What I Remember, Volume 2 | Page 3

thy times" (I
write from memory--the memory of half a century ago--but I think the
words ran thus). Of course the gist of his discourse may be readily
imagined. But the manner of the preacher remains more vividly present
to my mind than his words. He spoke with extreme rapidity, and had
the special gift of combining extreme rapidity of utterance with very
perfect clearness. His manner, I remember thinking, was unlike any that
I had ever witnessed in the pulpit, and appeared to me to resemble
rather that of a very earnest speaker at the hustings than the usual pulpit
style. His sentences seemed to run downhill, with continually
increasing speed till they came to a full stop at the bottom. It was, I
think, the only sermon I ever heard which I wished longer. He carried
me with him completely, for the century was in those days, like me,
young. But if I were to hear a similarly fervid discourse now on the
same subject, I should surely desire some clearer setting forth of the
difference between "knowledge" and "wisdom."
It was about this time, i.e., in the year 1839, that my mother, who had
been led, by I forget what special circumstances, to take a great interest
in the then hoped-for factory legislation, and in Lord Shaftesbury's
efforts in that direction, determined to write a novel on the subject with
the hope of doing something towards attracting the public mind to the
question, and to visit Lancashire for the purpose of obtaining accurate
information and local details.
The novel was written, published in the then newly-invented fashion of
monthly numbers, and called Michael Armstrong. The publisher, Mr.
Colburn, paid a long price for it, and did not complain of the result. But
it never became one of the more popular among my mother's novels,
sharing, I suppose, the fate of most novels written for some purpose
other than that of amusing their readers. Novel readers are exceedingly
quick to smell the rhubarb under the jam in the dose offered to them,

and set themselves against the undesired preachment, as obstinately as
the naughtiest little boy who ever refused to be physicked with
nastiness for his good.
My mother neglected no means of making the facts stated in her book
authentic and accurate, and the mise en scène of her story graphic and
truthful. Of course I was the companion of her journey, and was more
or less useful to her in searching for and collecting facts in some places
where it would have been difficult for her to look for them. We carried
with us a number of introductions from Lord Shaftesbury to a rather
strange assortment of persons, whom his lordship had found useful
both as collectors of trustworthy information, and energetic agitators in
favour of legislation.
The following letter from the Earl of Shaftesbury, then Lord Ashley, to
my mother on the subject, is illustrative of the strong interest he took in
the matter, and of the means which he thought necessary for obtaining
information respecting it:
* * * * *
"MADAM,--The letters to Macclesfield and Manchester shall be sent
by this evening's post. On your arrival at Macclesfield be so kind as to
ask for Reuben Bullock, of Roe Street, and at Manchester for John
Doherty, a small bookseller of Hyde's Cross in the town. They will
show you the secrets of the place, as they showed them to me.
"Mr. Wood himself is not now resident in Bradford, he is at present in
Hampshire; but his partner, Mr. Walker, carries out all his plans with
the utmost energy. I will write to him to-night. The firm is known by
the name of 'Wood and Walker,' Mr. Wood is a person whom you may
easily see in London on your return to town. With every good wish and
prayer for your success,
"I remain your very obedient servant,
"ASHLEY.

"P.S.--The Quarterly Review of December, 1836, contains an article on
the factory system, which would greatly assist by the references to the
evidence before Committee, &c. &c."
* * * * *
It is useless here and now to say anything of the horrors of uncivilised
savagery and hopeless abject misery which we witnessed. They are
painted in my mother's book, and should any reader ever refer to those
pages for a picture of the state of things among the factory hands at that
time, he may take with him my testimony to the fact that there was no
exaggeration in the outlines of the picture given. What we are there
described to have seen, we saw.
And let doctrinaire economists preach as they will, and Radical
socialists abuse a measure, which helps to take from them the fulcrum
of the levers that are to upset