Thb Locust. 



have one parcel, and that my sons should all be farmers. I 

 saw the seeds come up in the Spring, most beautifully, 

 and the scheme seemed to be in a fair way of accomplish- 

 ment. But, alas ! Ellenborough, Grose, Lb Blanc, and 

 Bayley laid hold of me, in the following month of July 1 

 Away went the Locust trees ; and I became pitted, life for 

 life, against the THING, under the existence of which, I 

 had been condemned to live with felons for two years of 

 my life ; to pay a fine of a thousand pounds to the King ; 

 and to be held in bonds for seven years after that ; and all 

 this because I had expressed my indignation at the flogging 

 of Englishmen, in the heart of England, under a guard of 

 German bayonets. The poor little Locust trees were buried 

 amongst weeds and speedily destroyed ; but I took care of 

 the sons, who, however, have been prevented from be- 

 coming farmers, 



370. My plan had nothing in it that was not most rational ; 

 and if I had now a hundred acres of land, or even fifty 

 acres, I would not part with a single Locust plant, except 

 to oblige a friend. It will not be long, I dare say, before I 

 shall make another sowing, with much about such a design 

 as I had before; and Ellenborough, Grose, and Le Blanc 

 will not disturb my project, at any rate; for which God be 

 praised ! When the plantation of the trees from number 

 three to number seven was going on, one of the men ob- 

 served that the trees were very small. I said, small as they 

 are, we shall see them grow into great timber trees. One of 

 the men, whose name was Gurman, said: Our grand-chil- 

 dren may. Sir, but we never shall.'' — I beg you will speak 

 for yourself,'' said I ; " for I expect to live to see them as hig 

 round as my body," There is hardly a tree of them that is not 

 that already. And, indeed, it is a sorrowful instance of hu- 

 man frailty, that men are deterred from planting because they 



