\"dolefulmattermerrilysetdown，oraverypleasantthemesunglamentably。\"Hewasscrupulouslyconscientious，devout，inclinedtotheologicaldisquisitions，andwithalmightyinScripture。Hewasthoroughlyindependent;flatterednobody，caredfornobody，trustednobody。Wheninvitedtositdownatourdinner—tableheinvariablytooktheprecautiontoplacehisbasketofvaluablesbetweenhislegsforsafekeeping。\"Nevermindtheybasket，Jonathan，\"saidmyfather;\"weshan’tstealthyverses。\"\"I’mnotsureofthat，\"returnedthesuspiciousguest。\"Itiswritten，’Trustyenotinanybrother。’\"
（1）\"Hecouldnevercomebetter，\"saystheclowninShakespeare’s*TheWinter’sTale，*whenAutolycus，thepedler，isannounced;\"heshallcomein。Iloveaballadbuteventoowell，ifitbedolefulmattermerrilysetdown，oraverypleasantthingindeedandsunglamentably。\"ActIV。scene4。
Thou，too，OParsonB。，——withthypalestudent’sbrowandrubicundnose，withthyrustyandtatteredblackcoatoversweptbywhite，flowinglocks，withthyprofessionalwhiteneckclothscrupulouslypreservedwhenevenashirttothybackwasproblematical，——artbynomeanstobeoverlookedinthemuster—
rollofvagrantgentlemenpossessingthe*entree*ofourfarmhouse。Welldowerememberwithwhatgraveanddignifiedcourtesyheusedtostepoveritsthreshold，salutingitsinmateswiththesameairofgraciouscondescensionandpatronagewithwhichinbetterdayshehaddelightedtheheartsofhisparishioners。Pooroldman！Hehadoncebeentheadmiredandalmostworshippedministerofthelargestchurchinthetownwhereheafterwardsfoundsupportinthewinterseason，asapauper。Hehadearlyfallenintointemperatehabits;andattheageofthree—scoreandten，whenIrememberhim，hewasonlysoberwhenhelackedthemeansofbeingotherwise。Drunkorsober，however，heneveraltogetherforgottheproprietiesofhisprofession;hewasalwaysgrave，decorous，andgentlemanly;heheldfasttheformofsoundwords，andtheweaknessofthefleshabatednothingoftherigorofhisstringenttheology。HehadbeenafavoritepupilofthelearnedandastuteEmmons，（1）andwastothelastasturdydefenderofthepeculiardogmasofhisschool。Thelasttimewesawhimhewasholdingameetinginourdistrictschool—house，withavagabondpedlerfordeaconandtravellingcompanion。
Thetiewhichunitedtheill—assortedcouplewasdoubtlessthesamewhichendearedTamO’Shantertothesouter:（2）——
\"Theyhadbeenfouforweeksthegither。\"
HetookforhistextthefirstsevenversesoftheconcludingchapterofEcclesiastes，furnishinginhimselfitsfittingillustration。Theevildayshadcome;thekeepersofthehousetrembled;thewindowsoflifeweredarkened。Afewmonthslaterthesilvercordwasloosed，thegoldenbowlwasbroken，andbetweenthepooroldmanandthetemptationswhichbesethimfellthethickcurtainsofthegrave。
（1）NathanielEmmonswasaNewEnglandtheologianofmarkedcharacterandpower，whoforseventyyearswasconnectedwithachurchinthatpartofWrentham，Mass。，nowcalledFranklin。HeexercisedconsiderableinfluenceoverthereligiousthoughtofNewEngland，andisstillreadbytheologians。Hediedin1840，inhisninety—sixthyear。
（2）Souter（orcobbler）Johnny，inBurns’spoetictaleof*TamO’Shanter，*hadbeen*fou*or*full*ofdrinkwithTamforweekstogether。
Onedaywehadacallfroma\"pawkyauldcarle\"（1）ofawanderingScotchman。TohimIowemyfirstintroductiontothesongsofBurns。AftereatinghisbreadandcheeseanddrinkinghismugofciderhegaveusBonnyDoon，HighlandMary，andAuldLangSyne。Hehadarich，fullvoice，andenteredheartilyintothespiritofhislyrics。IhavesincelistenedtothesamemelodiesfromthelipsofDempster（2）
（thanwhomtheScottishbardhashadnosweeterortruerinterpreter），buttheskilfulperformanceoftheartistlackedthenovelcharmofthegaberlunzie’ssingingintheoldfarmhousekitchen。Anotherwanderermadeusacquaintedwiththehumorousoldballadof\"Ourgudemancamhameate’en。\"Heappliedforsupperandlodging，andthenextmorningwassetatworksplittingstonesinthepasture。Whilethusengagedthevillagedoctorcameridingalongthehighwayonhisfine，spiritedhorse，andstoppedtotalkwithmyfather。Thefelloweyedtheanimalattentively，asiffamiliarwithallhisgoodpoints，andhummedoverastanzaoftheoldpoem:——
