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Mackenzie se.

ROBERT BLOOMFIELD.

Author of the Farmers Boy".

Published May 1.1801. by Vernor & Hood, Poultry.

THE

MONTHLY VISITOR.

APRIL, 1801.

SKETCH

OF THE MEMOIRS OF

ROBERT BLOOMFIELD.

Enriched with a capital Portrait in Colours.

'Twas thus with GILES: meek, fatherless, and poor,
Labour his portion, but he felt no more;
No stripes, no tyranny his steps pursu'd,
His life was constant cheerful servitude.
Strange to the world, he wore a bashful look,
The fields his study, nature was his book,
And as revolving SEASONS Chang'd the scene,
From heat to cold, tempestuous to serene,
Though every change still varied his employ,
Yet each new duty brought its share of joy!
FARMER'S BOY.

W

ITH pleasure we sit down to sketch a character who, by natural talent and unaffected simplicity, has attracted the attention of mankind. It is no uncommon thing for individuals, whose education has been ably conducted, and whose emulation has been powerfully excited, to display that blaze of genius which rouses us into a pleasing astonishment. But to observe a young person rising above every untoward circumstance, even in spite of the disadvantages with which labour and poverty are attended,

Ff

this is a phenomenon of rare occurrence, and therefore particularly calculated to draw forth our admiration.

ROBERT BLOOMFIELD was born December 3, 1766, at Honington, about eight miles from Bury, in Suffolk. His father was a taylor, and died during his infancy. The mother earned her livelihood by keeping a school, in which of course her own children were instructed. Thus he learnt to read—an acquisition which, however humble, lies at the foundation of every species of learning. His writing was obtained at another school, where he staid only a few months, so that his advantages were literally few and inconsiderable. And we hear of no other of the kind which he afterwards enjoyed.

He had reached his seventh year, when his mother again married-and he was eleven years old when he left his home, being consigned over to the care of Farmer Austin, of Sapiston, a village near Honington. This master took him into his house, and treated him with kindness. The mother had now no expence with him, excepting the article of cloaths-but Mr. Austin soon remarked, that "he was so small of his age that he was not likely to get his living by hard labour."

At this period his brother, Mr. G. Bloomfield, informed his mother that he was disposed to take him, and teach him to make shoes-whilst another brother promised to cloath him. Upon this proposal, the mother brought him herself in a coach to London, 28th June, 1791, where she delivered him over to the care of Mr. G. Bloomfield-saying, "she never should have been happy if she had not put him herself into his hands." Nor did this satisfy her maternal affec tion. She even charged her son, to whom she consigned him, that every due attention should be paid to his welfare and felicity. Her words are too remarkable to be forgotten :-"As you value a mother's blessing-watch over him-set good examples for him--and never forget that he has lost his father!" This advice appears to have been followed, and attended with its usual good effects. It were fervently

to be wished, that all parents were equally solicitous for the well-doing of their children. This would be the means of securing their present and future felicity. Mr. G. Bloomfield then lived in Bell-allcy, Cole

man-street. He wrote a narrative to Mr. Capel Loft, of Robert's life whence this account is taken-and here an interesting portion must be transcribed-" It is customary in such houses as are let to poor people in London, to have light garrets fit for mechanics to work in. In the garret, where we had two turn-up beds, and five of us worked, I received little Robert.

"As we were all single men, lodgers at a shilling per week each, our beds were coarse, and all things far from being clean and snug, like what Robert had left at Sapiston. Robert was our man, to fetch all things to hand. At noon he fetched our dinners from the cook's shop: and any one of our fellow workmen that wanted to have any thing fetched in, would send him, and assist in his work and teach him, for a recompense for his trouble.

"Every day when the boy from the public-house came for the pewter pots, and to hear what porter was wanted, he always brought the yesterday's newspaper. The reading of the paper we had been used to take by turns; but after Robert came, he mostly read for us, because his time was of least value.

"He frequently met with words that he was unacquainted with: of this he often complained. I one day happened at a book-stall to see a small Dictionary, which had been very ill used. I bought it for him for 4d. By the help of this he in little time could read and comprehend the long and beautiful speeches of Burke, Fox, or North.

"One Sunday, after an whole day's stroll in the country, we by accident went into a dissènting meeting-house in the Old Jewry, where a gentleman was lecturing. This man filled Robert with astonishment. The house was amazingly crowded with the most genteel people; and though we were forced to stand still in the aisle, and were much pressed, yet Robert al

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