THE boy indicative of the man. Antiquarian propensities show themselves.
His mother rises in the world, and assumes the dignified office of
village schoolmistress. Her mode of tuition. Twm a member of the
“academy.”
As the period of early infancy seldom contains incidents worthy the
recording pen of history, we shall bring our hero at once at his fourth
year. The biographers of great men have generally evinced a predilection
to present their readers with certain early indications of the peculiar
genius that has distinguished their heroes in after life; and far from us
be the presumption of deviating from such a popular and legitimate rule,
by any radical attempt at innovation or improvement.
Pope’s lispings in numbers, West’s quaker daublings in childhood, with
many other instances, not forgetting Peter Pindar’s waggery on Sir Joseph
Bank’s spreading spiders and butterflies on his bread and butter,
(certain indication of the future Naturalist,) are cases in point, which
are familiar to every reader; true or not, we have also heard the story
of Sir Isaac Newton’s partiality for apples, in childhood; that
Paganini’s first desire was for a sixpenny toy fiddle; that other great
men in infancy exemplified the motto that “Coming events cast their
shadows before them;” and it will not appear strange to those already
acquainted with his fame, that we have to add to these eminent names that
of our long neglected hero.
It is true he became neither a poet, a painter, nor a natural historian,
but, according to the unbiassed opinions of geniuses of the same caste
with himself, who could not be suspected of either egotism or partiality,
a superior character to either—an eminent antiquary—to which may be
added, though perhaps it ought to take the lead—a no less eminent
thief—if thief he can be called whose illicit doings were prompted by no
motives of selfishness, but were ever the spontaneous offspring of whim
and madcap daring.
Twm’s mother affirms (and when a lady affirms anything the gentlemen feel
bound to believe in, and swear by it,) that her son’s first predilection
consisted of an intense affection for street rubbish. The gutters and
sweepings of Tregaron furnished him with materials for an antiquarian
exhibition which he held in a stable manger. The pottery of bygone days,
somewhat the worse for wear and tear, but still exhibiting the taste and
substantial ideas of the original manufactures—cutlery of Sheffield
manufactures, discarded and useless, but not beneath the notice of our
juvenile showman—twisted hemp and bits of figured rags and paper, relics
of time past—all formed part and parcel of his “exhibition.”
To be sure his occupation was not of the cleanest. To secure these
priceless relics, he coated hands, face, and clothes, with a thick crust
of mud, and thus showed his origin, by the close affection he had for
mother earth. As in these little fancies he spent the greater part of
his time, it became a wonder to his mother that he seldom ran home for
food; but it was soon discovered that he had a mode peculiar to himself
of raising contributions on the public of which he was a member, by
forcing them to part with a portion of their bread and butter—a
praiseworthy act, and trebly commendable, as in the first place it showed
his filial piety, in saving his mother the expense of his victuals; in
the next, it taught courtesy to the churlish, who in time anticipated his
demand by voluntary offerings; and thirdly, it engendered the principle
of honesty in their tender minds, by marking the propriety of paying for
their curiosity in gaping over the produce of his labours. This, it will
also be observed, was another feature that announced his future
character, which, it will be seen, “grew with his growth, and
strengthened with his strength.”
Sir Jno. Wynn was made acquainted with the result of those “delicate
attentions,” to which we have before alluded, and as some sort of
compensation, he bought the cottage of Squire Graspacre, and presented it
to Catty, as the reward of her kind compliance with his “delicate”
wishes. The little property made her of great importance in the
district. As the house was large, and not overstocked with inhabitants,
it occurred to the good people of Tregaron, that a day-school might be
established within its walls; and having with their own consent found a
school-room, by the same indisputable right they fixed on Catty for its
mistress, and instituted her governess, to rule their tender progeny.
Catty, with huge grin of approbation at her unexpected promotion,
immediately ratified their election, and declared both her house and self
ready for the reception of pupils at the moderate terms of a penny a
week. Her hump-backed sister was by no means pleased with this
arrangement, and very testily asked, “Who was to clean up the house after
the grubby fry?” Catty made no reply, but in the pride of her heart
hummed a gay song, scratched the mud off her boy’s clothes with an old
birch broom, which being hardened by sweeping the house, answered the
purpose better than a brush, and had some old coffers converted into
benches for the service of her scholars.
