Memoirs of Henry Hunt, Esq., vol 2 | Page 9

fined and imprisoned; but this did not extinguish,
nor did it even slacken my zeal for what I conceived to be the safety
and the liberty of any country. The liberal and patriotic offer which I
had made was talked of all over the county by the rich and by the poor.
At this period I was living in what was called great style; my mansion
being generally full of company. But in the midst of this profligate
course of life, for so it might, with great truth, be called, I was not
unmindful of the wants and the privations of the poor, and I never
failed to do every thing in my power to relieve their distresses, and at
the same time protect them from oppression. Hunting and shooting
were my great delight; but, fond as I was of these sports, I never
neglected the call of a poor man or a poor woman, to attend on his or
her behalf, at a justice meeting, to advocate their cause, and defend
them against the arbitrary and cruel attacks of any little dirty tyrant,
who might have premeditated to oppress them. For this conduct I was
branded, behind my back, by the quorum, and all the jacks in office
under them, as a _busy, meddling, officious fellow;_ but this never
deterred me from doing that which I believe to be, and which I had
been taught to be, the duty of a good Christian, namely, my duty
towards my neighbour. If the petty despots of the neighbourhood
levelled their sneers at me behind my back, I was more than repaid, I
was most amply rewarded, for this indignity, by a self-approving
conscience, and by the grateful thanks and blessings of the poor,
whenever I came in contact with them. They were not only civil and
respectful towards me and my family, but they were always ready to fly
to do me any act of kindness within their power. Whenever any
particular exertion was required in my farming business, it was only for
me to hint my wish, and it was not only set about without expostulation
or grumbling, but it was sure to be executed and accomplished with
alacrity and cheerfulness; for they never had any doubt of my
punctuality in repaying them with an equitable and a liberal hand. This
was a delightful state of society; each we would act otherwise than we
did, is the weakness of folly; for if we were placed in the very same

situation, at the same age, with the same inexperience, and impelled by
the same impetuous youthful passions; under similar circumstances,
depend upon it we should commit the self-same errors that we have
now to regret. As for myself, instead of indulging in this sort of
weakness, I look back upon my past errors with a sort of awful
reverence for the benignity of the divine will of my Maker; and, when I
prostrate myself before God, and offer up a silent, although an ardent
thanksgiving for all his goodness to me, an insignificant human being, I
never forget to pour out my most grateful and unbounded
acknowledgments to him for his having permitted me to pass through
life hitherto so well as I have done, without having committed any
premeditated or deadly sin, such as would bear down and oppress my
soul with conscious guilt, and place me in that deplorable situation
which is so beautifully expressed by a sublime author: "of all mortals,
those are the most exquisitely miserable, who groan beneath the
pressure of a melancholy mind, or labour under the stings of a guilty
conscience; a slave confined to the gallies, or an exile to punish--living
and labouring for the mutual benefit and happiness of the whole.
Many of my readers will be surprised, and will exclaim, "how was it
possible that Mr. Hunt, surrounded with so many blessings, and
appearing so much to enjoy such a rational, desirable, delightful
occupation, should have been led away, should have been betrayed into
the guilt of dissipation?" Ah, my friends! how easy is it, in looking
back upon past events, upon lost time, how easy is it for us to say, and
what a common expression it is, in the mouth of almost every reflecting
person, "_If my time were to come over again, how very differently
would I act!_" But this sort of reasoning is very fallacious, it is
unworthy a philosopher. When a person reflects upon particular events
of his life, where his objects had failed for want of foresight, or for
want of prudence, it may be excusable in him to express a wish, nay, it
is almost impossible for any one to suppress an inward wish, that he
had acted with more caution, discretion or prudence; but