644 



The Life of William Hutton, of Birmingham'. 



My father was so careful not to be put 

 out of his regular pace, that he would 

 not allow me to walk by his side, either 

 on foot, or on horseback, not even 

 through a town. The only time I ever 

 did walk with him, was tlirougli the 

 streets of Warriiigtoi), and then, of my 

 own accord, I kept a little behind, that I 

 n)ii;ht not influence bis step. He chose 

 that pace which was the least exertion to 

 him, and never varied it. It looked like 

 a saunter, but it was steady, and got 

 over the ground at the rate of full two 

 miles and a half in an hour. 



When the horse, on which I rode, saw 

 my father before him, he neighed, 

 though at the distance of a quarter of a 

 niile, and the servant had some trouble 

 to hold him in. He once laid the reins 

 upon his neck, and he trotted directly up 

 to my father, then stopped, and laid his 

 head on his shoulder. 



My father delivered all his money to 

 me before we left home, reserving only 

 n few pieces of loose coin, in case he 

 should want on the road. I paid all 

 bills, and he had nothing to do but walk 

 out of an inn when he found himself suf- 

 ficiently refreshed. 



My father was such an enthusiast with 

 regard to the Wall, that he turned nei- 

 ther to the right nor the left, except to 

 gratify me with a sight of Liverpool. 

 Winander Mere he saw, anrl Ullswater 

 he saw, because they lay under his feet, 

 hut nothing could detain him from his 

 grand object. 



When we had reached Penrith, we 

 took a melancholy breakfast and parted, 

 with a tear half suppressed on my fa- 

 ther's side, and tears, not to be sup. 

 pressed, on mine. He continued his 

 way to Carlisle ; 1 turned westward for 

 Keiwick. After a few days' stay there, I 

 went hack to Hest Bank, a small sea- 

 Lathing place near Lancaster, where we 

 had appointed to meet. 



While I remained at Hest Bank, I re- 

 ceived two scraps of paper, torn from 

 loy father's pocket-book; the first dated 

 from Carhsle, July 20, in which he told 

 me he was sound in body, shoe, and 

 stocking, and had just risen from a lodg- 

 ing among fleas. Thi- second, from 

 Newcastle, July 23, when he informed 

 me he had been at the Wall's end ; that 

 the weather was so hot he was obli<;ed 

 to repose under hedges, and that the 

 country was infested »vit)i thieves. But, 

 lest 1 should be under any apprehensions 

 for his personal safety, he added, they 

 were only such as demolished his idol, 

 Tlie Wall, by stealing the Stones of which 

 it was composed. 



a 



On the fifth morning after my arrival 

 at Hest Bank, before I was up, I heard 

 my father hem ! on the stairs. I answered 

 by calling out Father! which directed him 

 to my room, and a most joyful meeting 

 ensued. He continued here four days, 

 wondered at, and respected by, the com- 

 pany. We set out on our return home 

 in the same manner as before, and reach- 

 ed it in safety. 



During the whole journey, I watched 

 my father wiih a jealous eye. The first 

 symptom of fatigue I observed was at 

 Bud worth in Cheshire, after he had lost 

 his way, and been six hours upon his 

 legs, (irsi in deep sands, and tlien on 

 pavement road. At Liverpool his spirits 

 were good, but I thought his voice rather 

 weaker. At Preston he first said he was 

 tired ; but, having walked eleven miles 

 farther to Garsiang, he found himself re- 

 covered, and never after, to the hest of 

 my remembrance, uttered the least com- 

 plaint. He usually came into an inn in 

 high spirits, ate a hearty meal, grew 

 sleepy after it, ^nd in two hours was 

 rested. His appetite never forsook him. 

 He regarded strong liquors with abhor- 

 rence. Porter he drank when he could 

 get it: ale and spirits never. He mixed 

 his wine with water, but considered wa- 

 ter alone as the most refreshing beverage. 



From the time we parted at Penrith, 

 till we reached home, the weather was 

 intensely hot. My father frequently 

 walked with his waistcoat unbuttoned, 

 and the perspiration was so excessive, 

 that I have even felt his coat damp on 

 the outside from the moisture within ; 

 liis bulk visibly diminished every day. 

 When we arrived at Wolsley bridge, on 

 our return, I was terribly alarmed at this, 

 and thanked God he had but one more 

 day to walk. When we had got within 

 four days of our journey, I could no 

 longer restrain my father. We made 

 forced marches, and if we had had a lit- 

 tle farther to go, the foot would fairly 

 have nocked up the horse ! The pace lie 

 went did not even fatigue his shoes. 

 He walked the whole six hundred miles 

 in one pair, and scarcely made % hole in 

 his stockings. 



HIS OBSERVATIONS AT FOtJRSCOR'E. 



Having arrived at fourscore, allow me 

 to state some of the feelings attendant 

 upon that advanced age. 



I am strongly attached to old liahits 

 and old fashions, even though absurd. 

 Instead of longing for a new coat, I part 

 with an old one as with an old friend. 



I forget some lessons, and cannot learn 

 others. One lesson however I niust learn, 

 10 eat without teeth, 



The 



