MODERN LITERATURE
CHAPTER I.
Soonafter the end of the war that was concluded by the peace of 1763, two gentlemen belonging to a corps that had returned from the Havannah, leaving their regiment in the South of England, were journeying northwards to visit the place of their nativity. Neither had in the course of their campaigns acquired opulent fortunes; but they had both made such progress in the road to wealth, that without any reasonable charge of prodigality or imprudence, in revisitingtheir relations they could indulge in the comforts of a postchaise. Travelling not being then effected with the modern rapidity, they proposed in a week to reach the capital of Scotland. Having set out on their expedition, they on the third day arrived at the beautiful town of Doncaster, whence they intended, after an early dinner, to proceed two stages farther. As they were ordering their repast they descried, from the windows of their apartment, a gentleman entering the inn, in whom they recognised a regimental mess-mate, the comrade of their conviviality, and the partner of their dangers. The new comer, finding fellow travellers so dear to his heart, insisted these his friends should accompany him to his native village in the same county. He could not prevail on them to deviate so materially from their northern course: he, however, succeeded in arresting its progressfor several hours. Dinner had been on the table at two; at three the postillion had announced that every thing within the compass of his office was ready, but found that his fare were disposed to continue longer in their present quarters. It was seven o’clock before the gentlemen, taking the most affectionate leave of their companion, though naturally strong and active, were assisted by the landlord to their seats in the vehicle. Their friend had not accompanied them to the carriage, being left above found asleep in an elbow chair.
No road can be plainer than from Doncaster to Ferrybridge. The postillion was a sharp intelligent fellow, that had been three years in his present service, and had travelled that stage at least three hundred times in that period. It was a remarkably fine evening in the middle of July. Nothing, therefore, appearedmore unlikely than that he should miss his way. It has been often said, that example is more powerful than precept.—Early in the afternoon the travellers had ordered their Automedon into their presence, and, perhaps, foreseeing the probability of their own condition, had strongly interrogated him concerning his disposition to sobriety; his answers to their questions contained many asseverations in favour of his own temperance.—While he pocketed half a crown, which was given as a retaining fee, for the faithful and careful exertion of his professional skill, and swallowed a large bumper of brandy to the gentlemen’s health, he had averred that even his enemies could not say he waspredictedto liquor. In this declaration he might perhaps be correct, as the most competent witnesses were not his enemies but his friends. It would be afeeble gratitude which would confine itself to expressions of regard in the presence of the benefactor. The post-boy’s prayers and libations for the health and prosperity of the bountiful donors did not cease to flow in streams of ale as long as the half crown and consequential credit lasted. After these pious and benignant offerings he had mounted, and in this condition had taken the northern road. The horses, being less bereft of their senses than their rational companions, for several miles proceeded directly to the destined place. They had already made their way through the turnpikes, passed the delightful woods around Robin Hood’s well, with their leader snoaring on his seat, and arrived at Darrington, where a road branches off to the left. There a pull from their driver put them into a wrong direction. Instead of keeping directly in the new track, thehorses, again left to their own discretion, entered a cross lane, and had not gone far in this path when they overturned the carriage in a ditch. This catastrophe soon recalled both the travellers and their guide from the state of oblivion by which it was caused. The effects, however, proved extremely different. The postillion himself, though he tumbled from his seat, was softly and easily received in a very useful repository, collected for fertilizing an adjacent field. One of the gentlemen, by being upper-most as the carriage fell, was by his companion prevented from being materially hurt; the other was greatly bruised, and upon more particular examination found unable to move his leg, which was concluded to be broken. The day had just closed in when this misfortune happened, and no light was to be seen to guide them to a village or hamlet, where they mightobtain assistance. There were houses not far from the place, but belonging to peasants or labourers who had retired early to rest, that with the morning sun they might rise to their useful occupations.
