English fiction -- 19th century; Walker, Robert, 1710-1802
“‘His house was a nursery of virtue. All the inmates were
industrious, and cleanly, and happy. Sobriety, neatness, quietness,
characterized the whole family. No railings, no idleness, no
indulgence of passion were permitted. Every child, however young,
had its appointed engagements; every hand was busy. Knitting,
spinning, reading, writing, mending clothes, making shoes, were by
the different children constantly performed. The father himself
sitting amongst them and guiding their thoughts, was engaged in the
same operations.
* * *
“‘He sat up late and rose early; when the family were at rest, he
retired to a little room which he had built on the roof of his house.
He had slated it, and fitted it up with shelves for his books, his
stock of cloth, wearing apparel, and his utensils. There many a cold
winter’s night, without fire, while the roof was glazed with ice, did
he remain reading or writing till the day dawned. He taught the
children in the chapel, for there was no school house. Yet in that
cold damp place he never had a fire. He used to send the children in
parties either to his own fire at home, or make them run up the
mountain’s side.
* * *
“‘It may be further mentioned, that he was a passionate admirer of
nature; she was his mother, and he was a dutiful child. While
engaged on the mountains, it was his greatest pleasure to view the
rising sun; and in tranquil evenings, as it slided behind the hills,
he blessed its departure. He was skilled in fossils and plants; a
constant observer of the stars and winds. The atmosphere was his
delight: he made many experiments on its nature and properties. In
summer, he used to gather a multitude of flies and insects, and, by
his entertaining descriptions, amuse and instruct his children. They
shared all his daily employments, and derived many sentiments of love
and benevolence from his observations on the works and productions of
nature. Whether they were following him in the field or surrounding
him in school, he took every opportunity of storing their minds with
useful information.—Nor was the circle of his influence confined to
Seathwaite. Many a distant mother has told her child of Mr. Walker,
and begged him to be as good a man.
* * *
“‘Once, when I was very young, I had the pleasure of seeing and
hearing that venerable old man in his 90th year, and even then, the
calmness, the force, the perspicuity of his sermon, sanctified and
adorned by the wisdom of grey hairs, and the authority of virtue had
such an effect upon my mind, that I never see a hoary-headed
clergyman without thinking of Mr. Walker.
* * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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