me to write them; and at the alehouse there was
always a little gossip to be done while the horses enjoyed their pail of
water or mouthful of hay. Even at the worst there was no fear of being
left behind, as by dint of running and holloaing you might get up with
the cart, unless you were very much behind indeed. But you may be sure
that when the day came that I was to visit the great city of Norwich I
was ready for the carrier's cart long before the carrier's cart was ready
for me. Why was it, you ask, that the Norwich journey was undertaken?
The answer is not difficult to give. The Reform agitation at that time
had quickened the entire intellectual and social life of the people. At
length had dawned the age of reason, and had come the rights of man. The
victory had been won all along the line, and was to be celebrated in the
most emphatic manner. We Dissenters rejoiced with exceeding joy; for we
looked forward, as a natural result, to the restoration of that religious
equality in the eye of the law of which we had been unrighteously
deprived, and in consequence of which we had suffered in many ways. We
joined, as a matter of course, in the celebration of the victory which we
and the entire body of Reformers throughout the land had gained; and how
could that be done better than by feeding the entire community on old
English fare washed down by old English ale? And this was done as far as
practicable everywhere. For instance, at Bungay there was a public feast
in the Market Place, and on the town-pump the Messrs. Childs erected a
printing-press, which they kept hard at work all day printing off papers
intended to do honour to the great event their fellow-townsmen were
celebrating in so jovial a manner. In Norwich the demonstration was to
be of a more imposing character, and as an invitation had come to the
heads of the family from an old friend, a minister out of work, and
living more or less comfortably on his property, it seemed good to them
to accept it, and to take me with them, deeming, possibly, that of two
evils it was best to choose the least, and that I should be safer under
their eye at Norwich than with no one to look after me at home. At any
rate, be that as it may, the change was not a little welcome, and much
did I see to wonder at in the old Castle, the new Gaol, the size of the
city, the extent of the Market Place, the smartness of the people, and
the glare of the shops. It well repaid me for th
|