Gents Mag 1792 p.1115

Gents Mag 1792 p.1115




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	Gentleman's Magazine 1792 p.1115 present is the little alien. His mother knew her frailties too well; and was too honest to swear to a father; therefore the villagers have taken the boy amongst them, and are going to send him to school, They said, with concern, until a fortnight ago they had no regular schoolmaster these two years; in short, since the period of chusing their clergyman was taken from them. The chapel and the school serves for both purposes, and I could almost reach the roof with my head. The inhabitants, time out of mind, used to appoint their own clergyman, and he was generally chosen with full consent. Perhaps it was the very poorest livelihood in the kingdom, even with the addition of Queen Anne's bounty; but it was a vehicle for a minor priest to get superior orders; and there never was a want of candidates. They now say they have lost their right; at any rate, they are afraid to claim it, as they are more in dread of the Great Eagle of the North than the eagles which build in their mountains; they think it a judgment upon them for unanimously voting au contraire at a contested election. But, whatever may be the reason, they are left to go to heaven as quietly as they can. The Schoolmaster, without being a Parson, officiates as such; and a clergyman from Lorton, the parish-church, comes over about once in six weeks to administer the Sacrament, which may be the means of preserving the bounty. In this forlorn manner is the service* performed in the village of Buttermere. Luckily, it could not have happened in a village where it appears less wanted; but as good, harmless people always regret the loss of a good custom, they regret it. "The village consists of fourteen families, and some of them are rich people; that is, they may have fifty pounds a-year landed property, and healthful flocks of sheep. We had salt provisions and vegetables for dinner; and I do not think there was a fresh joint in the valley. The ale was home-brewed, and good, but rather too strong for our taste. If you are fond of strong ale, Buttermere is famous for it. Wine and spirits are not sold here; and they are so far from the excise, they pay their duty by compromise, ten pence halfpenny a-week. The landlady says they do not sometimes sell six pennyworths a-week .... On our return, we met a woman with a loaded horse. She had been to Keswick market, laying-in meat and other necessaries for herself and neighbours. This amicable custom is equaled by the following: when a person is sick, or a woman about to lie-in, a horseman is sent express to Keswick or Cockermouth for a surgeon, and the neighbours send a relay of horses to expedite him. When we came to the Cockermouth road, we had a rich sight of a rainbow extending from Keswick, and just including Lowdore fall. It was rendered more beautiful by a watery tinge on the tops of the hills, and by the sun's partially leaving them, shewing which was the highest. "SALLY OF BUTTERMERE. "Her mother and she were spinning woollen yarn in the back kitchen. On our going into it, the girl flew away as swift as a mountain-sheep, and it was until our return from Scale-Force that we could say we first saw her. She brought-in part of our dinner, and seemed to be about fifteen. Her hair was thick and long, of a dark brown, and, though unadorned with ringlets, did not seem to want them. Her face was a fine contour, with full eyes, and lips as red as vermillion. Her cheeks had more of the lily than the rose; and although she had never been out of the village (and, I hope, will have no ambition to wish it), she had a manner about her which seemed better calculated to set off dress than dress her. She was a very Lavinia, 'Seeming, when unadorn'd, adorn'd the most,' When we first saw her at her distaff, after she got the better of her first fears, she looked an angel; and I doubt not but she is the reigning lily of the valley. Ye travellers of the Lakes, if you visit this obscure place, such will find the fair Sally of Buttermere!" "The inhabitants in general about these mountainous countries are not so tall or lusty as in many others; perhaps, as it requires great industry to get a livelihood, the growth of their children is checked by early labour. They live to a very advanced age; and the faces of the very old are strong and healthfully marked with deep short wrinkles. The middle-aged are commonnly handsome; their youth are ruddy and sun-burnt; their children have the faces of Cherubim, and seem to have "the milk of Dorothy" flowing purely in their veins. They are not only affectionate to their parents, but friendly amongst each other; and a man would run risk of his life in deep snow, in venturing over the steepest mountains to attend the funeral of a friend. They have the highest respect for the dead; perhaps to a degree bordering upon superstition; and they rather rob the living by the expence they put themselves to at a funeral. But as a livelihood, not a love of gain, is their grand consideration, they are too friendly and industrious to want; and I did not see (except some little vagrants at Keswick) one person that asked our charity. Their food is homely: they prefer thin oat-cake to wheat-bread; and they are fond of the natural products of the earth, which may be the reason of seeing large families in every house, for we did not call at a cottage that had less than three children. Their drink consists of butter-milk and whey, and, occasionally, a draught of
	* "As the chapel enjoys Queen Anne's bounty, should not the diocesan take care they have a proper pastor? But I cannot suppose he is informed of it."
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