THE FACTORY CHILD. "I hear the blithe voices of children at play, And the sweet birds rejoicing on ev'ry green spray; The gay sports of childhood, to me they deny, Oh! who would not mourn for a victim like me? In the dead of the night, when you take your sweet sleep, The bright bloom of health has forsaken my cheek, Oh, pity my sufferings e're yet the cold tomb! AGNES STRICTLAND. Such is the affecting appeal made by that talented poetess. But little attention has been paid to it. How different is this description to the following, of a group of children at play, as alluded to in the following lines: "Meek gentle things-though joyous, meek, In the beauty of grave years; When things unknown are cares and woes, How soft your pictur'd semblance seems, Dr. Southey beautifully writes: "Of all sights which can soften and humanize the heart of man, there is none that ought so surely to reach it, as that of innocent children, enjoying the happiness which is their proper and natural portion." Sir Thomas More, in his "Utopian Commonwealth," says, "As he will have none idle, so will he have none labour over hard, to be toiled out like a horse: 'tis more than slavish infilicity; the life of most of our hired servants, and tradesmen, (excepting his Utopians,) but half the day alloted for work, and half for honest recreation, or whatever employment they shall think for themselves." No doubt, half a day unemployed, would be too much, would be certain to be abused, but there is a wide difference between half and none-particularly for children who want and ought to have both mind and body cultivated, as well as some lively sports; for, according to the old adage, "All work and no alloy, Before steam engines were applied to manufactories, there were occasional delays. Watermills, during droughts often rested for want of water, and in floods from having two much. Windmills were also subject to delays, from too much or too little of that element. But steam admits of no cessation, nor is it ever tired, consequently those whose avocation lie in works connected with these machines, are worked worse than animals; there is no opportunity for recreation, whether of mind or body. If this system is to continue as it now is, the labourer will become the most degraded of all beings, completely brutified and stupid; consequently, crime and immorality, must be the result. There will be but two classes, the very rich, and the very poor. Solomon, has long since said, "the rich ruleth the poor," so will that become the case universally under this terrible system. If the rule was that of the Christian, full of benevolence and charity, all might be well enough; or if it was even approaching to the foolish, fond kindness shown to the favourite dog or cat, it would be better than it now is, which is positively of the most cruel, overbearing, unreflecting, unfeeling description; consequently, the English artisan is not near so well off, as the African negro; for in many cases, "Death, like a lazy master, stands aloof, "And leaves his work to the slow hand of famine." DRYDEN. 195 ANDREW MARVEL, M. P. "It much repaireth mee To talk of these good fathers." SHAKSPEARE. But they are "Like angel's visits, few and far between." I HAVE Scrupulously abstained from entering into the politics of these reigns, or of the men who flourished as politicians, but I cannot resist giving the reader the following account of the ever to be remembered Andrew Marvel, who died, August 16th, 1678: "A man who dared to be honest in the worst of times;" he was the son of a clergyman at Hull, in Yorkshire, where he was born, in 1620. In 1633, he was sent to Trinity college, Cambridge; in 1657, he became assistant to Milton, in his office of Latin Secretary to Cromwell; and at the restoration he was chosen to represent his native town in the house of commons. His conduct was marked by inflexible adherence to the principles of liberty, and his wit, as a writer, was levelled at the corruptions of the court; yet Charles II. courted his society for the pleasure of his conversation. He lived in a mean lodging in the Strand, "There lived he jocund, and his thoughts Were roses all." here he was visited by Lord Danby, at the desire of the king, with his majesty's request to know in what way he could serve him; Lord Danby, in the course of his conversation, assured him of any place he might choose. Marvel nobly replied, "he could not accept the offer without being unjust to his country by betraying its interests, or ungrateful to the king by voting against him." "His heart was not buried in the rubbish of the world." Before Lord Danby took leave, he told him his majesty had sent him £1000, as a mark of his private esteem. Marvel did not need the assurance, but he refused the money; and, after his noble visitor departed, borrrowed a guinea which he wanted, of a friend. Charles might intend it a high compliment to send his message by a peer, but we may judge by the following couplet, by Marvel, of what he thought of the king's friends and counsellors : "To make a white staff maker, a beggar, a lord, And scarce a wise man at a long council board!" This great man, after having served his constituents for twenty successive years in parliament, was buried at their expence in the church of St. Giles, in the Fields." Hone. He felt the full force of a maxim which has been well expressed by D'Alembert, "The highest offices of church and state, are like the top of a pyramid, accessible only to eagles and reptiles," so he chose to do his duty below. ELECTIONS.