Transcribed from the 1848 F. & J. Rivington edition by David Price. Many thanks to the British Library for making their copy available. [Picture: Plympton St. Mary Church] COTTAGE SCENES DURING THE CHOLERA. * * * * * BEING EXTRACTS FROM A DIARY WRITTEN IN JULY AND AUGUST, 1832. * * * * * BY THE REV. W. I. COPPARD, M.A., INCUMBENT OF PLYMPTON ST. MARY, DEVONSHIRE; AND DOMESTIC CHAPLAIN TO THE EARL OF MORLEY. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * LONDON: F. & J. RIVINGTON; HAMILTON, ADAMS, AND CO.; HATCHARD & SON; AND MASTERS; EXETER: H. J. WALLIS. PLYMOUTH: R. LIDSTONE. 1848. * * * * * “TAKE HEED UNTO THYSELF, AND KEEP THY SOUL DILIGENTLY, LEST THOU FORGET THE THINGS WHICH THINE EYES HAVE SEEN, AND LEST THEY DEPART FROM THY HEART ALL THE DAYS OF THY LIFE.” DEUT. IV. 9. PREFACE. IN compliance with the repeated request of some highly valued friends, these Extracts are offered to the Public. They possess no recommendation beyond that of being a plain statement of facts, for the authenticity of which, there are many living witnesses: and the writer of them humbly prays that, by the blessing of God, they may contain some hints which will be beneficial to his fellow-creatures. INTRODUCTION. THE Parish of Plympton St. Mary, at a distance of about four miles from Plymouth, is bounded on the west by the river Plym. From Long-Bridge, which crosses the river, it extends eastward nearly six miles. The population, {1} at the time of the census of 1831, consisted of 2152, and is scattered over an area of nearly thirty square miles. Independently of gentlemen’s seats, numerous farm houses, and small clusters of cottages in isolated spots, there are seven villages within the parish; viz., Ridgeway, Underwood, Colebrook, Hemerdon, Sparkwell, Venton, and a part of Lee-Mill-Bridge, containing, upon an average, in each, from 150 to 300 inhabitants, chiefly agricultural labourers.