they had a Primitive meeting-house with great
pillars, behind which the sleeper might sweetly dream till the fiddles
sounded and the singing commenced. But as to long journeys they were
rarely taken. If one did one had to go by coach, and there was sure to
be an accident. Our village doctor who, with his half-dozen daughters,
attended our chapel, did once take a journey, and met with a fall that,
had his skull been not so thick, might have led to a serious catastrophe.
Then there was Brother Hickman, of Denton, a dear, good man who never
stirred from the parish. Once in an evil hour he went a journey on a
stage coach, which was upset, and the consequence was a long and
dangerous illness. If home-keeping youths have ever homely wits, what
homeliness of wit we must have had. But now and then great people found
their way to us, such as Edward Taylor, Gresham Professor of Music, who
had a little property in the village, which gave him a vote, and before
the Reform Bill was carried elections were elections, and we knew it, for
did not four-horse coaches at all times, with flags flowing and trumpets
blowing, drive through with outvoters for Yarmouth, collected at the
candidates' expense from all parts of the kingdom? In the summer, too,
we had another excitement in the shape of the fish vans--light four-wheel
waggons, drawn by two horses--which raced all the way from Lowestoft or
Yarmouth to London. They were built of green rails, and filled up with
hampers of mackerel, to be delivered fresh on the London market. They
only had one seat, and that was the driver's. At the right time of year
they were always on the road going up full, returning empty, and they
travelled a good deal faster than the Royal mail. They were an
ever-present danger to old topers crawling home from the village
ale-house, and to dirty little boys playing marbles or making mud pies in
the street. Of course, there was no policeman to clear the way.
Policemen did not come into fashion till long after; but we had the
gamekeeper. How I feared him as he caught me bird-nesting at an early
hour in the Park, and sent me home with a heavy heart as he threatened me
with Beccles gaol.

In the winter I used to go out rabbiting. A young farmer in our
neighbourhood was fond of the sport, and would often take me out with
him, not to participate in the sport, but simply to look on. It might be
that a friend or two would bring his gun and dog, and join in th