94 FACT AGAINST FlCTIO^^ 



always to be guided by it. If poor people apply 

 for charity, either by bringing to the door a 

 paper, signed, of course, by the clergyman, alleg- 

 ing the accidental death of cow, horse, donkey, 

 or pig, if the truth of the tale, when inquired 

 into, is found to be correct, — the signature of the 

 clergyman to such a document as this being no 

 sort of guarantee as to its real value, — give in 

 money what is deemed fit, but on no account 

 append your name to the paper, and, if you can 

 stop it, prevent the petitioner from doing so. 



If you append your name to a paper of this 

 kind, your name and the names of all wlio sign 

 it when that ^^ plaint" is over, may be detached 

 and pasted on to fresh applications, and, by the 

 number and respectability of the signatures, carry 

 with it a weight it in no way deserves. The 

 names in Hudibrastic phrase acting 



" Like nest-eggs to make clients lay, 

 And on a false opinion pay." 



In speaking thus of the clergyman's signature, 

 it is not my intention to charge an intentional 

 error against all the gentlemen clothed in black; 

 all I design to attribute to him is a very mis- 

 chievous over-zeal to appear in his parish on the 