\"Ourgudemancamhameate’en，Andhamecamhe;
AndtherehesawasaddlehorseWherenaehorseshouldbe。
’Howcamthishorsehere？
Howcanitbe？
HowcamthishorsehereWithouttheleaveofme？’
’Ahorse？’quoshe。
’Ay，ahorse，’quohe。
’Yeauldfool，yeblindfool，——
Andblindermightyebe，——
’TisnaethingbutamilkingcowMymammasenttome。’
’Amilchcow？’quohe。
’Ay，amilchcow，’quoshe。
’Weel，farhaeIridden，AndmucklehaeIseen;
Butmilkingcowswi’saddlesonSawInevernane。’\"（3）
（1）Fromthefirstlineof*TheGaberlunzieMan，*attributedtoKingJamesV。ofScotland，——
\"Thepawkyauldcarlecameo’erthelee。\"
TheoriginallikeWhittier’swasaslyoldfellow，asanEnglishphrasewouldtranslatetheScottish。*TheGaberlunzieMan*isgiveninPercy’s*ReliquesofAncientPoetry*andinChild’s*EnglishandScottishBallads，*viii。98。
（2）WilliamR。Dempster，aScottishvocalistwhohadrecentlysunginAmerica，andwhosemusictoBurns’ssong\"A
man’samanfora’that\"wasverypopular。
（3）ThewholeofthissongmaybefoundinHerd’s*AncientandModernScottishSongs，*ii。172。
Thatverynighttherascaldecamped，takingwithhimthedoctor’shorse，andwasneverafterheardof。
Often，inthegrayofthemorning，weusedtoseeoneormore\"gaberlunziemen，\"packonshoulderandstaffinhand，emergingfromthebarnorotheroutbuildingswheretheyhadpassedthenight。Iwasoncesenttothebarntofodderthecattlelateintheevening，and，climbingintothemowtopitchdownhayforthatpurpose，Iwasstartledbythesuddenapparitionofamanrisingupbeforeme，justdiscernibleinthedimmoonlightstreamingthroughtheseamsoftheboards。I
madearapidretreatdowntheladder;andwasonlyreassuredbyhearingtheobjectofmyterrorcallingafterme，andrecognizinghisvoiceasthatofaharmlessoldpilgrimwhomI
hadknownbefore。Ourfarmhousewassituatedinalonelyvalley，halfsurroundedwithwoods，withnoneighborsinsight。
Onedark，cloudynight，whenourparentschancedtobeabsent，weweresittingwithouragedgrandmotherinthefadinglightofthekitchenfire，workingourselvesintoaverysatisfactorystateofexcitementandterrorbyrecountingtoeachotherallthedismalstorieswecouldrememberofghosts，witches，hauntedhouses，androbbers，whenweweresuddenlystartledbyaloudrapatthedoor。Astripplingoffourteen，Iwasverynaturallyregardedastheheadofthehousehold;so，withmanymisgivings，Iadvancedtothedoor，whichIslowlyopened，holdingthecandletremulouslyabovemyheadandpeeringoutintothedarkness。Thefeebleglimmerplayedupontheapparitionofagigantichorseman，mountedonasteedofasizeworthyofsucharider，——colossal，motionless，likeimagescutoutofthesolidnight。Thestrangevisitantgrufflysalutedme;
and，aftermakingseveralineffectualeffortstourgehishorseinatthedoor，dismountedandfollowedmeintotheroom，evidentlyenjoyingtheterrorwhichhishugepresenceexcited。
AnnouncinghimselfasthegreatIndiandoctor，hedrewhimselfupbeforethefire，stretchedhisarms，clinchedhisfists，struckhisbroadchest，andinvitedourattentiontowhathecalledhis\"mortalframe。\"Hedemandedinsuccessionallkindsofintoxicatingliquors;andonbeingassuredthatwehadnonetogivehim，hegrewangry，threatenedtoswallowmyyoungerbrotheralive，and，seizingmebythehairofmyheadastheangeldidtheprophetatBabylon，（1）ledmeaboutfromroomtoroom。Afteranineffectualsearch，inthecourseofwhichhemistookajugofoilforoneofbrandy，and，contrarytomyexplanationsandremonstrances，insisteduponswallowingaportionofitscontents，hereleasedme，felltocryingandsobbing，andconfessedthathewassodrunkalreadythathishorsewasashamedofhim。Afterbemoaningandpityinghimselftohissatisfactionhewipedhiseyes，andsatdownbythesideofmygrandmother，givinghertounderstandthathewasverymuchpleasedwithherappearance;addingthat，ifagreeabletoher，heshouldliketheprivilegeofpayinghisaddressestoher。Whilevainlyendeavoringtomaketheexcellentoldladycomprehendhisveryflatteringproposition，hewasinterruptedbythereturnofmyfather，who，atonceunderstandingthematter，turnedhimoutofdoorswithoutceremony。
