I P reach to the Parson, 155 



are going to see a good race or to enjoy a harmless pio- 

 nic, and ifc is H.9^ the racing wliich is iniquitous: it is the 

 contingent of London roughs who do the mischief. 



'' What I am driving at all along, parson, is this : all 

 the parish want to put you at the head of all innocent 

 enjoyments, but unfortunately there are a clique whom you 

 allow to pull the strings for you; there always are a 

 puritanical set whom you are afraid of offending, who 

 neither care for art, nor music, nor fun, nor sports, and 

 who are muffs, and want to spoil sports in others ; who 

 will not allow their sons to play cricket with ' the vulgar 

 fellows' in the parish; and I am very glad they do not, 

 as they are muffs, and snobs into the bargam very often, 

 and who would faint if they sat down with the black- 

 smith and carpenter at a cricket supper. Why, when the 

 cricket was wholly in the hands of the public-houses, the 

 club-room windows used to be shut because the parishioners 

 complained of ribald songs which could be heard on the 

 green ; but now they insist on the wmdows being opened 

 that they may hear the songs, and often the audience on 

 the green carry an encore against ' the room.' They cannot 

 understand that men of that class never take a liberty with 

 gentlemen who mix with them occasionaUy ; and depend 

 upon this— when the struggle about the Chiu-ch comes, 

 which is not far off, the contingent brought in by those 

 who support the amusements of the parish, whether in the 

 cricket ground, at village concerts, or anything else, will do 

 you more good than all resolutions and speeches at public 

 meetings, and religious agitation. 



" You see, English people are not like foreigners, who 

 have a wonderful knack of amusing themseves. Go to a 

 garden in the suburbs of a foreign town on a Sunday 

 afternoon— ah ! I forgot; the idea horrifies you about 

 Sunday; but please remember that foreigners keep their 



