Forest of Rossendale. 237 



could be familiar and yet austere, gentle, and yet when needful a 

 terror to evil-doers." {a) 



He had an easy facility at putting humorous rhymes together, 

 and several pieces of local interest composed by Mr. Lord can be 

 repeated by some of the older inhabitants. To his varied accom- 

 plishments he added that of music, and it was a pleasure in which 

 he frequently indulged, to sit on a raised platform at the head of 

 his school, and discourse the music of his violoncello, while his 

 young pupils stood round and sung or chanted the arithmetical 

 and other tables he had woven into rhyme for their profit and 

 pleasure. 



In one piece he gives a whimsical enumeration of all the notable 

 days in the year. Beginning with Christmas, he carries us down 

 through Candlemas to Shrovetide, seven weeks before Easter, the 

 time when " Pancakes are in their prime ;" and when " Fig-pies 

 come thick and fast," we are duly reminded that Mid-Lent with 

 its dainty Simnels is near at hand. This poetical summary ends 

 with the Twenty-fifth of October, the date of Bacup Fair, which, 

 alas ! in these degenerate times, has almost passed out of memory. 

 In another effusion he gives a version of the Calendar, and ends 

 up as follows : — 



Thirty days are in November, 



Winter now conies on apace ; 

 Thirty-one days in December, 



Christmas looks us in the face. 



Now spiced bread and Christmas bo.\es, 

 Cheese and cakes and tarts and ale — 



All for modest lads and lasses, 

 Living in sweet Rossendale. 



The Rev. John Butterworlh, minister of the Baptist Church at 

 Coventry for a period of about fifty-two years, was born at the 

 village of Goodshaw Chapel on the 13th December 1727. In his 

 earlier years he joined himself to the Methodist body ; but his 



(a) James Hargreaves, author of Hirst's Life, in his MS. Autobiography. 



