sunday under three heads-第3章

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streets；　and　disperse　to　their　several　homes；　and　by　midnight　all

is　silent　and　quiet；　save　where　a　few　stragglers　linger　beneath　the

window　of　some　great　man's　house；　to　listen　to　the　strains　of　music

from　within：　　or　stop　to　gaze　upon　the　splendid　carriages　which　are

waiting　to　convey　the　guests　from　the　dinner…party　of　an　Earl。



There　is　a　darker　side　to　this　picture；　on　which；　so　far　from　its

being　any　part　of　my　purpose　to　conceal　it；　I　wish　to　lay

particular　stress。　　In　some　parts　of　London；　and　in　many　of　the

manufacturing　towns　of　England；　drunkenness　and　profligacy　in　their

most　disgusting　forms；　exhibit　in　the　open　streets　on　Sunday；　a　sad

and　a　degrading　spectacle。　　We　need　go　no　farther　than　St。　Giles's；

or　Drury　Lane；　for　sights　and　scenes　of　a　most　repulsive　nature。

Women　with　scarcely　the　articles　of　apparel　which　common　decency

requires；　with　forms　bloated　by　disease；　and　faces　rendered　hideous

by　habitual　drunkenness　…　men　reeling　and　staggering　along　…

children　in　rags　and　filth　…　whole　streets　of　squalid　and　miserable

appearance；　whose　inhabitants　are　lounging　in　the　public　road；

fighting；　screaming；　and　swearing　…　these　are　the　common　objects

which　present　themselves　in；　these　are　the　well…known

characteristics　of；　that　portion　of　London　to　which　I　have　just

referred。



And　why　is　it；　that　all　well…disposed　persons　are　shocked；　and

public　decency　scandalised；　by　such　exhibitions？



These　people　are　poor　…　that　is　notorious。　　It　may　be　said　that

they　spend　in　liquor；　money　with　which　they　might　purchase

necessaries；　and　there　is　no　denying　the　fact；　but　let　it　be

remembered　that　even　if　they　applied　every　farthing　of　their

earnings　in　the　best　possible　way；　they　would　still　be　very　…　very

poor。　　Their　dwellings　are　necessarily　uncomfortable；　and　to　a

certain　degree　unhealthy。　　Cleanliness　might　do　much；　but　they　are

too　crowded　together；　the　streets　are　too　narrow；　and　the　rooms　too

small；　to　admit　of　their　ever　being　rendered　desirable　habitations。

They　work　very　hard　all　the　week。　　We　know　that　the　effect　of

prolonged　and　arduous　labour；　is　to　produce；　when　a　period　of　rest

does　arrive；　a　sensation　of　lassitude　which　it　requires　the

application　of　some　stimulus　to　overcome。　　What　stimulus　have　they？

Sunday　comes；　and　with　it　a　cessation　of　labour。　　How　are　they　to

employ　the　day；　or　what　inducement　have　they　to　employ　it；　in

recruiting　their　stock　of　health？　　They　see　little　parties；　on

pleasure　excursions；　passing　through　the　streets；　but　they　cannot

imitate　their　example；　for　they　have　not　the　means。　　They　may　walk；

to　be　sure；　but　it　is　exactly　the　inducement　to　walk　that　they

require。　　If　every　one　of　these　men　knew；　that　by　taking　the

trouble　to　walk　two　or　three　miles　he　would　be　enabled　to　share　in

a　good　game　of　cricket；　or　some　athletic　sport；　I　very　much

question　whether　any　of　them　would　remain　at　home。



But　you　hold　out　no　inducement；　you　offer　no　relief　from

listlessness；　you　provide　nothing　to　amuse　his　mind；　you　afford　him

no　means　of　exercising　his　body。　　Unwashed　and　unshaven；　he

saunters　moodily　about；　weary　and　dejected。　　In　lieu　of　the

wholesome　stimulus　he　might　derive　from　nature；　you　drive　him　to

the　pernicious　excitement　to　be　gained　from　art。　　He　flies　to　the

gin…shop　as　his　only　resource；　and　when；　reduced　to　a　worse　level

than　the　lowest　brute　in　the　scale　of　creation；　he　lies　wallowing

in　the　kennel；　your　saintly　lawgivers　lift　up　their　hands　to

heaven；　and　exclaim　for　a　law　which　shall　convert　the　day　intended

