sunday under three heads-第7节

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were　wafted　on　the　air；　from　the　wild　flowers　which　blossomed　on

either　side　of　the　footpath。　　The　little　church　was　one　of　those

venerable　simple　buildings　which　abound　in　the　English　counties；

half　overgrown　with　moss　and　ivy；　and　standing　in　the　centre　of　a

little　plot　of　ground；　which；　but　for　the　green　mounds　with　which

it　was　studded；　might　have　passed　for　a　lovely　meadow。　　I　fancied

that　the　old　clanking　bell　which　was　now　summoning　the　congregation

together；　would　seem　less　terrible　when　it　rung　out　the　knell　of　a

departed　soul；　than　I　had　ever　deemed　possible　before　…　that　the

sound　would　tell　only　of　a　welcome　to　calmness　and　rest；　amidst　the

most　peaceful　and　tranquil　scene　in　nature。



I　followed　into　the　church　…　a　low…roofed　building　with　small

arched　windows；　through　which　the　sun's　rays　streamed　upon　a　plain

tablet　on　the　opposite　wall；　which　had　once　recorded　names；　now　as

undistinguishable　on　its　worn　surface；　as　were　the　bones　beneath；

from　the　dust　into　which　they　had　resolved。　　The　impressive　service

of　the　Church　of　England　was　spoken　…　not　merely　READ　…　by　a　grey…

headed　minister；　and　the　responses　delivered　by　his　auditors；　with

an　air　of　sincere　devotion　as　far　removed　from　affectation　or

display；　as　from　coldness　or　indifference。　　The　psalms　were

accompanied　by　a　few　instrumental　performers；　who　were　stationed　in

a　small　gallery　extending　across　the　church　at　the　lower　end；　over

the　door：　　and　the　voices　were　led　by　the　clerk；　who；　it　was

evident；　derived　no　slight　pride　and　gratification　from　this

portion　of　the　service。　　The　discourse　was　plain；　unpretending；　and

well　adapted　to　the　comprehension　of　the　hearers。　　At　the

conclusion　of　the　service；　the　villagers　waited　in　the　churchyard；

to　salute　the　clergyman　as　he　passed；　and　two　or　three；　I　observed；

stepped　aside；　as　if　communicating　some　little　difficulty；　and

asking　his　advice。　　This；　to　guess　from　the　homely　bows；　and　other

rustic　expressions　of　gratitude；　the　old　gentleman　readily

conceded。　　He　seemed　intimately　acquainted　with　the　circumstances

of　all　his　parishioners；　for　I　heard　him　inquire　after　one　man's

youngest　child；　another　man's　wife；　and　so　forth；　and　that　he　was

fond　of　his　joke；　I　discovered　from　overhearing　him　ask　a　stout；

fresh…coloured　young　fellow；　with　a　very　pretty　bashful…looking

girl　on　his　arm；　'when　those　banns　were　to　be　put　up？'　…　an　inquiry

which　made　the　young　fellow　more　fresh…coloured；　and　the　girl　more

bashful；　and　which；　strange　to　say；　caused　a　great　many　other　girls

who　were　standing　round；　to　colour　up　also；　and　look　anywhere　but

in　the　faces　of　their　male　companions。



As　I　approached　this　spot　in　the　evening　about　half　an　hour　before

sunset；　I　was　surprised　to　hear　the　hum　of　voices；　and　occasionally

a　shout　of　merriment　from　the　meadow　beyond　the　churchyard；　which　I

found；　when　I　reached　the　stile；　to　be　occasioned　by　a　very

animated　game　of　cricket；　in　which　the　boys　and　young　men　of　the

place　were　engaged；　while　the　females　and　old　people　were　scattered

about：　　some　seated　on　the　grass　watching　the　progress　of　the　game；

and　others　sauntering　about　in　groups　of　two　or　three；　gathering

little　nosegays　of　wild　roses　and　hedge　flowers。　　I　could　not　but

take　notice　of　one　old　man　in　particular；　with　a　bright…eyed　grand…

daughter　by　his　side；　who　was　giving　a　sunburnt　young　fellow　some

instructions　in　the　game；　which　he　received　with　an　air　of　profound

deference；　but　with　an　occasional　glance　at　the　girl；　which　induced

me　to　think　that　his　attention　was　rather　distracted　from　the　old

gentleman's　narration　of　the　fruits　of　his　experience。　　When　it　was

his　turn　at　the　wicket；　too；　there　was　a　glance　towards　the　pair

every　now　and　then；　which　the　old　grandfather　very　complacently

considered　as　an　appeal　to　his　judgment　of　a　particular　hit；　but

which　a　certain　blush　in　the　girl's　face；　and　a　downcast　look　of

the　bright　eye；　led　me　to　believe　was　intended　for　somebody　else

than　the　old　man；　…　and　understood　by　somebody　else；　too；　or　I　am

much　mistaken。



I　was　in　the　very　height　of　the　pleasure　which　the　contemplation　of

this　scene　afforded　me；　when　I　saw　the　old　clergyman　making　his　way

towards　us。　　I　trembled　for　an　angry　interruption　to　the　sport；　and

was　almost　on　the　point　of　crying　out；　to　warn　the　cricketers　of

his　approach；　he　was　so　close　upon　me；　however；　that　I　could　do

nothing　but　remain　still；　and　anticipate　the　reproof　that　was

preparing。　　What　was　my　agreeable　surprise　to　see　the　old　gentleman

standing　at　the　stile；　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　surveying　the

