The Shepherd of Salisbury Plain, and Other TalesMore, Hannah
General
The Shepherd of Salisbury Plain, and Other Tales
More, Hannah
Christian life -- Fiction; Conduct of life -- Fiction; Short stories
_Trueman._ I suppose you mean the works of God: for I never read in
the Bible that Nature made any thing. I should rather think that she
herself was made by Him, who, when He said, "thou shalt not murder,"
said also, "thou shalt keep holy the Sabbath day." But now do you
really think that all the multitude of coaches, chariots, chaises,
vis-a-vis, booby-hutches, sulkies, sociables, phaetons, gigs,
curricles, cabrioles, chairs, stages, pleasure-carts, and horses,
which crowd our roads; all those country-houses within reach, to
which the London friends pour in to the gorgeous Sunday feast, which
the servants are kept from church to dress; all those public houses
under the signs of which you read these alluring words, _an ordinary
on Sundays_; I say, do you really believe that all those houses and
carriages are crammed with philosophers, who go on Sunday into the
country to admire the works of nature, as you call it! Indeed, from
the reeling gait of some of them, when they go back at night, one
might take them for a certain sect called the tippling philosophers.
Then in answer to your charge, that a little tradesman can do no
good, it is not true; I must tell you that I belong to the Sick
Man's Friend, and to the Society for relieving prisoners for small
debts.
_Fantom._ I have no attention to spare for that business, though I
would pledge myself to produce a plan by which the _national_ debt
might be paid off in six months; but all yours are petty
occupations.
_Trueman._ Then they are better suited to petty men of petty
fortune. I had rather have an ounce of real good done with my own
hands, and seen with my own eyes, than speculate about doing a ton
in a wild way, which I know can never be brought about.
_Fantom._ I despise a narrow field. Oh, for the reign of universal
benevolence! I want to make all mankind good and happy.
_Trueman._ Dear me! sure that must be a wholesale sort of a job; had
you not better try your hand at a town or a parish first!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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