She then with singular alacrity, proceeded to cut from the hedge, with
her own fair hand, one of the most engaging-looking birch rods, that ever
was wielded by rural governess. This premature display of the sceptre of
severity was far from fortunate, and nearly ruined the undertaking at the
outset. The tender mothers of Tregaron were startled at so unexpected a
proceeding, and practically declared they had rather their dear babes
should be brought up like calves and pigs, in the most bestial ignorance,
than have knowledge beaten into them at the nether end with a birch rod.
Catty immediately quieted their fears, by protesting that she entertained
the utmost abhorrence of the flagellation system, and that the bunch of
birch was but bound together for a very different purpose, namely, to be
suspended as a sign over her door. As Catty was all compliance with
their requisitions, every thing was set to rights; and without more ado
children were sent from every house where the affluence of the inmates
enabled them to give their offspring the first rudiments of education.
The mother of Twm became the pink and paragon of schoolmistresses. ’Tis
true, the noise and uproar of her school was so great, that the pigs were
frightened from their trough, and the curate’s wife, who rode an
ill-tamed horse, was thrown headlong into the well, when passing the
academy, from the animal taking fright; but that was no fault of Catty’s;
people should break in their horses properly, and curates’ wives should
learn to ride and keep their seats better. Besides, the alleged uproar
was the greatest evidence in her favour, as it proved the tenderness of
her heart in not correcting her scholars—a quality more valued by their
maternal parents than any other that could be substituted; and in their
appreciation of this prime desideratum, they omitted to inquire minutely
into her other qualifications for a governess.
Unreasonable people might have asserted that she should at least have
been able to read and write with ordinary ability. But poor Catty was
not troubled with either of these accomplishments, and believed with
Dogberry, that “reading and writing came by nature,” and that “where
ignorance is bliss, ’twere folly to be wise.” She congratulated herself
that none could say to her “Too much learning hath made thee mad;” and
inwardly thanked heaven that her sanity would be unquestioned if such a
test was applied to her.
Many of Catty’s pupils had been taken by their wise and considerate
mothers out of the curate’s school, fearful that his severity would break
their hearts; and having there learnt their letters and a little
spelling, they kept possession at least of what they had acquired, by
teaching other children, which flattered their childish vanity, while it
served their mistress, who, like a sage general that stands aloof from
the broil of battle, takes to herself the credit of success, while the
real operators are forgotten. Thus in time, with the powerful support of
the matrons of Tregaron, who took the lead of their spouses, and directed
the taste and opinions of the clodhopping community, Catty’s school
became an alarming rival to the curate’s.
The mode of tuition adopted by Twm’s mother, was an entirely original
one, as the reader will have surmised. It cost very little trouble in
acquiring, because its chief secret consisted in tutor and pupils doing
just what they chose. It may save a good deal of anxiety and trouble to
those tutors who are too conscientious if we furnish them with a leaf
from the book of this original preceptor.
“Come here, little Guenny Cadwgan,” said Catty one day, “Come here, my
little pretty buttercup, and say your lesson, if you can; but if you
can’t, never mind, I won’t beat nor scold you.” Guenny came forward
bobbing a curtsey, and while his mistress broomed the mud from little
Twm’s breeches, began her lesson.
_Guenny_.—a, b, hab.
_Catty_.—There’s a good maaid!
_Guenny_.—e, b, heb.
_Catty_.—There’s a good maaid!
_Guenny_.—o, b, hob.
_Catty_.—There’s a good maaid!
_Guenny_.—i, b,—can’t tell.
_Catty_.—Skipe it, child, skipe it—(meaning “skip it.”)
_Guenny_.—u, b, cub.
_Catty_.—There’s a good maaid! Twm you little wicked dog, don’t kick the
child. Go on, Guenny vach.
_Twm_.—(who had been struggling for some time to get from under his
mother’s combs,) I want to go a fishing.
_Catty_.—Lord love the darling child! You’ll fall into the river and be
drowned.
_Twm_.—Oh! no, mother; I always fish in the gutters.
_Dio Bengoch_.—I want to go home for some bread and butter.
“And I! and I! and I!” squalls every urchin in the school; and out they
would run in a drove, on perceiving the independent exit of master Twm,
without waiting for the permission of his parent and governess.