The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-01


stained AMI tattsrctl cory OF a London or couu
try newspaper would fnd It's way from til
house OF so,no noighboring gentleman into tn
kitchen OF tho village ini. where lie meagr,
con!onts would DO road and rcrond b. som,
ono possessed Of good pair Of lungs to .
crowd OF gaping cloihoppers whom, u fur
nishod Will, food for reflection Tor half a year.
According 10 Mr.. Sydney nothing can bt
| moro erroneous than tho notion thet tht
sauiros Of eighteenth century England bore
any resemblance to their modern counter.
| parts. or wore In any scnso tho prototypes ol
AddIson's Sir Roger Do Coverloy or Gold
smiths Sir William Thornton. On tho other
hand. II wo dlvost OF Ito crossor features
FioL,ing's portrait Of Squire Western. u
| answers very well for representative OF q
largo anl influential class for at least tho lrst
sixty years OF tho last oontury. MI. Sydney's
| reading has convinced him that there Is no
| Evaporation In the language ota writer In
| tho Gornoissep. who said that the majority Of
tho s1ulres wcro as moro vegetables which
grow mp and rottod on tho sanc spot Of
ground Tho career OF ono was tho career OF
a hundred. FIRST no dnwdled away couple
OF years mt one OF tho universities. which ho
generally loft without taking degree
md with but littlo addition to his previous
scanty store Of knowledge beyond few re-
coipts for brewing punch and On intimate 90
auaIntnnco with tho mysteries Of onbre lans-
quenet, and loo. Having entercd into posses
sion OF his estate. ha hunted the tox avo daysn
week. and Ccncrally appeared In public habit.
cd in plnin drAb or plush cont. ornaiaontou
with large silver buttons. O jockey emp. brooch
os. aud tor boota. Usually on ono day In each
weok lie sat down tn dinner with the attorn ors
md juetIccs ut an inn In thu nearest market
town. md ON o.her days in tho brief intervals
Of ioisuro which the chose Afforded him. he
per,,scd tho county newspaper ora London
nows letter. md settled tho disputes between
tho officers OF tho parish Mt & vestry mcettnH
aftcr which no repaired to tho nearest ole
house. where lie eoptrived to got rs drunk As
possible within a worry short space
OF timo. Az general rule he i'm
bibod nothing stronger than ale. but
on such POSITIVE occasions rs tho con,menanlo-
ration OF the Gunrowder Plot Christmas Day
AMI Twelfth Night. no would brew q bowl Of
strong brandy punch and garnish It with toast
aud nutmeg. Whenever Ito took his walks
abroad couple OF ersyhouuds and poinrer
invariably followed at his heels. and whonever
he arrived ut the house OF n friond or neigh
Dor no WIS wont to announce the fact by
crack Of his whip or loud Halo" On tho
seventh DAY he would bond his stops in the d.
rection OF tho parish church. enter the family
pew. and indulge In nap during tho best part
OF tho SERVICE His travels seldom transcribed
the distance OF tho county town. and he went
thlther only for tho purpose OF attending tho
asszcs. tho sessions. or an election. Tho pros.
pect Of journey to tho capital lie looked upon
with rs much awG Us Ills successors would ro-
gard q voyage to the north pole
Tho squre's residence was ordinarily fash.
toned either of plaster striped with timber or
OF red brick: It had largo bow windows and o
porch furnished with seats. In the rear OF the
premises was stable yard where reposed In
state q rusty. battered-looking box designated
by courtesy the family coach. The garden was
planted with hollyhocks. rose bushes currant
trees. and asparagus: close by the gate would
be placed n horse block. From the ceiling OF
the hall would dangle huge fiitches OF bacon.
and the mantelpieces would be ornamented
with guns and fishing rods OF all shapes and
sizes, besides an array Of broadswords. pnrti-
zans. and daegers borne by ancestors OF the
family in time OF war Powder horns and stag
horns would occupy vacant spaces on the walls,
wherein. too. would perhaps be posted q
stained and dog cared almanac moro than two
yeurs old and set ofthe golden rules of Charles
I. In tho window scat would BIO found the
literature Of the household. including Bakers
Chronicle" Fox's Book OF Martyrs" Glanvil
on "Apparitions." the Complete. Justice
and one or two treatises bearing on the sub
jcct Of farriery. In tho corner by the freside
stood large. wooden two-armed chair and
couple Of seats in the chimney corner Tho
best parlor. which was never opened save on
special occasions. was furnished with Turkey
worked chairs and hung around with por-
traits OF the ancestors OF tho family The
progenitors Of the sterncr sex figured as shep-
herds holding crooks in their hands. but other
,-sa H., f,,h o,,A f,,tI- nd raa
Tho women were depicted In tho guise Of
shepherdesscs wearing high heels and tower
ing hea.idresses. Tho squirc's lady and
daughters passed most OF their time In
preparing different kinds OF cordial waters.
in curing marigolds. in making pastry.
and In connecting salves. electuaries.
juleps. and purges for the use OF their poor
neighbors according to the receipts contained
in Mrs. Classes Cookery Book. Tho chief
companion of the squire was Levite-that Is
to say n clerk IN holy orders-who for the
modest sum Of $50 n year and his board dis
charged the double functions OF domestic
chaplain md factotun,. who in addition to dig
Ging for an hour or two daily In the garden or
the orchnrd. was required to bring tho hope Of
tho family through tho wearisome rudlments
OF learning. to check the rent book aud tho
miller's scoro. to shoe the horses. to say grnce
at meals. aud to Withdraw es EooE as the
cheese and tarts made their appearance OH
tho table.
Next III importance to the squire in country
village ranked tho pnrson. who at that period
too often WAS y pluralist. passing In that
capacity no inconsit!crah!a portion OF the year
either in tho capital. Mt bath. or Tun3ridse
Wells. II resident. he was detesta5iy slthfIl
Ia tho discharge Of h:s pastoral duties. field
ing's Ihrsor Trulliber Invested Of his coarser
traits may pass for many IL rector OF IL rural
parish in the Georgian era. On week duys tho
reverend gentleman might hive been seen
n'!ing tho dung cart In dry weather and pull
Ing hemp In wct or planted on II pnEnicr with
rair OF geese OF turkeys boibiug out their
heads from beneath his canoricals. 1t ID
doubtless true. Us Mr. Sydney suggests. that
the low estimation In which so many Of tbs
rural clcvsy IN tho lust century wuro held was
due 10 tho fact that they wer, seldom ovnr.lch
In this worlds goods. Whcn we bear in mind
that they wcro ofton forced to el;e out SUBJ
sistcuco on IL stipend smaller than the wages
Of al agricultural lnburor. we rense tn marvel