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The population of such a unique country, as might be expected, 
was sui generis] and the life of a Fen-man, could it be written from 
a Naturalist’s point of view, would, indeed, be interesting; but the 
material is now alas of the scantiest. There is a curious poem extant 
— for a sight of which I am indebted to Mr. J. J. Colman, M.P. — 
purporting to be the “ Life of a Fen-man but, although it gives 
some interesting glimpses of the Fen-man’s mode of life and occupa- 
tion one hundred years ago, the author utterly fails to avail himself 
of the fine opportunity which offered of immortalizing himself.* 
In the introduction, the author thus describes the isolated 
condition of the dwellers in the Fens : — “ The Fen is a 
vast plain, intersected with various natural and artificial 
rivers, defended with high banks, to prevent the overflowing 
of the high country floods in their passage to the sea. On 
these banks the inhabitants, for their better security, erect their 
miserable dwellings, at a great distance sometimes from each other, 
and very remote from their parish churches, to which they rarely 
resort, unless to a Avedding, a christening, or a burying. So that 
they seem to be cut off from the community, and are deprived 
of almost every advantage of social life. It is a rare thing to meet 
Avith a village of twenty houses together, unless in their toAvns, from 
Avhich they are many miles distant. They are, therefore, excluded 
every opportunity of the very lowest education, and fcAV of them 
arrive at a higher erudition than to be able to read and Avrite. 
The life of hardship and privation endured by this 
‘‘ Humble race of men. 
Alike amphibious, by kind Nature’s hand 
Form’d to exist on Avater or on land,” 
is thus described by our Fen-Parson in one of his prose notes : — 
“ The life of a North American saAmge is vastly preferable to his. 
They both live by their gun. The one traverses the Avoods and 
mountains in search of his prey, and retires at night to a 
Avarm cabin, Avith plenty of fuel to warm the rigour of the climate ; 
the other in a little skiff, Avhich a puff of wind Avould overset, 
paddles about the Avater till the evening, and comes home Avet and 
cold to his miserable hut, and lies scarcely dry and warm all night 
* “ The Inundation ; or. The Life of a Fen-man ; A Poem. By a Fen- 
Parson.” (Lynn : W. Whittingham). 20pp. 4to. No date, but published 
about the year 1771. 
