3 10 B ERN A R D G 1 L PI N . 
fierce and active by constant alarms ; who lived by theft on both 
sides of the barrier ; and what they pluqdered on one side, they ex- 
posed to sale on the other; thus escaping justice on both sides. In 
this dreadful country, where no man would even travel who could 
avoid it, Mr. Gilpin never failed to spend some part of every year, 
lie generally chose the Christmas holidays, because he found the 
people at that time most disengaged, and most easily assembled. He 
had set places for preaching, which were as regularly attended as the 
assize towns of a circuit. If he came where there was a church, he 
made use of it ; if not, of barns or a-ny other large buildings, where 
great crow ds of people w ere sure to attend him, some for his instructions, 
and others for his charity. This was a very difficult and laborious 
employment. The country W'as so poor, that what provisions he 
could get, extreme hunger w ould make palatable. The inclemency of 
the weather, and the badness of the roads through a mountainous 
country, and at that time covered with snow, exposed him likewise 
often to great hardships. Sonjetimes he was overtaken by the night, 
the country being in many places desolate for several miles together, 
and obliged to lodge out in the cold. At such times he made his 
servant ride about with his horses, whilst he himself on foot used as much 
exercise as his age, and the fatigues of the preceding day, would perr 
mit. All this he cheerfully underwent, esteeming such services well 
compensated by the advantages which he hoped might accrue from 
them to his uninstructed fellow-creatures. The disinterested pains 
he took among this barbarous people, and the good offices he w^as 
always ready to do them, drew from them the warmest and sincere 
est expressions of gratitude. Indeed, he was little less than adored 
among them, and might have brought the wdiole country almost to 
do what he pleased. One instance is related, that shews how greatly 
he was revered. 
“ By the carelessness of his servants, his horses were one day stolen. 
The news was quickly propagated, and every oi>e expressed the high- 
est indignation at the theft. The thief w'as rejoicing over his prize, 
when, by ihe report of the country, he discovered whose horses he 
had taken. Terrified at what he had done, he instantly came trem- 
bling back, confessed the fact, returned the horses, and declared he 
believed the devil w^ould have seized him directly, had he carried 
them off, knowing them to have been Mr Gilpin’s.” 
The value of Mr. Gilpin’s rectory was about 4001. a year; an in- 
come indeed at that time considerable, but yet in appearance very 
disproportionate to the generous things he did. Indeed, he could not 
have done them, unless his frugality had been equal to his generosity. 
His friends, therefore, could not but wonder to find him, amidst his 
great and continual expenses, purpose to build and endow a grammar 
school ; a design, however, which his exact economy soon enabled 
him to accomplish, though the expense of it amounted to upwards of 
5001. His school was no sooner opened than it began to flourish, 
and there w as so great a resort of young people to it, that the town 
w^as soon not able to accommodate them. He put himself then to the 
inconvenience of fitting up a part of his own house for that purpose, 
where he seldom had fewer than twenty or thirty children. Some of 
