the life of charlotte bronte-1-第4部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



A　solitary　life　cherishes　mere　fancies　until　they　become　manias。　And　the　powerful　Yorkshire　character；　which　was　scarcely　tamed　into　subjection　by　all　the　contact　it　met　with　in　〃busy　town　or　crowded　mart；〃　has　before　now　broken　out　into　strange　wilfulness　in　the　remoter　districts。　　A　singular　account　was　recently　given　me　of　a　landowner　（living；　it　is　true；　on　the　Lancashire　side　of　the　hills；　but　of　the　same　blood　and　nature　as　the　dwellers　on　the　other；）　who　was　supposed　to　be　in　the　receipt　of　seven　or　eight　hundred　a　year；　and　whose　house　bore　marks　of　handsome　antiquity；　as　if　his　forefathers　had　been　for　a　long　time　people　of　consideration。　　My　informant　was　struck　with　the　appearance　of　the　place；　and　proposed　to　the　countryman　who　was　accompanying　him；　to　go　up　to　it　and　take　a　nearer　inspection。　　The　reply　was；　〃Yo'd　better　not；　he'd　threap　yo'　down　th'　loan。　　He's　let　fly　at　some　folk's　legs；　and　let　shot　lodge　in　'em　afore　now；　for　going　too　near　to　his　house。〃　　And　finding；　on　closer　inquiry；　that　such　was　really　the　inhospitable　custom　of　this　moorland　squire；　the　gentleman　gave　up　his　purpose。　　I　believe　that　the　savage　yeoman　is　still　living。

Another　squire；　of　more　distinguished　family　and　larger　property　one　is　thence　led　to　imagine　of　better　education；　but　that　does　not　always　followdied　at　his　house；　not　many　miles　from　Haworth；　only　a　few　years　ago。　　His　great　amusement　and　occupation　had　been　cock…fighting。　　When　he　was　confined　to　his　chamber　with　what　he　knew　would　be　his　last　illness；　he　had　his　cocks　brought　up　there；　and　watched　the　bloody　battle　from　his　bed。　　As　his　mortal　disease　increased；　and　it　became　impossible　for　him　to　turn　so　as　to　follow　the　combat；　he　had　looking…glasses　arranged　in　such　a　manner；　around　and　above　him；　as　he　lay；　that　he　could　still　see　the　cocks　fighting。　　And　in　this　manner　he　died。

These　are　merely　instances　of　eccentricity　compared　to　the　tales　of　positive　violence　and　crime　that　have　occurred　in　these　isolated　dwellings；　which　still　linger　in　the　memories　of　the　old　people　of　the　district；　and　some　of　which　were　doubtless　familiar　to　the　authors　of　〃Wuthering　Heights〃　and　〃The　Tenant　of　Wildfell　Hall。〃

The　amusements　of　the　lower　classes　could　hardly　be　expected　to　be　more　humane　than　those　of　the　wealthy　and　better　educated。　　The　gentleman；　who　has　kindly　furnished　me　with　some　of　the　particulars　I　have　given；　remembers　the　bull…baitings　at　Rochdale；　not　thirty　years　ago。　　The　bull　was　fastened　by　a　chain　or　rope　to　a　post　in　the　river。　　To　increase　the　amount　of　water；　as　well　as　to　give　their　workpeople　the　opportunity　of　savage　delight；　the　masters　were　accustomed　to　stop　their　mills　on　the　day　when　the　sport　took　place。　　The　bull　would　sometimes　wheel　suddenly　round；　so　that　the　rope　by　which　he　was　fastened　swept　those　who　had　been　careless　enough　to　come　within　its　range　down　into　the　water；　and　the　good　people　of　Rochdale　had　the　excitement　of　seeing　one　or　two　of　their　neighbours　drowned；　as　well　as　of　witnessing　the　bull　baited；　and　the　dogs　torn　and　tossed。

