SECTION VII.

A MORALIZING BUTCHER-MORE OF COUNTRY
REFORMERS.

"The very best man at a beast, my Lord, that e'er I saw." MIDSUM. NIGHT'S DREAM.

You may be sure I classed Heartfree, and all that I had met with at his abode, among the favourable incidents of my tour; all, save and except the amenities of Cato Bullcock; the effect of whose feelings upon himself, I had a sort of desire to ascertain, but knew not how. A discontented man, thought I, can never be a happy one; and his morose countenance, and shaggy, treacherous, yet threatening brows, seemed to haunt me. In this humour, being now out of sight of the happy Easington, I began to push on to Speenham, where Willoughby, who had departed by moonlight the preceding evening, had promised to wait for me. I, however, found myself suddenly in company; for a man well

horsed had galloped after us in the direction from Easington, and immediately began talking to my groom, whom he seemed to know. His one spur and blue sleeves left no doubt of his calling; and in effect he was a fair sample of what is almost proverbial in England, " a jolly butcher." As these gentry do not stand upon much ceremony, are full of news and gossip, with words at command, and much presence of mind, which they learn in the course of managing unruly cattle, this new acquaintance rather fell in with my humour, and the scope of the object I was upon. I was not, therefore, sorry to see him quit my groom to accost me; and riding side by side, our introduction was short enough. He told me he was a butcher-his name Chine; he had been at a neighbouring fair after a lot of sheep, and as his way lay through Easington, he had stopped to take a horn of ale at the squire's; had seen me set off, and as his way was the same as mine for two or three miles, hoped there was no offence if he offered to bear me company. Perhaps, too, he might be of some service, as

them down-tracks," he said, "were the most puzzlingest things in the world to persons not used them."

To all this I assented, rather, pleased in the hope of finding some amusement in my fellow

traveller, who, besides, would have won me by civility alone; for when I gave a civil assent to his proposal, he said—

"I see now you are a real gentleman, and I would rather ride out of my way with one such, than go a shorter one with a stiff, buckram alderman, or even the Mayor of Newbury."

and

At this he fixed his eye upon nie, (a very quick one,) as if he had been surveying a bullock. His countenance, however, was fresh and open, his limbs had an alertness as he rode, which seemed to increase his own spirits, and much assist those of his horse. In short, he was the picture of an accomplished butcher.

"You have seen me, then," said I, "at Mr. Heartfree's?"

"O, yes!" he said "I was in the parlour when old Growler made such a fool of himself, and was so sacy to the Squire, and that odd gentleman that was taken up for robbing his mother."

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Not quite that," said I, laughing, "for he robbed nobody; and his mother has been dead twenty years."

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Well," returned Chine, "I was not there till

the end, but that was what the folk said."

"But who is old Growler?" I asked.

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Why, who can it be but Bullcock?"

"Whom you," I said, " don't seem to like.' "Like! who can? He growls at everything; his own father, when he was alive, whom he used so like a brute, that he broke his heart; and they he now often appears to him."

do

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say

What was his conduct to his father?" asked I.

Why, he got a woman to swear a child to him, and it turned out on the trial, that he was the father of it himself."

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Indeed! How was that proved?"

The woman confessed it upon her cross examining; the whole Court cried shame, and the old man was honourably acquitted. But he never held up his head afterwards; never was his own man again till he died."

"Nor the son either, one would suppose."

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O, yes! but he was; for both he and Snarl, who was counsel against his father, declared that the old gentleman had given the woman money to swear falsely, and they were both as peart as ever afterwards. However, they do say that this here Bullcock can't sleep o' nights for horrid laughs that he hears all about the chamber; though neither he, nor his wife, can see anything. But still in the day time he growls at everybody, and everything, particularly those above him.”

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And how with regard to those below him?"

Why them he bullies. He is false too, they

say, to his wife, and beats her when she complains. He is always talking of all being equal; but his equality seems to be, to pull down his betters, and keep down his inferiors. However, he is under a persecution for cheating the parish."

Upon my word," said I," a very worthy person, and quite qualified to reform the State !"

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Why he do say, sometimes," observed Chine, "that if right was right, he might be in Parliament, and then we should have the loaf at fourpence, and meat two-pence a pound. But as for that there last, sartainly I should know, and he is quite wide of the mark."

"Can such a man be happy?" said I.

"Yes! if plaguing his neighbours be to be happy. But then that is the sort of happiness which they say the devil has; from which I would rather be excused. For with such rages as I have seen him in, and hated by all, he owns himself his only pleasure is revenge; and that makes that he be so thick with Counsellor Snarl. But neither that nor his revengeful temper would, I think, make him happy; nor would I change lots with him for all he ha' got, though he be much richer than I."

"I believe you are quite right there,” said I; "but I suppose that if he is convicted of cheating the parish, the Counsellor will cut him.”