LIFE IN AN ENGLISH VILLAGE.
Mr George Rule, Gateshead, writes as follows to the Newcastle Weekly Chronicle : It is always an interesting exercise 1 o me on my yearly visits to my native village of Norham to wander and meditate among the tombs in the churchyard. Having witnessed two generations pass away, and living in one fast disappearing, I am well able to recall to memory many hundreds who sleep there, and to remember many of their characteristics. There, close by the wicket in the wall that separates the churchyard from the vicarage gardens, lie the mortal remains of the Rev. Dr Gilly, author of "The Waldenses Researches," under whose pastoral care my own generation was reared ; there, in the corner by the belfry tower, lies the Rev. William King, his successor, who had charge of the generation following; and here at the vicarage lives the Rev. Dr Waite, a distinguished scholar whose care is exercised over still another generation. And there sleeps under the lime trees, by the western wall, my "old schoolmaster, Mr Richard Forsyth, who actually taught three generations of the villagers— and taught them well. In very truth
A man he was to all the country dear. It was but last year he passed away. How on my recent visit I missed his presence and his talk of old times I need not say. He had no admiration of the new-fangled codes of Government schools. In the latter days of his teaching he came under the "system." " I can only say this," he used to say, " that I cannot now turn out the clever lads I used to do. Either the material has deteriorated, or the system is at fault." And his opinion, based upon experience, always given against the new system. And his experience justified his opinion. His school averaged about 110 scholars. Of these he had generally about 30 in his highest class, ranging between the ages of eight and 15 or 16. I well remember four brothers in that class at the same time, the younges of- whom was eight years younger than the oldest. This may rather astonish some of our "educa-
tionalists " to«day, who know only the "standard" system. And yet the explanation of the apparent phenomenon is simple enough. The master had the art of inspiring his pupils with the spirit of emulation, and thus it was that, whilst the clever were encouraged and drawn on, the dull were not unduly pushed —they did their best, but were not tortured. There wa3 no oppression, all being natural. But, sir, another idea was in my mind when I took pen in hand to write this letter. I wished to communicate a case of family longevity which I have often noticed in Norham Churchyard, and which thinking, as 1 1 read it, of your readiness to record remarkable local circumstances, I resolved to send to you. On one tombstone the following memorials are inscribed ; —
Peter Pentland, died December 38, 1749, aged 93 yeari. Mary, his wife, died January fl, 1751, aged 78 years. Joseph Pentland, died March 13, 1797, aged 82 year*. Bleanor, his wife, died November 37, 1798, aged 85 years. Koberfc Pentland, died January 2, 1848, aged 91 yean. Isabella, his wife, died July 31, 1845, aged 77 years. The age of the present living representative, Mr Joseph Pentland, son of Robert, is 85 years, and that of his wife, Mary, who still lives, 74. So that it will be seen the collective ages of four consecutive generations of this village family is 83*8 } ears. This record, I am quite sure, will have much interest for many of your readers both at home and abroad ; for it will be seen these four generations cover 236 years, and reach back to 1656, and that 26 such generations would end with Adam."
[Many Southlandera and others will be interested to know that Mrs Alexander Smith, of Norham Park, Mataura, formerly ol One Tree Point, is a daughter of Mr Joseph Pentland (aged 85) and his wife Mary (aged 74), referred to as otill living in their native village of Norham, and that Mr Smith's father, who was a middy iv Nelson's fleet at Trafalgar, only died recently at a very advanced age ; and the old gentleman rode to the hounds within a short time of his death, so that Mr and Mrs Smith are evidently of. a loDg-lived stock.— B».]
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