（1）SeeEzekielviii。3。
Ononeoccasion，afewyearsago，onmyreturnfromthefieldatevening，Iwastoldthataforeignerhadaskedforlodgingsduringthenight，butthat，influencedbyhisdark，repulsiveappearance，mymotherhadveryreluctantlyrefusedhisrequest。
Ifoundherbynomeanssatisfiedwithherdecision。\"Whatifasonofminewasinastrangeland？\"sheinquired，self—
reproachfully。Greatlytoherrelief，Ivolunteeredtogoinpursuitofthewanderer，and，takingacross—pathoverthefields，soonovertookhim。Hehadjustbeenrejectedatthehouseofournearestneighbor，andwasstandinginastateofdubiousperplexityinthestreet。Hewasanolive—
complexioned，black—beardedItalian，withaneyelikealivecoal，suchafaceasperchancelooksoutonthetravellerinthepassesoftheAbruzzi，（1）——oneofthosebanditvisageswhichSalvator（2）haspainted。WithsomedifficultyIgavehimtounderstandmyerrand，whenheoverwhelmedmewiththanks，andjoyfullyfollowedmeback。Hetookhisseatwithusatthesupper—table;and，whenwewereallgatheredaroundthehearththatcoldautumnalevening，hetoldus，partlybywordsandpartlybygestures，thestoryofhislifeandmisfortunes，amuseduswithdescriptionsofthegrape—gatheringsandfestivalsofhissunnyclime，edifiedmymotherwitharecipeformakingbreadofchestnuts;andinthemorning，when，afterbreakfast，hisdarksullenfacelightedupandhisfierceeyemoistenedwithgratefulemotionasinhisownsilveryTuscanaccenthepouredouthisthanks，wemarvelledatthefearswhichhadsonearlyclosedourdooragainsthim;and，ashedeparted，weallfeltthathehadleftwithustheblessingofthepoor。
（1）ProvincesintowhichtheoldKingdomofNapleswasdivided。
（2）SalvatorRosawasaNeapolitanbybirth，andwassaidtohavebeenhimselfabanditinhisyouth;hislandscapesoftencontainfiguresdrawnfromthewildlifeoftheregion。
Itwasnotoftenthat，asintheaboveinstance，mymother’sprudencegotthebetterofhercharity。Theregular\"oldstragglers\"regardedherasanunfailingfriend;andthesightofherplaincapwastothemanassuranceofforthcomingcreature—comforts。Therewasindeedatribeoflazystrollers，havingtheirplaceofrendezvousinthetownofBarrington，NewHampshire，whoselowviceshadplacedthembeyondeventhepaleofherbenevolence。Theywerenotunconsciousoftheirevilreputation;andexperiencehadtaughtthemthenecessityofconcealing，underwell—contriveddisguises，theirtruecharacter。Theycametousinallshapesandwithallappearancessavethetrueone，withmostmiserablestoriesofmishapandsicknessandall\"theillswhichfleshisheirto。\"Itwasparticularlyvexatioustodiscover，whentoolate，thatoursympathiesandcharitieshadbeenexpendeduponsuchgracelessvagabondsasthe\"Barringtonbeggars。\"Anoldwitheredhag，knownbytheappellationofHoppingPat，——thewisewomanofhertribe，——wasinthehabitofvisitingus，withherhopefulgrandson，whohad\"agiftforpreaching\"aswellasformanyotherthingsnotexactlycompatiblewithholyorders。
Hesometimesbroughtwithhimatamecrow，ashrewd，knavish—lookingbird，who，wheninthehumorforit，couldtalklikeBarnabyRudge’sraven。Heusedtosayhecould\"donothin’atexhortin’withoutawhitehandkercheronhisneckandmoneyinhispocket，\"——afactgoingfartoconfirmtheopinionsoftheBishopofExeterandthePuseyitesgenerally，thattherecanbenopriestwithouttithesandsurplice。
