140 THE LAND'S END 



much to every other old woman in the parish. They 

 would rather the old creature should be left to shiver 

 in a tireless room. Nor must you speak in praise of 

 another : do not say to Mrs. Trevenna, what a nice, 

 or what a well-behaved, or pretty, or attractive child 

 that is of your sister cr friend or neighbour, Mrs. 

 Trevasgis, if you do not want to set the Trevenna 

 tongue wagging against both you and the Trevasgis 

 woman. 



These little uncharitablenesses to describe them 

 all in one word are universal in man or woman, 

 perhaps in both, and being part of our nature they 

 probably have their uses : if they strike us more in 

 the Cornish than in our own people it is because of 

 the difference of temperament or disposition because 

 their feelings, good or bad, are more readily excited 

 and are expressed with less restraint. 



That they are not truthful and not honest is another 

 count in the long indictment. With regard to honesty 

 it is one I always hear with surprise ; for can it be 

 said that we are as a people honest ? Consider the 

 one matter of our food and drink the amount of 

 legislation we have found necessary on the subject, 

 the cost to the country of maintaining a vast army 

 of inspectors and analysts to prevent us from poison- 

 ing each other for the sake of a small extra gain ! 

 Would any one in England give me for love or money 

 a glass of milk or beer, or a slice of bread and butter, 

 which would not seriously injure my health but for 

 the fear of the law ? And after all we have done to 

 protect ourselves we are assured every day by the 



