The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-01-11 00:00:00

THE SPINSTER'S KEMP.

believe, two hundred pounds. Like the great Apostle,
he might almost say "these hands ministered o niy
necessities;" for during almost the whole of his married
life he was engaged in preparing young men for the Uni-
versity." With reference to this necessity, Dr. Byrth
had sail before in his sermon, partly re-printed in this
memoir. (p. 15)—" The best of his days and the pride of
his strength have been expended in the preparir
men for the Universities. It is well that the you

bialitr classes should be committed to the care and in-
struction of the clergy. But the latter cannot be at once
writing books and teaching others to read them."
The details of Dr. Tattershall's ministry amongst us
are so recent and familiar, that in the memoir before us
they are very lightly touched upon. Of course it is still
less needful that further mention should be made of them

here. The account of his funeral is taken from one of
our local contemporaries, with (may we say

served

by on the periodical press of Liverpool. We have
already so far exceeded our usual and intended limits,
that we must forbear for the present from any notice of
the subject matter of the admirable sermons that com-
prise the body of the work. At some future time we may
possibly return to it. Enough, however, has been done
in calling the attention of our readers to the publication
itself. We speak as to wise men, and are in nowise ap-

" A kemp, or camp, is a contest of industrial skill, or a
competition for priority in a display of rustic labour.
Among men it is principally resorted to in planting pota-
toes or reaping of corn, and generally only on the day
which closes the labour at each for the season ; but in the
sense in which it is most usually practised and contested,
it memo_ a trial of female skill at the spinning of linen
yarn.Wt is, indeed, a very cheerful assemblage of the
fair sex ; and, although strong and desperate rivalry is the
order of the day, yet it is conducted in a spirit so light-
hearted and amicable that we scarcely know a more_lauda-

recreation in coun

as they promote industry, a spirit of becoming emulation,
and principles of good will and kindness to our neighbour.

.
" When a ken'p is about to be held, the 'matter soon
becomes generally known in the neighbourhood. Some-
times the young women are asked, but in most instances,
so eager are they to attend it that invitations are unne-
cessary. In the winter months, and in mountain districts,
it is often as picturesque as it is pleasant. The young
women usually begin to assemble about four o'clock in

the morning ; and, as they always go in groups, accom-
panied besides by their sweethearts or some male relatives,
each of the latter bearing a large torch of well dried bog-

the stillness of night with a holiday reeling, made .ten
times more delightful by the surrounding darkness and
the hour. When they have not the torches, the spinning
wheels are carried by the males, amidst an agreeable din
of fun, banter, repartee, and jest, such as scarcely any
other rustic amusement with which we are acquainted ever
occasions. On arriving at the house where the kemp is
to be held, they are placed generally in the barn or some

as to crowd every available space that can he procured for
their accommodation. From the moment they arrive the
lively din is incessant. Nothing is heard but laughter,

key, among the louder humming of the spinning-wheels
and the stridulous noise of the reels, as they incessantly
crack the cuts in the hands of the reelers, who are per-
petually turning them from morning till night, in order
to ascertain the quantity which every competitor has
spun ; and she, of course, who has spun most wins the
kemp, and is the queen for the night.
"A kemp invariably closes with a dance—and a dance
of the I too upon an unusually extensive scale. Indeed, dun; g

tlnt whole day the fair competitors are regaled from time
to time with the enlivening strains of the fiddle or the
bagpipes, and very often with the united melody of both
t)gether,
" On that morning, the dwelling-house and mostly all
the out-offices of Gerald Cavanagh bore, in stir and bustle,
a stronger resemblance to the activity of so many bee

hives about to swarm than to anything else to which we
can think of comparing them. Mirth in all its shapes, of
laughter, glee, and song, rang out in every direction.
The booming of wheels and the creaking of reels, the loud
banter, the peals of laughter, the sweet Irish songs that
filled up the pauses of the louder mirth, and the strains
of the fiddle that ever and "anon added to the enlivening
spirit of the scene, all constituted such a full and general
chorus of hilarity as could seldom be witnessed.

"There were many girls p:
competition,_ but who, as

took no part in the
d acquaintances of

Kathleen and Fianna, came to enjoy the festive spirit of
the day. Hanna herself, however, who had earned
some celebrity as a spinster, started for the honour of
winning, as did Dora M`Mahon, whose small and beauti-
ful fingers seemed admirably adapted for this graceiul and
peculiarly feminine process of Minerva. Towards 'even-
ing the neighbours assembled in considerable numbers,
each interested in the success of some particular favourite,
whose former feats had induced .her friends to enter-
tain on her behalf strong, if not certain, hopes of victory.
Kathleen, from a principle of generosity, patronized her

young friend, Dora M
ie other hand, took
ks the eve'

Nl`Malion, on
under her pro-
the spectators
in order to be
be difficult to
-I placed under.

Le mirth an,