y nature and more than equal by virtue. Alas! we had soon
Lord Brougham's beershops, and there was a sad falling away. Poachers
and drunkards increased on every side. All around there seemed to be
nothing but poverty, with the exception of the farmers--then, as now,
always grumbling, but apparently living well and enjoying life.

As one thinks of the old country years ago one can realise the truth of
the story told by the late Mr. Fitzgerald of a Suffolk village church one
winter's evening:--

Congregation, with the Old Hundredth ready for the parson's dismissal
words.

_Good Old Parson_ (not at all meaning rhymes): The light has grown so
very dim I scarce can see to read the hymn.

_Congregation_ (taking it up to the first half of the Old Hundredth):

The light has grown so very dim,
I scarce can see to read the hymn.

(Pause as usual.)

_Parson_ (mildly impatient): I did not mean to sing a hymn, I only
meant my eyes were dim.

_Congregation_ (to second part of the Old Hundredth):

I did not mean to read a hymn,
I only meant my eyes were dim.

_Parson_ (out of patience): I did not mean a hymn at all, I think the
devil's in you all.

Curious were the ways of the East Anglian clergy. One of our
neighbouring parsons had his clerk give out notice that on the next
Sunday there would be no service "because master was going to Newmarket."
No one cared for the people, unless it was the woman preacher or
Methodist parson, and the people were ignorant beyond belief. Few could
either read or write. It was rather amusing to hear them talk. A boy
was called bow, a girl was termed a mawther, and if milk or beer was
wanted it was generally fetched in a gotch.

Our home life was simple enough. We went early to bed and were up with
the lark. I was arrayed in a pinafore and wore a frill--which I
abhorred--and took but little pleasure in my personal appearance--a very
great mistake, happily avoided by the present generation. We children
had each a little bed of garden ground which we cultivated to the best of
our power. Ours was really a case of plain living and high thinking. Of
an evening the room was dimly lighted by means of a dip candle which
constantly required snuffing. To write with we had the ordinary
goose-quill. The room, rarely used, in which we received company was
called the parlour.