Thesepeoplehaveforseveralgenerationsliveddistinctfromthegreatmassofthecommunity，likethegypsiesofEurope，whominmanyrespectstheycloselyresemble。Theyhavethesamesettledaversiontolaborandthesamedispositiontoavailthemselvesofthefruitsoftheindustryofothers。Theyloveawild，out—of—doorlife，singsongs，tellfortunes，andhaveaninstinctivehatredof\"missionariesandcoldwater。\"Ithasbeensaid——Iknownotuponwhatgrounds——thattheirancestorswereindeedaveritableimportationofEnglishgypsyhood;butifso，theyhaveundoubtedlylostagooddealofthepicturesquecharmofitsunhousedandfreecondition。IverymuchfearthatmyfriendMaryRussellMitford，——sweetestofEngland’sruralpainters，——whohasapoet’seyeforthefinepointsingypsycharacter，wouldscarcelyallowtheirclaimstofraternitywithherownvagrantfriends，whosecamp—fireswelcomedhertohernewhomeatSwallowfield。（1）
（1）SeeinMissMitford’s*OurVillage。*
\"Theproperstudyofmankindisman;\"and，accordingtomyview，nophaseofourcommonhumanityisaltogetherunworthyofinvestigation。Actinguponthisbelieftwoorthreesummersago，whenmaking，incompanywithmysister，alittleexcursionintothehill—countryofNewHampshire，Iturnedmyhorse’sheadtowardsBarringtonforthepurposeofseeingthesesemi—civilizedstrollersintheirownhome，andreturning，onceforall，theirnumerousvisits。TakingleaveofourhospitablecousinsinoldLeewithaboutasmuchsolemnityaswemaysupposeMajorLaing（1）partedwithhisfriendswhenhesetoutinsearchofdesert—girdledTimbuctoo，wedroveseveralmilesoveraroughroad，passedtheDevil’sDenunmolested，crossedafretfullittlestreamletnoisilyworkingitswayintoavalley，whereitturnedalonely，half—ruinousmill，and，climbingasteephillbeyond，sawbeforeusawide，sandylevel，skirtedonthewestandnorthbylow，scraggyhills，anddottedhereandtherewithdwarfpitch—pines。Inthecentreofthisdesolateregionweresometwentyorthirtysmalldwellings，groupedtogetherasirregularlyasaHottentotkraal。Unfenced，unguarded，opentoallcomersandgoers，stoodthatcityofthebeggars，——nowallorpalingbetweentheraggedcabinstoremindoneofthejealousdistinctionsofproperty。Thegreatideaofitsfoundersseemedvisibleinitsunappropriatedfreedom。Wasnotthewholeroundworldtheirown？andshouldtheyhaggleaboutboundariesandtitle—deeds？Forthem，ondistantplains，ripenedgoldenharvests;forthem，infar—offworkshops，busyhandsweretoiling;forthem，iftheyhadbutthegracetonoteit，thebroadearthputonhergarnitureofbeauty，andoverthemhungthesilentmysteryofheavenanditsstars。Thatcomfortablephilosophywhichmoderntranscendentalismhasbutdimlyshadowedforth——thatpoeticagrarianism，whichgivesalltoeachandeachtoall——isthereallifeofthiscityofunwork。Toeachofitsdingydwellersmightbenotunaptlyappliedthelanguageofonewho，Itrust，willpardonmeforquotingherbeautifulpoeminthisconnection:——
\"Otherhandsmaygraspthefieldandforest，Proudproprietorsinpompmayshine，……
Thouartwealthier，——alltheworldisthine。\"（2）
（1）AlexanderGordonLaingwasamajorintheBritisharmy，whoservedonthewestcoastofAfricaandmadejourneysintotheinteriorintheattempttoestablishcommercialrelationswiththenatives，andespeciallytodiscoverthesourcesoftheNiger。Hewastreacherouslymurderedin1826bytheguardthatwasattendinghimonhisreturnfromTimbuctootothecoast。HistravelsexcitedgreatinterestintheirdayinEnglandandAmerica。
（2）Fromapoem，*WhyThusLonging？*byMrs。HarrietWinslowSewall，preservedinWhittier’s*SongsofThreeCenturies。*
Butlook！thecloudsarebreaking。\"Fairweathercomethoutofthenorth。\"Thewindhasblownawaythemists;onthegildedspireofJohnStreetglimmersabeamofsunshine;andthereistheskyagain，hard，blue，andcoldinitseternalpurity，notawhittheworseforthestorm。Inthebeautifulpresentthepastisnolongerneeded。Reverentlyandgratefullyletitsvolumebelaidaside;andwhenagaintheshadowsoftheoutwardworldfalluponthespiritmayInotlackagoodangeltoremindmeofitssolace，evenifhecomesintheshapeofaBarringtonbeggar。
