justice to say that I handsomely refuted the pernicious
arguments of those who would deprive us of our tithes. You would
perhaps care to peruse a copy of it I chance to have retained?
Q. I should esteem that honour, sir.
A. I will have my man bring it, as soon as I return
home.
Q. I thank you. But now, Mr Beckford, I must sow a
seed of doubt in your mind. Do you not know that the City is Whig to
a man? That most would never embrace what I understand to be your
worthy sentiments upon religion? That respect of ancient principle,
save that of their own secular right, holds little place among them?
That many have room for only one god in their world, that is Mammon,
to wit, their own profit; and will flout all that doth threaten to
hobble or trammel it. Did you not find it strange that this merchant
should show such sympathy for your own views?
A. I must confess myself his dupe, sir. Alas, I know
indeed of these matters, and how such would tolerate our
nonconformists and schismatics to a most reprehensible degree; but
here I believed I had stumbled upon a happy exception to this general
rule.
Q, Might not this merchant uncle have been in truth a
man of law - since we have some skill in directing a train of
discourse? I pray you, think, sir. Does this bear root in your
recollection?
A. He had not your manner, sir. With respect.
Q. But allowing for the circumstance that he was or
might have been, for some reason unknown, obliged to conceal his
ordinary manner and that you were shown but a plausible screen, not
what truly lay behind?
A, By such hypothesis it is possible, sir. Yes, it is
possible he but played a part. I can say no more.
Q. Id est, he was one trained to deceive, and even a
gentleman so perspicuous and educated as yourself, sir? He spake,
would you say, in a natural fashion - not as one who has affairs to
hide, in a low voice, or such?
A. As I say, sir. With some gravity, yet I thought
openly. As one accustomed to speak his mind on public matters in
public places.
Q. I would have you describe him to me.
A. Of middling height, somewhat stout in the belly. A
fair complexion for his age, though somewhat pale. The gaze
penetrating, as if he were a fair judge of men. Heavy brows.
Q. Now, sir, if you would be so kind as to guess upon
his age.
A. Forty five years are certain. I would guess a
lustrum more.
Q. No other distinguishing characters?
A. I marked a wart to one side of his nose. Here.
Q. Put the right nostril. No rings?
A. A wedding band.
Q. Gold?
A. Yes. And plain, if memory serves.
Q. His dress?
A. Of good cloth, but I noticed somewhat worn, as it
might be his travelling suit. The wig somewhat in the old style.
Q. The linen clean?
A. Indeed, sir. All as one might expect in a person
of such a kind.
Q. I felicitate you on your memory, sit. Now no other
peculiarities, no manners you marked especially?
A. He took snuff, sir, and too frequently to my
taste. I found it little elegant.
Q. Mr Beckford, you have heard nothing subsequent to
the events that is pertinent to them - I should add, beyond what is
common knowledge?
A. I have heard idle gossip, it is everywhere. The
benighted clowns hereabouts are much given to it.
Q. But nothing from other gentlemen or their families
in this neighbourhood?
A. In this parish there is alas only Mr Henry
Devereux to whom I may grant the appellation. He was not then here.
Q. He is here now?
A. He is returned a fortnight since to Bath.
Q. But you spoke to him of the matter?
A. I did my best to satisfy his curiosity, sir.
Q. And he seemed as ignorant as one might expect?
A. Quite so.
Q. Gentlemen of your own cloth?
A. I live in a desart, sir, though it pains me to say
it. No person of refinement would happily inhabit such a region as
this, were he not, as I, forced to it by circumstance. I regret to
say that my fellow in the cloth on one side is far more a professor
of the hunting of the fox and the like than of his faith. He would
sooner have his
arguments of those who would deprive us of our tithes. You would
perhaps care to peruse a copy of it I chance to have retained?
Q. I should esteem that honour, sir.
A. I will have my man bring it, as soon as I return
home.
Q. I thank you. But now, Mr Beckford, I must sow a
seed of doubt in your mind. Do you not know that the City is Whig to
a man? That most would never embrace what I understand to be your
worthy sentiments upon religion? That respect of ancient principle,
save that of their own secular right, holds little place among them?
That many have room for only one god in their world, that is Mammon,
to wit, their own profit; and will flout all that doth threaten to
hobble or trammel it. Did you not find it strange that this merchant
should show such sympathy for your own views?
A. I must confess myself his dupe, sir. Alas, I know
indeed of these matters, and how such would tolerate our
nonconformists and schismatics to a most reprehensible degree; but
here I believed I had stumbled upon a happy exception to this general
rule.
Q, Might not this merchant uncle have been in truth a
man of law - since we have some skill in directing a train of
discourse? I pray you, think, sir. Does this bear root in your
recollection?
A. He had not your manner, sir. With respect.
Q. But allowing for the circumstance that he was or
might have been, for some reason unknown, obliged to conceal his
ordinary manner and that you were shown but a plausible screen, not
what truly lay behind?
A, By such hypothesis it is possible, sir. Yes, it is
possible he but played a part. I can say no more.
Q. Id est, he was one trained to deceive, and even a
gentleman so perspicuous and educated as yourself, sir? He spake,
would you say, in a natural fashion - not as one who has affairs to
hide, in a low voice, or such?
A. As I say, sir. With some gravity, yet I thought
openly. As one accustomed to speak his mind on public matters in
public places.
Q. I would have you describe him to me.
A. Of middling height, somewhat stout in the belly. A
fair complexion for his age, though somewhat pale. The gaze
penetrating, as if he were a fair judge of men. Heavy brows.
Q. Now, sir, if you would be so kind as to guess upon
his age.
A. Forty five years are certain. I would guess a
lustrum more.
Q. No other distinguishing characters?
A. I marked a wart to one side of his nose. Here.
Q. Put the right nostril. No rings?
A. A wedding band.
Q. Gold?
A. Yes. And plain, if memory serves.
Q. His dress?
A. Of good cloth, but I noticed somewhat worn, as it
might be his travelling suit. The wig somewhat in the old style.
Q. The linen clean?
A. Indeed, sir. All as one might expect in a person
of such a kind.
Q. I felicitate you on your memory, sit. Now no other
peculiarities, no manners you marked especially?
A. He took snuff, sir, and too frequently to my
taste. I found it little elegant.
Q. Mr Beckford, you have heard nothing subsequent to
the events that is pertinent to them - I should add, beyond what is
common knowledge?
A. I have heard idle gossip, it is everywhere. The
benighted clowns hereabouts are much given to it.
Q. But nothing from other gentlemen or their families
in this neighbourhood?
A. In this parish there is alas only Mr Henry
Devereux to whom I may grant the appellation. He was not then here.
Q. He is here now?
A. He is returned a fortnight since to Bath.
Q. But you spoke to him of the matter?
A. I did my best to satisfy his curiosity, sir.
Q. And he seemed as ignorant as one might expect?
A. Quite so.
Q. Gentlemen of your own cloth?
A. I live in a desart, sir, though it pains me to say
it. No person of refinement would happily inhabit such a region as
this, were he not, as I, forced to it by circumstance. I regret to
say that my fellow in the cloth on one side is far more a professor
of the hunting of the fox and the like than of his faith. He would
sooner have his
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