that enables them to + drink more and work less; so that their distress in sickness, + age, or times of scarcity, continues to be the same as if such + laws had never been made in their favour. + + Much malignant censure have some writers bestowed upon the rich + for their luxury and expensive living, while the poor are + starving, not considering that what the rich expend, the + labouring poor receive in payment for their labour. It may seem + a paradox if I should assert, that our labouring poor do, in + every year, receive the _whole revenue of the nation_; I mean + not only the public revenue, but also the revenue or clear + income of all private estates, or a sum equivalent to the + whole. In support of this position, I reason thus: The rich do + not work for one another; their habitations, furniture, + clothing, carriages, food, ornaments, and every thing, in + short, that they or their families use and consume, is the work + or produce of the labouring poor, who are, and must be, + continually paid for their labour in producing the same. In + these payments the revenues of private estates are expended; + for most people live up to their incomes. In clothing, or + provision for troops, in arms, ammunition, ships, tents, + carriages, &c. &c. (every particular the produce of labour,) + much of the public revenue is expended. The pay of officers, + civil and military, and of the private soldiers and sailors, + requires the rest; and they spend that also in paying for what + is produced by the labouring poor. I allow that some estates + may increase by the owners spending less than their income; but + then I conceive, that other estates do at the same time + diminish, by the owners spending more than their incomes; so + that when the enriched want to buy more land, they easily find + lands in the hands of the impoverished, whose necessities + oblige them to sell; and thus this difference is equalled. I + allow also, that part of the expense of the rich is in foreign + produce, or manufactures, for producing which the labouring + poor of other nations must be paid: but then, I say, we must + first pay our own labouring poor for an equal quantity of our + manufactures or produce, to exchange for those foreign + productions, or we must pay for them in money, which money not + being a natural produce to our country, must first be purchased + from abroad, by sending out its value in the produce or + manufactures of this country, for which manufactures our + labouring poor are to be paid. And, indeed, if we did not + export more than we import, we could have no money at all. I + allow farther, that there are middle men, who make a profit, + and even get estates, by purchasing the labour of the poor, and + selling it at advanced prices to the rich; but then they cannot + enjoy that profit, or the increase of estates, but by spending + them in employing and paying our labouring poor, in some shape + or other, for the products of industry. Even beggars, + pensioners, hospitals, &c. all that are supported by charity, + spend their incomes in the same manner. So that finally, as I + said at first, our labouring poor receive annually the whole of + the clear revenues of the nation, and from us they can have no + more. + + If it be said that their wages are too low, and that they ought + to be better paid for their labour, I heartily wish that any + means could be fallen upon to do it consistent with their + interest and happiness; but as the cheapness of other things is + owing to the plenty of those things, so the cheapness of labour + is in most cases owing to the multitude of labourers, and to + their underworking one another in order to obtain employment. + How is this to be remedied? A law might be made to raise their + wages; but if our manufactures are too dear, they will not vend + abroad, and all that part of employment will fail, unless, by + fighting and conquering, we compel other nations to buy our + goods, whether they will or no, which some have been mad enough + at times to propose. Among ourselves, unless we give our + working people less employment, how can we, for what they do, + pay them higher than we do? Out of what fund is the additional + price of labour to be paid, when all our present incomes are, + as it were, mortgaged to them? Should they get higher wages, + would that make them less poor, if in consequence they worked + fewer days of the week proportionably? I have said, a law might + be made to raise their wages; but I doubt much, whether it + could be executed to any purpose, unless another law, now + indeed almost obsolete, could at the same time be revived and + enforced; a law, I mean, that I have often heard and repeated, + but few have ever duly considered, _Six days shalt thou + labour_. This is as positive a part of the Commandment, as that + which says, _The seventh day thou shalt rest_: but we remember + well to observe the indulgent part, and never think of the + other. _Saint Monday_[r] is generally as duly kept by our + working people as Sunday: the only difference is, that instead + of employing it cheaply at church, they are wasting it + expensively at the alehouse. + + I am, Sir, your's, &c. + + +[Footnote r: This applies not so much to farmers' workmen as to +_manufacturers'_ labourers.] + + +_Extract from Dr. Franklin's remarks on Luxury, Idleness, and Industry._ + +Some of those who grow rich will be prudent, live within bounds, and +preserve what they have gained for their posterity: others, fond of +shewing their wealth, will be extravagant, and ruin themselves. Laws +cannot prevent this; and perhaps it is not always an evil to the public. +A shilling spent idly by a fool, may be picked up by a wiser person, who +knows better what to do with it. It is therefore not lost. A vain silly +fellow builds a fine house, furnishes it richly, lives in it +expensively, and in a few years ruins himself: but the masons, +carpenters, smiths, and other honest tradesmen, have been by his employ +assisted in maintaining and raising their families: the farmer has been +paid for his labour, and encouraged, and the estate is now in better +hands. In some cases, indeed, certain modes of luxury may be a public +evil, in the same manner as it is a private one. + + +THE END. + + + * * * * * + + +[Transcriber's Note: + +Older form of contractions retained. + +Spelling "aground" and "a-ground" used in the text. + +Spelling "ale-house" and "alehouse" used in the text. + +Spelling "bed-side" and "bedside" used in the text. + +Spelling "gate-way" and "gateway" used in the text. + +Spelling "benefited" and "benefitted" used in the text. + +Spelling "licence" and "license" used in the text. + +Spelling "parish officer" and "parish-officer" used in text. + +Page 31. Letter 'f' added to text (as a matter of). + +Page 47. Comma, blank space and double quote removed after 'answered'. +(Wildgoose answered that as for the penalty,) + +Page 89. Quotation marks around 'Mrs. Hawker' removed. (No, indeed now, +Mrs. Hawker, you must) + +Page 109. The notation '[oe]' is used for the oe-ligature. + +Page 118. Word 'carrried' changed to 'carried' (accordingly carried +him). + +Page 120. Word 'matress' spelling retained. May be period correct. + +Page 137. Word 'unfrequently' spelling retained. May be period correct. + +Page 138. Closing double-quote added. (as a fit man to keep it.) + +Page 145. Word 'intrusted' spelling retained. May be period correct.] + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Christmas Stories, by Edward Berens + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHRISTMAS STORIES *** + +***** This file should be named 35397.txt or 35397.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/5/3/9/35397/ + +Produced by Heather Clark, billyeiser and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +book was produced from scanned images of public domain +material from the Google Print project.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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