OF SELBORNE 215 



wealth, as may be seen in many passages of the New 

 Testament. 



Some centuries ago this horrible distemper prevailed 

 all Europe over ; and our forefathers were by no means 

 exempt, as appears by the large provision made for 

 objects labouring under this calamity. There was an 

 hospital for female lepers in the diocese of Lincoln, a 

 noble one near Durham, three in London and Southwark, 

 and perhaps many more in or near our great towns 

 and cities. Moreover, some crowned heads, and other 

 wealthy and charitable personages, bequeathed large 

 legacies to such poor people as languished under this 

 hopeless infirmity. 



It must therefore, in these days, be, to an humane and 

 thinking person, a matter of equal wonder and satisfaction, 

 when he contemplates how nearly this pest is eradicated, 

 and observes that a leper now is a rare sight. He wUl, 

 moreover, when engaged in such a train of thought, 

 naturally inquire for the reason. This happy change 

 perhaps may have originated and been continued from 

 the much smaller quantity of salted meat and fish now 

 eaten in these kingdoms ; from the use of linen next the 

 skin ; from the plenty of better bread ; and from the 

 profusion of fruits, roots, legumes, and greens, so common 

 in every family. Three or four centuries ago, before 

 there were any enclosures, sown-grasses, field-turnips, or 

 field-carrots, or hay, all the cattle which had grown fat 

 in summer, and were not killed for winter-use, were 

 turned out soon after Michaelmas to shift as they could 

 through the dead months ; so that no fresh meat could 

 be had in winter or spring. Hence the marvellous 

 account of the vast stores of salted flesh found in the 

 larder of the eldest Spencer * in the days of Edward the 



* Viz. : Six hundred bacons, eighty carcasses of beef, and six 

 hundred muttons. 



