Old times : $b A picture of social life at the end of the eighteenth century — John Shaqi
Old times : $b A picture of social life at the end of the eighteenth centuryAshton, John
History
Old times : $b A picture of social life at the end of the eighteenth century
Ashton, John
Great Britain -- Social life and customs
"_Southampton._--One Ayland, a fisherman of Hamble, a village about
seven miles from Southampton, was fishing for lobsters on the coast of
France on Thursday last, and had taken in about half his cargo, when
he espied two boats full of men, seemingly in great distress; on which
he bore down, and received them on board. They had swam to their boats
to get away from the coast, and many of them were much bruised and
pelted with stones by others on shore. They begged the fisherman to
land them somewhere in England, to prevent their being murdered; which
he promised to do, and offered them subsistence till he had completed
his lading. They represented the danger of being intercepted, if he
did not immediately proceed to sea, and offered him any sum he should
ask, to land them as soon as possible. He waived his own interest, set
sail, and landed them at the above village; but with a spirit of
humanity, which does honour to human nature, he absolutely refused any
reward whatever, although he had not completed his fishing, which is
the maintenance of his family."
"_Lewes._--Upwards of 500 unfortunate emigrants were, last week,
landed on our coast, who have had the fury of the elements to contend
with, after escaping that of their countrymen. The Brighton packets,
heavily laden with them, were driven by the winds far eastward off
their usual track, and with difficulty made Hastings, Pevensey, and
Eastbourne. At the former place, on Wednesday morning, 76, all
ecclesiastics, came on shore, among whom were the Bishop of
Auvranches, the Dean of Rouen, and several other dignitaries. The
Bishop with great difficulty escaped from Auvranches by the assistance
of one of his grand vicars, who, with domestics, accompanied him to
Rouen, where they were for some days concealed. The populace having
again discovered them, they were again obliged to travel on foot, in
disguise, to Dieppe. They arrived in the night, took refuge a few
hours in an hotel; and, at the time appointed for the departure of the
packet, ran to the sea side, and, it providentially being high water,
were enabled to get out of reach of the rabble, who, in one minute
after, pursued them to the shore."
Take again an extract or two from the _St. James's Chronicle_ of
11-13th September 1792. "Between daybreak and eight o'clock yesterday
morning, thirteen broad-wheeled waggons, crowded with _French
emigrants_, passed through the Borough. During the night, and the
whole of yesterday forenoon, waggons, carts, and chaises, and
carriages of almost every other description, continued arriving in
town with emigrants, by way of Westminster, Blackfriars, and London
Bridges."
"It is a known fact, that upwards of _forty thousand French_ men,
women, and children, are at this moment in England: two-thirds of them
of the lowest class, who, taking advantage of the convulsed state of
their native country, come over under the plausible title of _exiled
aristocrats_."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account