The　people　of　Haworth　were　not　less　strong　and　full　of　character　than　their　neighbours　on　either　side　of　the　hills。　　The　village　lies　embedded　in　the　moors；　between　the　two　counties；　on　the　old　road　between　Keighley　and　Colne。　　About　the　middle　of　the　last　century；　it　became　famous　in　the　religious　world　as　the　scene　of　the　ministrations　of　the　Rev。　William　Grimshaw；　curate　of　Haworth　for　twenty　years。　　Before　this　time；　it　is　probable　that　the　curates　were　of　the　same　order　as　one　Mr。　Nicholls；　a　Yorkshire　clergyman；　in　the　days　immediately　succeeding　the　Reformation；　who　was　〃much　addicted　to　drinking　and　company…keeping；〃　and　used　to　say　to　his　companions；　〃You　must　not　heed　me　but　when　I　am　got　three　feet　above　the　earth；〃　that　was；　into　the　pulpit。

Mr。　Grimshaw's　life　was　written　by　Newton；　Cowper's　friend；　and　from　it　may　be　gathered　some　curious　particulars　of　the　manner　in　which　a　rough　population　were　swayed　and　governed　by　a　man　of　deep　convictions；　and　strong　earnestness　of　purpose。　　It　seems　that　he　had　not　been　in　any　way　remarkable　for　religious　zeal；　though　he　had　led　a　moral　life；　and　been　conscientious　in　fulfilling　his　parochial　duties；　until　a　certain　Sunday　in　September；　1744；　when　the　servant；　rising　at　five；　found　her　master　already　engaged　in　prayer；　she　stated　that；　after　remaining　in　his　chamber　for　some　time；　he　went　to　engage　in　religious　exercises　in　the　house　of　a　parishioner；　then　home　again　to　pray；　thence；　still　fasting；　to　the　church；　where；　as　he　was　reading　the　second　lesson；　he　fell　down；　and；　on　his　partial　recovery；　had　to　be　led　from　the　church。　As　he　went　out；　he　spoke　to　the　congregation；　and　told　them　not　to　disperse；　as　he　had　something　to　say　to　them；　and　would　return　presently。　　He　was　taken　to　the　clerk's　house；　and　again　became　insensible。　　His　servant　rubbed　him；　to　restore　the　circulation；　and　when　he　was　brought　to　himself　〃he　seemed　in　a　great　rapture；〃　and　the　first　words　he　uttered　were；　〃I　have　had　a　glorious　vision　from　the　third　heaven。〃　　He　did　not　say　what　he　had　seen；　but　returned　into　the　church；　and　began　the　service　again；　at　two　in　the　afternoon；　and　went　on　until　seven。

From　this　time　he　devoted　himself；　with　the　fervour　of　a　Wesley；　and　something　of　the　fanaticism　of　a　Whitfield；　to　calling　out　a　religious　life　among　his　parishioners。　　They　had　been　in　the　habit　of　playing　at　foot…ball　on　Sunday；　using　stones　for　this　purpose；　and　giving　and　receiving　challenges　from　other　parishes。　　There　were　horse…races　held　on　the　moors　just　above　the　village；　which　were　periodical　sources　of　drunkenness　and　profligacy。　　Scarcely　a　wedding　took　place　without　the　rough　amusement　of　foot…races；　where　the　half…naked　runners　were　a　scandal　to　all　decent　strangers。　　The　old　custom　of　〃arvills；〃　or　funeral　feasts；　led　to　frequent　pitched　battles　between　the　drunken　mourners。　　Such　customs　were　the　outward　signs　of　the　kind　of　people　with　whom　Mr。　Grimshaw　had　to　deal。　　But；　by　various　means；　some　of　the　most　practical　kind；　he　wrought　a　great　change　in　his　parish。　　In　his　preaching　he　was　occasionally　assisted　by　Wesley　and　Whitfield；　and　at　such　times　the　little　church　proved　much　too　small　to　hold　the　throng　that　poured　in　from　distant　villages；　or　lonely　moorland　hamlets；　and　frequently　they　were　obliged　to　meet　in　the　open　air；　indeed；　there　was　not　room　enough　in　the　church　even　for　the　communicants。　　Mr。　Whitfield　was　once　preaching　in　Haworth；　and　made　use　of　some　such　expression；　as　that　he　hoped　there　was　no　need　to　say　much　to　this　congregation；　as　they　had　sat　under　so　pious　and　godly　a　minister　for　so　many　years；　〃whereupon　Mr。　Grimshaw　stood　up　in　his　place；　and　said　with　a　loud　voice；　'Oh；　sir！　for　God's　sake　do　not　speak　so。　　I　pray　you　do　not　flatter　them。　　I　fear　the　greater　part　of　them　are　going　to　hell　with　their　eyes　open。'〃　　But　if　they　were　so　bound；　it　was　not　for　want　of　exertion　on　Mr。　Grimshaw's　part　to　prevent　them。　　He　used　to　preach　twenty　or　thirty　times　a　week　in　private　houses。　　If　he　perceived　any　one　inattentive　to　his　prayers；　he　would　stop　and　rebuke　the　offender；　and　not　go　on　till　he　saw　every　one　on　their　knees。　　He　was　very　earnest　in　enforcing　the　strict　observance　of　Sunday；　and　would　not　even　allow　his　parishioners　to　walk　in　the　fields　between　services。　　He　sometimes　gave　out　a　very　long　Psalm　（tradition　says　the　119th）；　and　while　it　was　being　sung；　he　left　the　reading…desk；　and　taking　a　horsewhip　went　into　the　public…　houses；　and　flogged　the　loiterers　into　church。　　They　were　swift　who　could　escape　the　lash　of　the　parson　by　sneaking　out　the　back　way。　　He　had　strong　health　and　an　active　body；　and　rode　far　and　wide　over　the　hills；　〃awakening〃　those　who　had　previously　had　no　sense　of　religion。　　To　save　time；　and　be　no　charge　to　the　families　at　whose　houses　he　held　his　prayer…meetings；　he　carried　his　provisions　with　him；　all　the　food　he　took　in　the　day　on　such　occasions　consisting　simply　of　a　piece　of　bread　and　butter；　or　dry　bread　and　a　raw　onion。

