CANON GIRDLESTONE'S JUSTIFICATION. 297 



reform whose shafts have pierced, at length, the thick walls 

 of the obdurate selfishness which was mainly responsible, 

 in this district of Western England, for the disease, misery, 

 and death of its unfortunate inhabitants. How bright, in 

 the minds of these humble toilers, was the memory of * the 

 Canon ' who so fearlessly and successfully laboured for them, 

 in spite of local ' sneers,' and of the frowns of the well-to-do, 

 we learnt by many inquiries amongst the villagers j and we 

 could not but feel that the noble work of the excellent clergy- 

 man who is the subject of these remarks was enough, in its 

 wide-reaching lesults, to fill a long life with honour." 



