72 A HISTORY OF LOXGRIDGE. [Chap. 2. 



tion in 1886. He took a great interest in Temperance work, and tried 

 to make the meetings bright and pleasant. In fact, almost ever3'thing 

 had his care and attention. In 1878, during the great strikes, he tried 

 hard to bring about an agreement between the Longridge masters and 

 their employes. But his great difficulty has been in promoting union 

 amongst the people. It is well known that people in small country 

 towns like Longridge pride themselves upon their discreetness as to 

 whom they associate with. The result is the formation of social 

 cliques. The consequences of such behavioiu- have been inimitablj' hit 

 off by George EUot in several of her novels, but this sort of thing still 

 exists in Longridge. Tories won't visit Liberals, and vice verm. 

 Chiu'ch-people do not like to associate with chapel-goers, and the latter 

 like not the society of those who go nowhere. One family won't visit 

 another because of some trivial misunderstanding, and so on through 

 the whole of the circle. The consequences are grave and serious. 

 Disunion is promoted. Work which can only be weU done by a united 

 town is hampered and delayed. Uncharitableness jorevails as well as 

 other evils not necessary to particularize. If any one could put an end 

 to this state of things, I should say Mr. Cave is the man. Hospitable 

 to a fault, and a thorough gentleman, people find it hard to quarrel 

 with him — but he has failed, so I think, to do much good in this 

 respect. He maj- have softened and toned down the amenities of social 

 life — that is aU. 



As a preacher, Mr. Cave is hard to criticize. He so seldom does 

 himself justice. So busy is he during the week, he has no time to read 

 or prepare his sermons as a rule, and so either repeats a string of well- 

 worn platitudes, or loses himself in the maze of an involved argu- 

 mentative discourse. I have heard him preach fine sermons, and, with 

 his splendid voice and commanding appearance, it is a pity he should 

 give himself so little chance in the pulpit. 



Mr. Cave was formerly Curate at Cockerham, Vicar of Horton, Vicar 

 of EUel, and then Vicar of Padiham. He is 42 years old, and has 

 been married twice. His first wife was Miss Beckwith, who died 

 soon after marriage. His present wife was a Miss Clarke, a native of 

 Dublin. He has had the assistance of a curate since 1880. The fo> 



