New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-02
GREAT COTWYN.
AN ENGLISH VILLAGE FIFTY YEARS AGO
"---Many precious rites


And CUSTOMS our rural ancestry ,,,
Are gone OF stealing from us."-h0T"S~Of"'
Tn that dubious period, commonly known as
4" the good old days" before Reform bills as
turhed the convenient and c0miOriable rela-
lions of tho rulers ard the ruled, there -four
isbed in contented political corruption, though
IN social and domestic sweetness, me rolUcn !
borough of Great COtwyn, i'll the pleasant
Agricultural county of Tiltshlre. The lord OF
the soil was the Marquis of Amesbury, VINO IN
heritcd large estates and far average STOCK
of hodilv and mental endOwmens from long
line of fortunate ancestors. NO one uiiueI nls
SWAY ever dreamed of diSputng his authority OF
his wishes and when he recommended TO " tne
worthy and independent electors Two or MS
DersC nal friends to represent his D0rOn%h III
Parliament they were elected as q hl"t'er Oh
course A dinner and procession Mese s,iO,,
in honor of the happy and c0mDacent occasion,
and the "natriotic ceremony" passed Gil With
out any broken heads or factiCus disputes -,
As long as the landlord could ,ely. upon the
votes of his tenants he did not tlOuDle hlnSgiI
much about their doctrines; they enjoyed ne
rroatest t, ecdom of thought provided they con-
scented to have their suffrages enslaved go
Although Great COtwyn was very primitive
and insignificant place fifty years ago, IL pos
sesses q remnant of ancient greatness Ill one OF
fbe finest cid Gothic churches in the county,
and from its weather-beatcn tower thG curIcW
rs still rung-nOt tolled" as GyayS EleGy mis-
represents every evening at eight OcIoSK'
The interior of this stately b'It uhe-Wpil oui =;
the corners of which the CONGREGATION maze
themselves sOmnOlently comfortable CURING
sermon hour As there was no evening service,
the church was never artnclliy HglCeu " any
extent. o.,,
were dotted about i'll the pulpit. the reading DESK
and some OF the principal pews, giving recipe
glimmeT, and casting grim shadows over, tne
scantv and scattered congregation, anu aDOut
the gloomy recesSes of the building. The spec
trail artistic, Rembrandt like effect thus pro,
duced can scarcely be imagined OF .apMeciaicu
by the freqUeGterS OF our mooern Ed''i'y l,eu
minated churches. After the lapse OF half q
cpntury, the weird picture then imprinted upoh
nv memory is now more vivid and more
crowded with associations than when the m m
preston was first created. From the rooi OF me
Church were suspended by long chains, gigantic
unused chandeliers, the shape OF which now
suggests to my fancy the image OF huge spl-
der, or octopus cast in brass, win us Uuioo"S
body ard tOrtuOus far-reachlng lmDs' 49,,
The service III my early days was conducted
in very peTtunctOTy, pre-tTactailan lasillon.
Unfortunately, the postmaster ana lbs Ialmiy
made the discovery That they were nluocai ;
they were entirely self taught consequently
they q had fools for their Instructors" they
were ignorant, jealous, and cOncelledj tney
arranged that every Sunday the congregation
should be treated t. an anthem. 1 ms musicill
and enterprisng family mustered IN great
f0rce tier instruments were Il.eil ciu"e, du, !,
trained voices, violin, Il flute. 6uGle, ana 4
bass-ylOl | remember one anthem 70 "hlch
the performers were very partial, as tney were
supposed to distinguish themselves III 1t; the
burden OF 1t was, Inc noise T rha n nnyfo'n
anCe was both dismal and ludicro9s. IL tue
devil is a gentleman with fine ear Tor music
he must certainly have Kept himself at u sac
distance from the influence or such an eXor-
cIsm doubtless he found 1t etfectual In banning
his subtle tactics. Nevertheless, L am quite
sure that the idea of planning any such violent,
psychological strategy against the forces OF ouI
ghOstly enemy never entered the minds oil the
Great COtwyn choir, and am equally ceT!Mn
that they would have resented the suggestion,
if the unattended effect of their spiritual gen
eralship had been thus delicatCly insinuated and
pointed out to them.
to permit these ecclesiastical Vagares Inc
Rev Pater NOster, MA, F.RG.S., F.A.S', etc.
when he was appointed to the living, found tins
anthem singing one of the old established III,
situations of the place he was too pleasant and
Tolerant to interfere with an ancient custom
which was not actually immoral, and which
was only felt a misery 1y the few cultivate =
members of his flock. He was a pIactcal
genial Christian, not pious In the tract dlstrlDut
ing sense, but worthy and beneticent III matters
of daily life; dissent he shreWdly treated VIII
letbargic and good natured indifference. he
was member of two OF three learned s0cle1es
and mn authority on archaeological subjects.
am inclined to suspect that much of his reve
renee fer the Bible was owing to It's antiquity.
When he was required to visit some poor
sick parishioner, he did not come charged
merely with q store of sanctinOnlons advlcej h'
generally took his servant with him to carry
basket filled with neccSsaTcs, or dcllcaCleS non
his kitchen or cellar: this was his mode on sicl
occasions, of intoxicating knowledge OF ChlIs
tianity and he found it more etfeac;ous thai
serm0nizln2, in begetting q devOut frame o
mind in the suffering patients. tie taught M
hearers to believe that the providence OF Co
was always on the watch to manif' st ITSELF Il
practical help, that the word " was not e9nten
10 remain a mere word, that it "becamc flesh,
and that religious theories we've never so pc
cious as when they were exhibited III religion
conduct.
his cook n more useful assistant in the manage
ment Of the parish. On one occasion, wien
met this good old creature, Mrs. PhiIlis, on 9
errand of mercy, for she seldom lett the nous
except on some kind mission, venture u 70 as
her TO give me information respecting one Q
the antiquities OF Great COtwyn, when IN
stocks i'm the marbetplace were crecte0F Oh
curtsied with that gentle ana %mlaoie geStut
which is fast becoming one OF the lost arts, an
replied that 81 she didn't knOw-it was Detui
her time; but ii asked her master, ne cOuI
tell me, as he was a perfect walking Len
picked mediator"
as nay friend WAS n widOwer, aud felt sure tia
he was on the most kindly terms with all III
female members of his household.
IL have heard him called So" she replied
because he is supposed to KNOW everything
a coniectural light then dawned upon me
and / vcntured to say. fancy that you meal
"a walking encyclopaedia" .,
sAhl that's il, sir. thought wasnt quit
right; 'hence-I -come-plead -to-yOu.' That
what meant"
Some distance from Great Cotwyn, there ex
listed one Of the most quiet and 6enighted spot
IN oil the county. The hamlet TO whlch
al,nde was three or feur miles from any church
and the old clergyman, who was o pluraist
rame occasionally 10 humble moral discOurs
10 his very scanty congregation. In the coqrs
Of time he was succeeded by young, aS..Ve !;
is duty to stir up his parishoners and ascertain
Ihesr spiritual condition. Their neglesTeo sta'