THE 'VANISHED COUNTRY FOLK!
THIS is a charming collection of essays. The writer is, as he tells us, a parson, "an anti-Clerical Catholic "—that ie, we gather, a High Anglican with a hatred of sacerdotaliam. He is, moreover, a Radical with an extraordinary devotion to tradition and "old times," differing, we read, "from Tories only in opinion," and with "a great liking for them." He gives a dark picture of the life of the agricultural labourer in the first half of the nineteenth century, but he vete against the hardness of the life and the tyranny of the landowner the feet—as he believes it—that the people were happy. "Us were happy," is the testimony of old labourers. Now, though conditions have improved, he doubts whether their successors are; and, indeed, the desire of all the best lads to leave the land seems to prove that they are not. Why? Mr. Gales's picture of rural life—of ploughmen, tramp; machine-men, and their womenfolk and children—suggests many answers, all worth study. Some of his stories of village church-goers are very funny. The woman who describes her seat in church as being close by "the fowl" (lectern) is charming, and the ignorance of the old lady who asked why some people bowed to the brass eagle will please • The Vanished Comtry Folk, and other Studies in et ready. By B. L. Gala London: Shapkin, Marshall. sad Co. [5e. usti
anti-High Church readers. One of our author's most amusing chapters deals with "Popular English." The speech of the country people is, he thinks, far less racy than it was, partly because there is less happiness, partly because education is killing picturesque speech. It is difficult to believe this. Speech is the expression of a people's character. Phrases no doubt become antiquated, but do not equivalents take their place P Such, at any rate, is not Mr. Gales's experience. He quotes a great many delightful expressions from the mouths of our grandfathers, many of which were in use in Suffolk. A tyrant was called " a Norman"; that expression must be many centuries old. " Worth a Jew's eye" is another; an "abbey-lubber" is a third. This meant originally, according to Dr. Johnson, "a slothful loiterer in a religious house." "All skin and grief" is another very expressive phrase, but we believe it to be still in use. The present writer once heard some one described as "all akin and character " ; perhaps this is a valiant of the same. "Blind man's holiday" for twilight is surely constantly heard ; but " haverdepoise " for undecided, irresolute, would seem to be quite obsolete. Mr. Gales is very pleased with the expres- sion "cold turkey pie," meaning bread and cheese, which he has come across in a collection of old sayings. The " ironical cheerfulness and contentment" of the phrase delight him. The sentiment is still to be found among eaters of spare and plain food, if this particular saying about the pie is forgotten. In poor London to-day "a two- eyed steak" is a fashionable way of describing a bloater. Space forbids as to quote more, but we recommend our readers to get the book. It is interesting and entertaining, and thought-provoking from the first chapter to the last.
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