DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70303#0512
472 SINGULAR CHARACTER.
notwithstanding the system of depredation was carried
to such a height, as almost to render his extensive woods,
and even young plantations, a scene of desolation, yet
when during his walk by midnight any of the offenders
were perceived by him, he would mildly exclaim,“ Take
care how you get down that tree, or you may hurt your-
self.”
The character of this gentleman, as drawn by Mr.
Pratt, in his gleanings in England, we understand from
various testimony, is certainly not exaggerated. “ At
the Abbey here resides,” says the above writer, “ a gen-
tleman in the possession of a once finely wooded domain,
of great politeness and urbanity, much reading, of sound
understanding, who, nevertheless, has allowed almost
every tree which his domain had to boast, to be delibe-
rately cut down, and carried away, without so much as
making any manner of enquiry after the offenders, or
entering into any remonstrance as to their past, present/
or future depredations, though this went to the loss of
20,000/. I suppose,” says Mr. Pratt, “ you would think
I must be fibbing, were I to inform you that whoever has
a mind to it goes into his stable, saddles or harnesses a
horse, and rides, or ploughs with him, brings him home
at night, or keeps him a week or a fortnight together,
’without so much as a question being asked by the squire^
tmd what is worse, they not only steal wheat, barley, and
other grain, from the field where it is sheaved, to save
them the trouble of cutting it, but they are wicked
enough to cat off the corn-ears, by whole acres, before
they are ripe.”
Mr. Warner, with all his peculiarities, was endowed
with a thousand qualities which do honour to the heart
of man; and with all his shades of character,- in which,
however, there was no mixture of vice or immorality, he
will long be remembered as a man of very tender feelings,
a scholar,
notwithstanding the system of depredation was carried
to such a height, as almost to render his extensive woods,
and even young plantations, a scene of desolation, yet
when during his walk by midnight any of the offenders
were perceived by him, he would mildly exclaim,“ Take
care how you get down that tree, or you may hurt your-
self.”
The character of this gentleman, as drawn by Mr.
Pratt, in his gleanings in England, we understand from
various testimony, is certainly not exaggerated. “ At
the Abbey here resides,” says the above writer, “ a gen-
tleman in the possession of a once finely wooded domain,
of great politeness and urbanity, much reading, of sound
understanding, who, nevertheless, has allowed almost
every tree which his domain had to boast, to be delibe-
rately cut down, and carried away, without so much as
making any manner of enquiry after the offenders, or
entering into any remonstrance as to their past, present/
or future depredations, though this went to the loss of
20,000/. I suppose,” says Mr. Pratt, “ you would think
I must be fibbing, were I to inform you that whoever has
a mind to it goes into his stable, saddles or harnesses a
horse, and rides, or ploughs with him, brings him home
at night, or keeps him a week or a fortnight together,
’without so much as a question being asked by the squire^
tmd what is worse, they not only steal wheat, barley, and
other grain, from the field where it is sheaved, to save
them the trouble of cutting it, but they are wicked
enough to cat off the corn-ears, by whole acres, before
they are ripe.”
Mr. Warner, with all his peculiarities, was endowed
with a thousand qualities which do honour to the heart
of man; and with all his shades of character,- in which,
however, there was no mixture of vice or immorality, he
will long be remembered as a man of very tender feelings,
a scholar,