Narrative of the Life and Travels of Serjeant B——Butler, Robert
History
Narrative of the Life and Travels of Serjeant B——
Butler, Robert
Butler, Robert, 1784- -- Travel -- India; India -- Description and travel
After leaving this family, I went to a Mr. F. where also was a cousin
of my own, who paid me great attention: but I looked upon her rather
as an enemy than a friend; for I fell in with some bad companions,
with whom I got a habit of staying and amusing myself, when I was sent
a message, and in order to screen myself I was obliged to have
recourse to falsehoods.--My cousin frequently expostulated with me,
but all to no effect; at last my master, discovering my negligent and
disobedient conduct, gave me a good drubbing, and this was a mean of
bringing me to my senses; so I was compelled to give up all fellowship
with my pitch-and-toss gentry, and I became afterwards more attentive.
Nothing worth mentioning happened to me while I remained here, but the
death of my grandfather, of an iliac passion, who, as I was named
after him, distinguished me from the rest by leaving me his Bible as a
legacy, wishing the blessing of God to accompany it.
I was now fourteen years of age, and went to learn the trade of a
weaver in Darnick; and when you know that the great dearth of 1799,
1800, came on, and that I could only earn about fourteen pence a day,
half of which went to my master, you will see that I had much occasion
for the practice of that abstinence which I had been forced to learn
at the B---- School. It would be tedious and trifling to tell how I
managed to make up my breakfast, dinner, and supper; I have been for
months together, indeed, that I never could say my hunger was once
satisfied, even though I had recourse to rather dishonest means to
help me, for I went out at night, and would pull a turnip or two in
the fields, when I thought "no eye could see me." But it is worthy of
remark, that as far as I can judge, I never knew so much of what
contentment was in all my life; I thought hardly any body so well off
as myself, for I got into such a rigid system of living, that, through
long habit, it became quite natural to me, though I must say that I
was often so weak, as hardly to be able to get off and on my loom.
Notwithstanding my very straitened circumstances, I found ways and
means, upon the winter Sabbath evenings, to spare a halfpenny for a
candle, that I might be able to read Mr. Boston's Fourfold State, to
which I had taken a great liking. I delighted particularly to read and
meditate on the _Fourth_ State, where the happiness of saints in
a future world is described; and the expression, "they shall hunger no
more," had in it an emphasis (though I fear somewhat of a carnal kind)
that put more joy into my heart than worldly men can have when their
corn and wine are increased.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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