for　rest　and　cheerfulness；　into　one　of　universal　gloom；　bigotry；

and　persecution。







CHAPTER　II　…　AS　SABBATH　BILLS　WOULD　MAKE　IT







The　provisions　of　the　bill　introduced　into　the　House　of　Commons　by

Sir　Andrew　Agnew；　and　thrown　out　by　that　House　on　the　motion　for

the　second　reading；　on　the　18th　of　May　in　the　present　year；　by　a

majority　of　32；　may　very　fairly　be　taken　as　a　test　of　the　length　to

which　the　fanatics；　of　which　the　honourable　Baronet　is　the

distinguished　leader；　are　prepared　to　go。　　No　test　can　be　fairer；

because　while　on　the　one　hand　this　measure　may　be　supposed　to

exhibit　all　that　improvement　which　mature　reflection　and　long

deliberation　may　have　suggested；　so　on　the　other　it　may　very

reasonably　be　inferred；　that　if　it　be　quite　as　severe　in　its

provisions；　and　to　the　full　as　partial　in　its　operation；　as　those

which　have　preceded　it　and　experienced　a　similar　fate；　the　disease

under　which　the　honourable　Baronet　and　his　friends　labour；　is

perfectly　hopeless；　and　beyond　the　reach　of　cure。



The　proposed　enactments　of　the　bill　are　briefly　these：…　All　work　is

prohibited　on　the　Lord's　day；　under　heavy　penalties；　increasing

with　every　repetition　of　the　offence。　　There　are　penalties　for

keeping　shops　open　…　penalties　for　drunkenness　…　penalties　for

keeping　open　houses　of　entertainment　…　penalties　for　being　present

at　any　public　meeting　or　assembly　…　penalties　for　letting

carriages；　and　penalties　for　hiring　them　…　penalties　for　travelling

in　steam…boats；　and　penalties　for　taking　passengers　…　penalties　on

vessels　commencing　their　voyage　on　Sunday　…　penalties　on　the　owners

of　cattle　who　suffer　them　to　be　driven　on　the　Lord's　day　…

penalties　on　constables　who　refuse　to　act；　and　penalties　for

resisting　them　when　they　do。　　In　addition　to　these　trifles；　the

constables　are　invested　with　arbitrary；　vexatious；　and　most

extensive　powers；　and　all　this　in　a　bill　which　sets　out　with　a

hypocritical　and　canting　declaration　that　'nothing　is　more

acceptable　to　God　than　the　TRUE　AND　SINCERE　worship　of　Him

according　to　His　holy　will；　and　that　it　is　the　bounden　duty　of

Parliament　to　promote　the　observance　of　the　Lord's　day；　by

protecting　every　class　of　society　against　being　required　to

sacrifice　their　comfort；　health；　religious　privileges；　and

conscience；　for　the　convenience；　enjoyment；　or　supposed　advantage

of　any　other　class　on　the　Lord's　day'！　　The　idea　of　making　a　man

truly　moral　through　the　ministry　of　constables；　and　sincerely

religious　under　the　influence　of　penalties；　is　worthy　of　the　mind

which　could　form　such　a　mass　of　monstrous　absurdity　as　this　bill　is

composed　of。



The　House　of　Commons　threw　the　measure　out　certainly；　and　by　so

doing　retrieved　the　disgrace　…　so　far　as　it　could　be　retrieved　…　of

placing　among　the　printed　papers　of　Parliament；　such　an　egregious

specimen　of　legislative　folly；　but　there　was　a　degree　of　delicacy

and　forbearance　about　the　debate　that　took　place；　which　I　cannot

help　thinking　as　unnecessary　and　uncalled　for；　as　it　is　unusual　in

Parliamentary　discussions。　　If　it　had　been　the　first　time　of　Sir

Andrew　Agnew's　attempting　to　palm　such　a　measure　upon　the　country；

we　might　well　understand；　and　duly　appreciate；　the　delicate　and

compassionate　feeling　due　to　the　supposed　weakness　and　imbecility

of　the　man；　which　prevented　his　proposition　being　exposed　in　its

true　colours；　and　induced　this　Hon。　Member　to　bear　testimony　to　his

excellent　motives；　and　that　Noble　Lord　to　regret　that　he　could　not

…　although　he　had　tried　to　do　so　…　adopt　any　portion　of　the　bill。

But　when　these　attempts　have　been　repeated；　again　and　again；　when

Sir　Andrew　Agnew　has　renewed　them　session　after　session；　and　when