Captain Graham had escaped unhurt;—having recovered his recollection, and accustomed to witness more direful mishaps than he trusted his friend’s disaster would prove, he laid him carefully on the grass, while he himself, by the clear twilight of a July night, set forwards in quest of some friendly habitation, where his comrade might repose until he could be safely removed. Following the track, he in a quarter of an hour arrived at a solitary cottage, which from its first appearance he feared was uninhabited, till the barking of a dog made him hope that this was a faithful centinel guarding, though humble, the dwelling of man. On his approach thegallant watch, though not very strong, raised a loud alarm, more vehement and furious as Graham approached the door of his master. The traveller hallooed with all his vociferation. A rough voice from the hovel, in a northern accent, demanded, who is there? and what is wanted? the other briefly mentioned the mishap. The master of the house soon came forth, and the moon, having now begun to shine, presented an elderly man, tall, straight, and muscular, who, in a style of language somewhat better than his habitation denoted, declared his willingness to assist a fellow creature in distress. He however requested the gentleman to speak softly, as there was, he said, a detachment of marauders in the rear of his house, who if they knew that the commander was out of the garrison might carry away his stores and equipage. “It is a fair stratagem, please your honour,however, to fire your minute-guns when you are shifting your camp. If we go ourselves we shall make the vollies of the picquet guard amuse the enemy.” He accordingly bound his dog to a post, well knowing that “in the absence of the commander the artillery would be incessantly discharged.” This figurative language convinced Graham, that his attendant was a brother soldier. But hurrying to the scene of disaster, he took no time to ask any questions, except such as pertained to the case of his friend, and learned to his great satisfaction, that there was a skilful surgeon at a town within a few miles. When they arrived they found Major Hamilton, though in great pain, very quiet; and the postillion had, in his agreeable bed, relapsed into a tranquil repose. The new acquaintance proposed that the gentleman should be carried easily on their arms to his cottage,where he should have his poor accommodation until better could be provided. But, the moon being now under a cloud, Graham said, they should stop a little until her light should enable them to find their steps with more ease to the patient. The cottager, foreseeing this difficulty, had brought a lanthern, which, from an œconomy necessary in his very limited finances, he had forborne kindling till necessary: but now, striking fire from a flint, he went with his light to examine the prostrate gentleman, and tried how he could be moved with the least degree of pain and uneasiness. In this occupation, the rays of the lamp happening to display on the waistcoat military buttons, the cottager with an eager curiosity examining more closely exclaimed in a transport, “Our own regiment by the Lord!” Graham, who had been at this time endeavouring toawaken the postillion, hearing only the last words, hastily fancied they imported an unfavourable change in his friend; but springing to the place found the cottager in transports, incessantly repeating, “Our own regiment! our own regiment!” At length comprehending him, he asked if he had really belonged to the——regiment. “I did,” said the other,rapturously, “I was with them at Fontenoy and Bergen-op-Zoom, and also in the late war in Ticonderago, Cape Breton, and Quebec.” “Did you,” called the gentleman on the ground, “know Hamilton?”—“What, Charles Hamilton,” said the veteran, “that was made captain at Quebec? I taught the boy his manual, and a gallant officer he is.”—“You did indeed,” said the gentleman on the ground, “I see now you are Sergeant Maxwell.”—“That I am, please your noble honour, extremelysorry for your honour’s misfortune, but I hope in my poor little tent, though not a marquee, your honour will feel yourself more convenient and comfortable than if you were among strangers.” They then with the most tender care removed Major Hamilton to Maxwell’s cottage, where he was laid with care on —— the best bed his host had to bestow. Maxwell having committed his guest to the care of his sister, a widow who lived with him, departed himself for medical assistance, and in a short time returned with a surgeon. This gentleman having examined the leg declared it was not broken but bruised, and announced that the case was favourable, if the patient were kept quiet; advised that he should remain where he was, until the cure was effected, and told Mr. Hamilton, that when he was a little easier, and fitter for conversation, he would bring him somecheerful and agreeable company, that would render him more benefit than all the medicines in his shop; though to the occupation which he was now exercising he had added the profession of apothecary.
Graham was under an indispensible necessity of hurrying to the north, and as soon as he found that his friend, though confined, was in friendly hands, under safe and skilful management, resolved to pursue his journey. Hamilton in a few days was able to bear without any danger of bad effects a moderate degree of conversation, and to enjoy the company of his host and brother soldier, Maxwell, at stated intervals; and as the old Sergeant was very fond of descanting on subjects which had occupied the better part of his life, it fortunately happened that his rural avocations prevented him from being with the Major too frequentlyto disturb the repose necessary in his present situation. Sunday, being a day of intermission from the labours of husbandry, the veteran halberdier devoted to attendance on his guest, and to a recitation of the labours of war. Early in the morning he repaired to the Major’s room, and, breakfasting by his bed, had gone over the battles of Dettingen, Fontenoy, had concluded peace, begun a new war, reached America, sailed up to St. Lawrence, descended, landed, mounted the heights of