The eighteenth century had almost run its course when the exigencies of
England's conflict with the French brought Thomas Borrow, a stalwart
Cornishman, into East Anglia, on recruiting service. For several years
the worthy West-countryman had served his king in the rank and file of
the British army before he was appointed sergeant-major of the newly
raised body of West Norfolk Militia. The headquarters of this regiment
was East Dereham, a pleasant little country town situated about sixteen
miles from the Norfolk capital.
Thomas Borrow came of a good Cornish family, and explanation of his
having attained nothing better than non-commissioned rank is to be found
in the fact that he preferred to enter the army as a private
soldier--some say that he ran away from home in order to enlist. That
his duties as a sergeant-major were performed in a creditable and
satisfactory manner we are justified in believing, knowing that in 1798
he was raised to the position of captain and adjutant of the regiment.
While in Dereham, Sergeant-major Borrow made the acquaintance of Ann
Parfrement, the daughter of a small farmer of French Huguenot extraction,
living at Dumpling Green, an open neighbourhood in the outskirts of the
town. This acquaintance ripened into a mutual attachment, and on Borrow
receiving promotion the two were united in marriage. Two children were
born to them; the younger of whom, George Henry Borrow, was born on July
5th, 1803.
The wandering instinct that George afterwards developed may well have
been the natural outcome of the roving life of his early years. Before
he was many months old, his parents, obedient to the dictates of military
command, had moved from Dereham to Canterbury. The year 1809, however,
saw them back again in the little Norfolk town with which Borrow's
earliest recollections were associated.
East Dereham is a town of Anglo-Saxon foundation, and strange legends and
traditions are interwoven with its history. To-day it is chiefly known
for the fact that the bones of the poet Cowper rest beneath the chancel
of its ancient church. To this church of St. Nicholas, George was taken
by his parents every Sunday. Writing in after years, he says, "Twice
every Sunday I was regularly taken to the church, where, from a corner of
the large spacious pew, lined with black leather, I would fix my eyes on
the dignified High-church rector, and the dignified High-church clerk,
and watch the movement of their lips, from which, as they read their
respective portions of the venerable Liturgy, would roll many a
portentous word descriptive of the wondrous works of the Most High."
The vicar of Dereham at this time was the Rev. Charles Hyde Wollaston.
The "dignified High-church clerk" was George Philo (spelt Philoh in
"Lavengro"), an old soldier, retired on a pension.
The Borrows remained in Dereham only a few months, but their stay in the
place was ever after a memorable one in George's mind, for the occurrence
of a great event. A young lady, a friend of the family, presented him
with a copy of "Robinson Crusoe." This book first aroused in him a
desire for knowledge. For hours together he sat poring over its pages,
until, "under a shoulder-of-mutton sail, I found myself cantering before
a steady breeze over an ocean of enchantment, so well pleased with my
voyage that I cared not how long it might be ere it reached its
termination."
After settling down for a time at Norman Cross in Huntingdonshire and in
Edinburgh, Captain Borrow retired into private life; but not for long.
Elba failed to hold the fiery Corsican, Napoleon again burst upon the
battlefield of Europe, the demon of war and ravage was again abroad.
Borrow's corps was levied anew, and his eldest son, John, became one of
its officers. Before the regiment saw service, however, the escaped lion
was again caged. But it was not disbanded, and, being in a thoroughly
efficient state, was ordered to Ireland, where local trouble was feared.
The autumn of 1815 saw the Borrows sail from Harwich. After a voyage of
eight days, during which a terrific storm was encountered and the
transports nearly foundered, the military force of eight hundred men was
landed on the Irish coast. After a lengthy stay at Clonmel, where, as in
Edinburgh, George was sent to school, the corps moved their quarters to
Templemore.
During the following year, Captain Borrow returned to Norfolk, and
settled down with his family in a small house which is still standing in
Willow Lane, Norwich. George was at once entered as a pupil at King
Edward's Grammar School, then conducted by Dr. Valpy, and remained a
scholar there till 1818, when he attained his fifteenth year. As a
schoolboy he appears to have been an apter pupil of Defoe than of the
reverend headmaster of the Norwich academy. Dr. James Martineau, who was
one of his schoolfellows, has related how Borrow once persuaded several
of his companions to rob their father's tills, and run away to join the
smugglers of the East Anglian coast. For this escapade he was awarded
due punishment, which he received hoisted on the back of the future
celebrated Unitarian divine. Miss Frances Cobbe, who knew both Borrow
and Dr. Martineau in after years, says in her Autobiography, "The early
connection between the two old men as I knew them was irresistibly comic
to my mind. When I asked Mr. Borrow once to come andmeet some friends at
our house, he accepted our invitation as usual, but, on finding that Dr.
Martineau was to be of the party, hastily withdrew his acceptance on a
transparent excuse, nor did he ever after attend our little assemblies
without first ascertaining that Dr. Martineau would not be present."
On another occasion, George--probably in emulation of the East Anglian
Iceni--dyed his face with walnut juice, causing Dr. Valpy to inquire
whether he was "suffering from jaundice, or if it was only dirt." Dr.
Jessop, who was afterwards headmaster of the school, says that there was
a tradition that Borrow was indolent and even stupid. There is little
doubt that he was a dreamy youth, much given to introspective thought and
wild imaginings; but, in spite of these drawbacks in the dominie's eyes,
he was a very human boy, fond of outdoor life and sports. Some of his
pursuits, however--such as his liking for philological studies, and for
the company of gipsies and horsey men generally--might well trouble his
father, who was a steady-going old gentleman of strictly conventional
methods and ideas. George stood in considerable awe of him, and always
felt ill at ease in his presence. No doubt the old soldier frequently
remonstrated with him for his indulgence in idle pleasures and lax ideas
of duty. As a lad, he probably found it hard to justify himself in his
father's eyes, but there is a passage in "Lavengro," written
five-and-twenty years later, which clearly expresses his views:
"I have heard talk of the pleasures of idleness, yet it is my own firm
belief that no one ever yet took pleasure in it. Mere idleness is the
most disagreeable state of existence, and both mind and body are
continually making efforts to escape from it. It has been said that
idleness is the parent of mischief, which is very true; but mischief
itself is merely an attempt to escape from the dreary vacuum of idleness.
There are many tasks and occupations which a man is unwilling to perform,
but let no one think that he is therefore in love with idleness; he turns
to something which is more agreeable to his inclination, and doubtless
more suited to his nature, but he is not in love with idleness. A boy
may play the truant from school because he dislikes his books and study;
but, depend upon it, he intends doing something the while--to go fishing,
or perhaps to take a walk; and who knows but that from such excursions
both his mind and body may derive more benefit than from books and
school?"
Contemporary with Borrow at Norwich Grammar School were several lads
whose names were afterwards written in large and shining letters on the
scroll of fame. Amongst these were James Brooke, the Rajah of Sarawak,
Sir Archdale Wilson, and, as has already been said, Dr. James Martineau.
The old city has always borne itself with dignity during the passage of
events that have gone to make up its history, as though conscious of its
ability to send forth into the world sons who would do honour to her
record and old foundations and traditions. From that old school they
have gone out into every walk of life, carrying with them over land and
sea, into court and pulpit, to bench and bar, hallowed memories of days
spent within its walls. Not ten years before Borrow's name was entered
on its roll, its most brilliant star had set at Trafalgar, where Nelson
found amidst the hailing death that poured upon the decks of the battered
_Victory_ the passport to immortal fame and glory.