it　has　become　palpably　evident　to　the　whole　House　that





His　impudence　of　proof　in　every　trial；

Kens　no　polite；　and　heeds　no　plain　denial　…





it　really　becomes　high　time　to　speak　of　him　and　his　legislation；　as

they　appear　to　deserve；　without　that　gloss　of　politeness；　which　is

all　very　well　in　an　ordinary　case；　but　rather　out　of　place　when　the

liberties　and　comforts　of　a　whole　people　are　at　stake。



In　the　first　place；　it　is　by　no　means　the　worst　characteristic　of

this　bill；　that　it　is　a　bill　of　blunders：　　it　is；　from　beginning　to

end；　a　piece　of　deliberate　cruelty；　and　crafty　injustice。　　If　the

rich　composed　the　whole　population　of　this　country；　not　a　single

comfort　of　one　single　man　would　be　affected　by　it。　　It　is　directed

exclusively；　and　without　the　exception　of　a　solitary　instance；

against　the　amusements　and　recreations　of　the　poor。　　This　was　the

bait　held　out　by　the　Hon。　Baronet　to　a　body　of　men；　who　cannot　be

supposed　to　have　any　very　strong　sympathies　in　common　with　the

poor；　because　they　cannot　understand　their　sufferings　or　their

struggles。　　This　is　the　bait；　which　will　in　time　prevail；　unless

public　attention　is　awakened；　and　public　feeling　exerted；　to

prevent　it。



Take　the　very　first　clause；　the　provision　that　no　man　shall　be

allowed　to　work　on　Sunday　…　'That　no　person；　upon　the　Lord's　day；

shall　do；　or　hire；　or　employ　any　person　to　do　any　manner　of　labour；

or　any　work　of　his　or　her　ordinary　calling。'　　What　class　of　persons

does　this　affect？　　The　rich　man？　　No。　　Menial　servants；　both　male

and　female；　are　specially　exempted　from　the　operation　of　the　bill。

'Menial　servants'　are　among　the　poor　people。　　The　bill　has　no

regard　for　them。　　The　Baronet's　dinner　must　be　cooked　on　Sunday；

the　Bishop's　horses　must　be　groomed；　and　the　Peer's　carriage　must

be　driven。　　So　the　menial　servants　are　put　utterly　beyond　the　pale

of　grace；　…　unless　indeed；　they　are　to　go　to　heaven　through　the

sanctity　of　their　masters；　and　possibly　they　might　think　even　that；

rather　an　uncertain　passport。



There　is　a　penalty　for　keeping　open；　houses　of　entertainment。　　Now；

suppose　the　bill　had　passed；　and　that　half…a…dozen　adventurous

licensed　victuallers；　relying　upon　the　excitement　of　public　feeling

on　the　subject；　and　the　consequent　difficulty　of　conviction　（this

is　by　no　means　an　improbable　supposition）；　had　determined　to　keep

their　houses　and　gardens　open；　through　the　whole　Sunday　afternoon；

in　defiance　of　the　law。　　Every　act　of　hiring　or　working；　every　act

of　buying　or　selling；　or　delivering；　or　causing　anything　to　be

bought　or　sold；　is　specifically　made　a　separate　offence　…　mark　the

effect。　　A　party；　a　man　and　his　wife　and　children；　enter　a　tea…

garden；　and　the　informer　stations　himself　in　the　next　box；　from

whence　he　can　see　and　hear　everything　that　passes。　　'Waiter！'　says

the　father。　　'Yes。　　Sir。'　　'Pint　of　the　best　ale！'　　'Yes；　Sir。'

Away　runs　the　waiter　to　the　bar；　and　gets　the　ale　from　the

landlord。　　Out　comes　the　informer's　note…book　…　penalty　on　the

father　for　hiring；　on　the　waiter　for　delivering；　and　on　the

landlord　for　selling；　on　the　Lord's　day。　　But　it　does　not　stop

here。　　The　waiter　delivers　the　ale；　and　darts　off；　little

suspecting　the　penalties　in　store　for　him。　　'Hollo；'　cries　the

father；　'waiter！'　　'Yes；　Sir。'　　'Just　get　this　little　boy　a

biscuit；　will　you？'　　'Yes；　Sir。'　　Off　runs　the　waiter　again；　and

down　goes　another　case　of　hiring；　another　case　of　delivering；　and

another　case　of　selling；　and　so　it　would　go　on　AD　INFINITUM；　the

sum　and　substance　of　the　matter　being；　that　every　time　a　man　or

woman　cried　'Waiter！'　on　Sunday；　he　or　she　would　b