-I could also furnish many pages of electioneering anecdotes. At that period the people did not seem to take much concern in such matters, and in some places the sufferage was very limited. The following account of the election of a member for the city of Bath, 1645, will show a very different feeling to what is now exhibited: The person chosen to represent them in parliament, was generally allowed a gratuity in consideration of the trouble. Copy of a letter "To our muche honoured and worthie friend, John Harrington, Esq., at his house at Kelstone, near Bathe. Worthie Sir, Out of the long experience we have had of your approved worth and sincerity, our citie of Bathe have determined and settled their resolutions to elect you for a burgess for the house of commons in this present parliament, for our said citie, and do hope you will accept the trouble thereof; which if you do, our desire is you will not fail to be with us at Bathe on Monday next, the eighth of this instant, by eight of the morning at farthest, for then we proceed to our election; and of your determination we entreat you to certify us by a word or two in writing, and send it by the bearer to Bathe, 6th Dec., 1645. Your assured loving friends, Sir John's account of the proceedings, "A note of my Bathe business about the parliament." "Saturday, 26th Dec., 1645, went to Bathe and dined with the maior and citizens; conferred about my election to serve in parliament, as my father was helpless and ill able to go any more; went to the George Inn at night, met the bailiffs, and desired to be dismissed from serving; drank strong beer and metheglin, expended about 3s., went home late, but could not get excused, as they entertained a good opinion of my father. Monday, 28th Dec., went to Bathe, met Sir John Horner; we were chosen by the citizens to serve for the city. The maior and citizens conferred about parliament business. The maior promised Sir John Horner and myself a horse a piece, when we went to London to the parliament, which we accepted of; and we talked about the synod and the ecclesiastical dismissions. I am to go again on Thursday and meet the citizens about all matters, and take advice thereon. Thursday, 31st., went to Bathe, Mr. Ashe preached. Dined at the George Inn with the maior and citizens, spent at dinner 68. in wine. Laid out in victuals, at the George, 11s. 4d.; laid out in tobacco and drinking vessels, 4s. 4d.; in drinking 6s. 2d.; 1 Jan. my father gave me £4 to pay my expenses at Bathe. Mr. Chapman, the maior, came to Kelston and returned thanks for my being chosen to serve in parliament, to my father, in the name of all the citizens. My father gave me good advice, touching my speaking in parliament, as the city should direct me. Came home late at night from Bathe, much troubled hereat, concerning my proceedings, truly, for men's good report and mine own safety." Note, I gave the city messenger 2s. for bearing the maior's letters to me. Laid out in all, £3 6s., for victuals, drink, and horse hire, together with divers gifts." Hone's E. D. B. At this period there was no need for much bribery; there might have began to be a little coaxing, something like the following from the "Patrician's Daughter :" My father was a man of toil, I mean of real toil, such toil as makes the hand Uncouth to sight, coarse, hard to touch; There are none here that would have touch'd that hand, Grow marvellously pliant!" But there was some bribery; for in the time of Elizabeth, there" was one Thomas Longe, (being a simple man, of small capacity to serve in parliament,) acknowledged that he had given the returning officer, and others of the borough, £4, for which he was chosen, and was for that premium elected. But for this offence the borough was amerced, the member was removed, and the officer was fined and imprisoned." (Commons' Journal, 1571.) And in Sir Henry Slingsby's Diary, is the following entry, respecting the election at Knaresborough, Anno. 1640: "There is an evil custom at such elections to bestow wine on all the town, which cost me sixteen pounds at least." When a person is chosen a member of Parliament he is obliged to serve; if he accepts a place of profit, he is then obliged to vacate his seat, but he may sit again if he is re-elected; occasionally, the minister wishes to elect a new man, who, with some peculiarity of talent, is able and willing to support his measures, but without a fresh general election, he may not have an opportunity for obtaining his services in the house of commons. |