The　horse…races　were　justly　objectionable　to　Mr。　Grimshaw；　they　attracted　numbers　of　profligate　people　to　Haworth；　and　brought　a　match　to　the　combustible　materials　of　the　place；　only　too　ready　to　blaze　out　into　wickedness。　　The　story　is；　that　he　tried　all　means　of　persuasion；　and　even　intimidation；　to　have　the　races　discontinued；　but　in　vain。　　At　length；　in　despair；　he　prayed　with　such　fervour　of　earnestness　that　the　rain　came　down　in　torrents；　and　deluged　the　ground；　so　that　there　was　no　footing　for　man　or　beast；　even　if　the　multitude　had　been　willing　to　stand　such　a　flood　let　down　from　above。　　And　so　Haworth　races　were　stopped；　and　have　never　been　resumed　to　this　day。　　Even　now　the　memory　of　this　good　man　is　held　in　reverence；　and　his　faithful　ministrations　and　real　virtues　are　one　of　the　boasts　of　the　parish。

But　after　his　time；　I　fear　there　was　a　falling　back　into　the　wild　rough　heathen　ways；　from　which　he　had　pulled　them　up；　as　it　were；　by　the　passionate　force　of　his　individual　character。　　He　had　built　a　chapel　for　the　Wesleyan　Methodists；　and　not　very　long　after　the　Baptists　established　themselves　in　a　place　of　worship。　　Indeed；　as　Dr。　Whitaker　says；　the　people　of　this　district　are　〃strong　religionists；〃　only；　fifty　years　ago；　their　religion　did　not　work　down　into　their　lives。　　Half　that　length　of　time　back；　the　code　of　morals　seemed　to　be　formed　upon　that　of　their　Norse　ancestors。　Revenge　was　handed　down　from　father　to　son　as　an　hereditary　duty；　and　a　great　capability　for　drinking　without　the　head　being　affected　was　considered　as　one　of　the　manly　virtues。　　The　games　of　foot…ball　on　Sundays；　with　the　challenges　to　the　neighbouring　parishes；　were　resumed；　bringing　in　an　influx　of　riotous　strangers　to　fill　the　public…houses；　and　make　the　more　sober…minded　inhabitants　long　for　good　Mr。　Grimshaw's　stout　arm；　and　ready　horsewhip。　　The　old　custom　of　〃arvills〃　was　as　prevalent　as　ever。　The　sexton；　standing　at　the　foot　of　the　open　grave；　announced　that　the　〃arvill〃　would　be　held　at　the　Black　Bull；　or　whatever　public…　house　might　be　fixed　upon　by　the　friends　of　the　dead；　and　thither　the　mourners　and　their　acquaintances　repaired。　　The　origin　of　the　custom　had　been　th