whole　scene　with　evident　satisfaction！　　And　how　dull　I　must　have

been；　not　to　have　known　till　my　friend　the　grandfather　（who；　by…

the…bye；　said　he　had　been　a　wonderful　cricketer　in　his　time）　told

me；　that　it　was　the　clergyman　himself　who　had　established　the　whole

thing：　　that　it　was　his　field　they　played　in；　and　that　it　was　he

who　had　purchased　stumps；　bats；　ball；　and　all！



It　is　such　scenes　as　this；　I　would　see　near　London；　on　a　Sunday

evening。　　It　is　such　men　as　this；　who　would　do　more　in　one　year　to

make　people　properly　religious；　cheerful；　and　contented；　than　all

the　legislation　of　a　century　could　ever　accomplish。



It　will　be　said　…　it　has　been　very　often　…　that　it　would　be　matter

of　perfect　impossibility　to　make　amusements　and　exercises　succeed

in　large　towns；　which　may　be　very　well　adapted　to　a　country

population。　　Here；　again；　we　are　called　upon　to　yield　to　bare

assertions　on　matters　of　belief　and　opinion；　as　if　they　were

established　and　undoubted　facts。　　That　there　is　a　wide　difference

between　the　two　cases；　no　one　will　be　prepared　to　dispute；　that　the

difference　is　such　as　to　prevent　the　application　of　the　same

principle　to　both；　no　reasonable　man；　I　think；　will　be　disposed　to

maintain。　　The　great　majority　of　the　people　who　make　holiday　on

Sunday　now；　are　industrious；　orderly；　and　well…behaved　persons。　　It

is　not　unreasonable　to　suppose　that　they　would　be　no　more　inclined

to　an　abuse　of　pleasures　provided　for　them；　than　they　are　to　an

abuse　of　the　pleasures　they　provide　for　themselves；　and　if　any

people；　for　want　of　something　better　to　do；　resort　to　criminal

practices　on　the　Sabbath　as　at　present　observed；　no　better　remedy

for　the　evil　can　be　imagined；　than　giving　them　the　opportunity　of

doing　something　which　will　amuse　them；　and　hurt　nobody　else。



The　propriety　of　opening　the　British　Museum　to　respectable　people

on　Sunday；　has　lately　been　the　subject　of　some　discussion。　　I　think

it　would　puzzle　the　most　austere　of　the　Sunday　legislators　to

assign　any　valid　reason　for　opposing　so　sensible　a　proposition。

The　Museum　contains　rich　specimens　from　all　the　vast　museums　and

repositories　of　Nature；　and　rare　and　curious　fragments　of　the

mighty　works　of　art；　in　bygone　ages：　　all　calculated　to　awaken

contemplation　and　inquiry；　and　to　tend　to　the　enlightenment　and

improvement　of　the　people。　　But　attendants　would　be　necessary；　and

a　few　men　would　be　employed　upon　the　Sabbath。　　They　certainly

would；　but　how　many？　　Why；　if　the　British　Museum；　and　the　National

Gallery；　and　the　Gallery　of　Practical　Science；　and　every　other

exhibition　in　London；　from　which　knowledge　is　to　be　derived　and

information　gained；　were　to　be　thrown　open　on　a　Sunday　afternoon；

not　fifty　people　would　be　required　to　preside　over　the　whole：　　and

it　would　take　treble　the　number　to　enforce　a　Sabbath　bill　in　any

three　populous　parishes。



I　should　like　to　see　some　large　field；　or　open　piece　of　ground；　in

every　outskirt　of　London；　exhibiting　each　Sunday　evening　on　a

larger　scale；　the　scene　of　the　little　country　meadow。　　I　should

like　to　see　the　time　arrive；　when　a　man's　attendance　to　his

religious　duties　might　be　left　to　that　religious　feeling　which　most

men　possess　in　a　greater　or　less　degree；　but　which　was　never　forced

into　the　breast　of　any　man　by　menace　or　restraint。　　I　should　like

to　see　the　time　when　Sunday　might　be　looked　forward　to；　as　a

recognised　day　of　relaxation　and　enjoyment；　and　when　every　man

might　feel；　what　few　men　do　now；　that　religion　is　not　incompatible

with　rational　pleasure　and　needful　recreation。



How　different　a　picture　would　the　streets　and　public　places　then

present！　　The　museums；　and　repositories　of　scientific　and　useful

inventions；　would　be　crowded　with　ingenious　mechanics　and

industrious　artisans；　all　anxious　for　information；　and　all　unable

to　procure　it　at　any　other　time。　　The　spacious　saloons　would　be

swarming　with　practical　men：　　humble　in　appearance；　but　destined；

perhaps；　to　become　the　greatest　inventors　and　philosophers　of　their

age。　　The　labourers　who　now　lounge　away　the　day　in　idleness　and

intoxication；　would　be　seen　hurrying　along；　with　cheerful　faces　and

clean　attire；　not　to　the　close　and　smoky　atmosphere　of　the　public…

house　but　to　the　fresh　and　airy　fields。　　Fancy　the　pleasant　scene。

Throngs　of　people；　pouring　out　from　the　lanes