Abraham, and was at the second wound of the illustrious Wolfe, when his venerable sister entering the apartment reminded him that the hour for church was arrived. Maxwell, whose father having been a schoolmaster and precentor in his native village had instilled into him sentiments of religion, had been extremely regular in his attendance at public worship, was movedby this admonition; but considering the social virtues as an important branch of piety, at last concluded that the day could not be better spent than in cheering the spirits of a brother under indisposition, and chose to spend it in the company of his guest. The arrival of the surgeon for some time interrupted the progress of the battle of Quebec; but after this gentleman departed the subject was resumed, and Maxwell’s campaigns were concluded before the entrance of chicken broth for the officer’s repast, accompanied with beans and bacon for the host himself. As Hamilton took his barley water, Maxwell also indulged himself with barley juice, wishing to God his noble commander were well enough to partake of his home-brewed, of which, praised be his gracious Sovereign, he could, he said, always afford a comfortable can; and, so please your honour,here’s His Majesty’s health, and God bless all his friends! Hamilton devoutly saying, Amen. His sister coming in told him, that neighbour Hayrick, passing in his return from church, had informed her, that the vicar had asked him, if he knew any thing of Mr. Maxwell, and what had detained him from Divine Service? and that he (Hayrick) “had said as how Tom Tipple the postillion had most killed a gemman with his shay, that the gemman was dying at neighbour Maxwell’s cottage, and that Maxwell, he supposed, had stayed at home to keep him kumpany.” The hearers both smiled at this exaggerated account, and being left to themselves, Maxwell spoke highly in praise of the clergyman, though with many listeners what he said would have rather been against than for that reverend gentleman. “I understand him,” said Maxwell, “when he preachesas plainly as if it was one of our own officers.—He tells us that the Bible is our word of command, and if we mind it we shall never be behind in our duty.—Every man to mind his own station, and do as he would be done by, and though it may be a toilsome march, he will get safely invalided in garrison at last; but if he is a deserter or a poltroon, he will go to the devil; as where else ought such fellows to go?—This is what he told us t’other Sunday; he was upon fighting the good fight. Not long before he was about the Centurion, who, he told us, is all as one of our captains. Lord, thinks I to myself, for he read the whole story, what excellent discipline they kept!” Hamilton, who remembered the passage, having assented to this criticism, Maxwell proposed the vicar’s health, and, having emptied and replenished the jug, entertained his friend with many anecdotesin praise of his reverend pastor, who had been extremely kind to himself individually, and had presented to him that very flitch of bacon on which he had that day dined. “Extremely good in its kind it is,” said Maxwell, “but a little too salt.”—To this cause he imputed his being so excessively dry, and the quantity of ale that he said he was obliged to swallow.
His eloquence and his ale at last setting the old hero asleep, allowed to the Major an hour of rest, which he had begun very much to want. When both were refreshed, the sister announced Mr. Wentbridge. Maxwell hastened out to meet the vicar, and soon introduced a gentleman turned of fifty, of a countenance mild, pale, and penetrating, with grey hairs thinly scattered over his head; a figure tall, elegant, and prepossessing, and, though somewhat slender, strong andactive. The visitor with much softness, in a tone of humanity, and a voice subdued by the apprehensions of disturbing the temporary repose of dangerous illness, expressed his concern for the accounts which he had received.—Maxwell, answering in a voice loud and cheerful, assured his pastor, that the gentleman was in no kind of danger, and briefly narrated the circumstances. “I have been just a-telling my noble Major about your Reverence’s sermons and good deeds.”—Hamilton, now addressing Mr. Wentbridge, expressed the pleasure he hoped to derive from acquaintance with so respectable a gentleman.—The clergyman, though pious and devout, was frank and open in his manner; Hamilton was an honest, bold, and intelligent soldier: two such characters were not long strangers; they were mutually delighted, and the setting sunhad reminded the vicar of the evening devotions of his family, before he thought of withdrawing.—Shaking his new acquaintance cordially by the hand, he took his leave, promising to return the following day.—The next morning, the Sergeant being engaged in stacking a plentiful crop of hay which he had raised on a field of very moderate extent, his hostess attended the invalid with his breakfast, when, the conversation turning upon the last night’s visitor, he learned many particulars farther to his honour, and the landlady was just entering into an account of his family, when Mr. Wentbridge himself interrupted the discourse.—The Vicar and the Major, as they increased in knowledge of each other, advanced in reciprocal esteem. Wentbridge found Hamilton a man of abilities and extensive knowledge, besides a very impressive and engaging deportment.—Thesoldier soon discovered in Wentbridge, besides the talents, learning, and virtuous sentiments, which became his sacred profession, a fund of scientific and political knowledge, which he was not incompetent to appreciate, relieved by delicacy and strength of wit and of humour, which he could highly relish.—The skill of the surgeon, with the vigour of his own constitution, the kind care and assiduity of his host and hostess, and the interesting and amusing conversation of his new clerical friend, combined speedily to raise the Major from his bed, and in a few weeks he was able to move about on his crutch, and sometimes to take the air in the vicar’s chaise-cart. In the beginning of September he found himself sufficiently well to accept of an invitation to the parsonage-house.