Tho this is but a romantic place as my friend Matthew well observed /yet/ You wou’d laugh to see the bustle I am
in.
I was told we shou’d meet with great opposition
if I did /not/ try to propitiate the chief Despot of the
Village, who is very rich and very brutal; so I ventured to the
Den of this Monster, in a Country as savage as himself, near
Bridgewater. He begged I wou’d not think of bringing
any religion into the Country, it was the worst thing in the world for the poor,
for it made them lazy and useless; in vain I represented to him that they wou’d
be more industrious as they were better principled, and that for my own part, I
had no selfish views in what I was doing; he gave me to understand that he knew
the world too well to believe either the one or the other. Somewhat dismay’d to
find that my success bore no proportion to my submissions, I was almost
discouraged from more visits; but I found friends must be secured at all events,
for if these rich savages set their faces against /us/, and inflamed the poor
people I thought nothing but hostilities wou’d answer. So I made Eleven more of
these /agreeable/ Visits, but I was by this time improved in the Arts of
canvassing and had better success. Miss
Wilberforce wou’d have been shocked had She seen the petty
Tyrants Whose insolence I stroaked and tamed, the ugly children I praised, the
Pointers and Spaniels I caressed, the cider I commended, the wine I drank, and
the brandy I might have drank; and after these irresistible flatteries I
enquired of each if he cou’d recommend me to a house; /said/ that I had a little
plan which I hoped wou’d secure their orchards from being robbed, their rabbits
from being shot, and their game from being stolen /and might lower
the Poor Rates./ If effect be the best proof of Eloquence then mine
was a good Speech; for I met with the hearty concurrence of the whole people,
and their promise to discourage or favour the poor in proportion as they were
attentive or negligent in sending their Children. Patty, who is with me says she has good hope the hearts of some
of these wealthy poor wretches may be touched; they are as ignorant
as the beasts that perish, drunk every day before dinner and plunged in such
vices as make me begin to think London a virtuous place. By their assistance I
procured immediately a good house, which when a partition is taken down, and a
Window added will receive a great number of children. This house and an
excellent Garden of almost an Acre of ground, I have taken at once for Six
Guineas and a half Pr. Year. I have ventured to take it for
seven Years, there’s courage for You! It is to be put in order
instantly; for the night cometh, and it is a comfort to think
that, tho I may be dust and ashes in a few weeks yet by that time this business
I hope will be in actual Motion. I have written to different Manufacturing Towns
for a Mistress but can get nothing hitherto; as to the Mistress for the
Sunday School, and the religious part I have employ’d Mrs. Easterbrook, of whose judgment,
(Demons out of the question) I have a good opinion. I hope Miss W. wont be frightened but
I am afraid she must be a
Methodist.
I asked the Farmers if they had no Resident Curate; they told me they had a right
to
insist on one, which right they confessed they had never ventured to exercise for
fear their Tythes
shou’d be raised. I blushed for my Species. The Vicarage
House is remarkably grand.
The Vicarage of
Cheddar is in the gift of the Dean of Wells; the value nearly /£/50 Pr.
Ann: the Incumbent a Mr. Rabone, (I
dont know whether I spell his name right.) he has something to do, but I cannot here
find out what, in the
University of Oxford, where he
resides. The Curate lives at
Wells 12 Miles distant They have only service once a
day, and there is scarce an instance of a poor person being visited or prayed
with.
The Living of
Axbridge is in the gift of the Prebendary of
Wivilscombe in the Church of
Wells; the Annual Value about /£/50. The name of the Incumbent
Gould, about 60 years of age; the Prebend to
which this Rectory belongs, is in the Gift of the Bp of Bath
and Wells. Mr. Gould is
drunk about Six times a Week /has kept a Mistress in his House/ and very frequently
/is/ prevented from preaching by the black Eyes got by fighting – Mr. Rabone is a middle aged man of his
character they know nothing. The Curate a sober Young Man [letter ends abruptly]