cause of an important change. Hannah Brook, of Isleham (a village in the neighbouring fen), his second wife, was a woman of strong religious convictions, which had been moulded in accordance with the definite views and strict discipline of an orthodox Dissenting church. Her husband had, like his forefathers, been accustomed to attend the parish church, and was not without zeal in the defence of the doctrines and usages of the Established Church. But her stronger convictions gradually wrought a change in his opinions, and in the course of a few years he became an avowed Dissenter. They had several children born to them, but the only one who survived infancy was Robert, the subject of this memoir, who was born January 23rd, 1782. It may perhaps be regarded as a presumption that his mother had been brought up amongst the Independents* rather than the Baptists, that her son, like the other children of her husband, was baptized at the parish church. The baptism is registered April 7, 1782. But about the year 1784, both his parents became regular attendants at the Baptist meeting at Soham, a town distant two miles from Wicken, on the road to Ely. It does not appear that they became members of the church, or underwent the rite of baptism. The Baptist society of Soham had been the means of calling into regular exercise the pulpit talents of the celebrated Andrew Fuller. He was born of parents engaged in husbandry at Padney, a farm in the parish of Wicken. Till he was twenty years of age, he followed the agricultural pursuits of his parents. He then, as his biographer says, 66 arose out of obscu uncommon and unaffected share of modesty, he was yet on most topics extremely well informed. He was a true patriot, and steady and open in his attachment to the cause of peace and freedom. He was a sincere Christian. Originally a zealous Churchman, he was for the last twenty years a Dissenter; and being such from the conviction of an honest and inquiring mind, he was bold and active, though not intemperate and obtrusive, in his religious profession. Till of late he continued among the Calvinists, and for a series of years opened his hand and house, and fitted up a place of worship, for preachers of that persuasion. He was disgusted, however, at length with their bitterness and bickerings, and in some instances their disregard of morality, and settled, upon investigation, in the Unitarian doctrine,-a doctrine which was congenial with the manly simplicity and ardent benevolence of his heart, and which, as the writer of this article witnessed with exultation, administered the warmest consolation to him in his last illness. Becoming an Unitarian, as at first a Dissenter, upon principle, he was never shaken in his opinions by the illiberal sneers or harsh judgment of his orthodox acquaintance. Not having within the vicinity of his residence any religious society whose views accorded with his own, he was under the necessity of late of carrying on worship himself, which, with the assistance of a few friends, he did to the last. On this occasion, his plan was to read select parts from Doddridge's Family Expositor and the works of Tillotson, Robinson, Price and Priestley; and he and those that associated with him have often expressed the pleasure and improvement which they derived from their small but harmonious and liberal meetings. On his death-bed, he was particularly affected and edifled by the saint-like and apostolic death of the venerable Priestley, and lamented with tears of concern that that great and pious man should have been followed even to the grave with reproach and calumny.' There is a confirmation of this conjecture in Mr. Robinson's "Present State of Nonconformity in Cambridgeshire, 1775," given in Dyer's Life of Robinson, p. 463. Opposite to "Isleham," the word "Independent" alone is placed, the pastor being Rev. Samuel Lambert. Of his church, therefore, it may be concluded that Hannah Brook was a member until her marriage and removal to Wicken. rity, propelled by the force of his own native genius," and accepted the call of the Baptist church at Soham to become their pastor. Mr. Fuller's ministry was exercised in this place for eight years. He drew up, and his church adopted, a covenant and articles of faith, subscription to which was made a test of membership. Although Mr. Fuller left Soham for Kettering in 1782, we may well believe that his influence continued to be great, and assisted to direct the Nonconformity of both Wicken and Soham into a strictly Calvinistic channel. There was, indeed, at that time in Cambridgeshire another man who enjoyed amongst the Dissenters a high and well-deserved reputation, and whose spirit was far more bland and catholic, Robert Robinson. Fuller and Robinson had come into conflict a few years before this on the subject of the terms of communion, Robinson advocating open communion, and Fuller taking the opposite view. Between Cambridge and Wicken twelve tedious miles of fen intervened, and there is no tradition of this or other villages in the neighbourhood having been made the scene of Robinson's inimitable village preaching. Of the childhood of Robert Aspland, only scanty recollections or traditions now survive. There lived in the village of Wicken, fourteen years ago, a venerable man, named John Emons, the owner of the village forge. He was "in some respects an extraordinary man,' *and exercised at some critical periods a not unimportant influence over his young neighbour. He possessed a strong and penetrating understanding, and had an eager thirst for knowledge. His countenance, when softened by age, bore a striking resemblance to the portraits of John Locke. In very early childhood, Robert Aspland felt the attraction of this thoughtful man's society, and was often seen near his forge. The old man used to detail with much interest the searching and perplexing questions which this child put to him, especially on theology. John Emons had been converted and baptized by Andrew Fuller, and was a member of the Soham church. He afterwards saw reason to adopt, with his youthful friend, a milder theology than Calvinism; and Mr. Fuller, who could appreciate the qualities of John Emons' understanding and felt a natural pride in his convert and disciple, strongly resented and never forgave his "backsliding." Mr. Aspland remembered to the end of his life, and often spoke with pleasure of, his intercourse when a boy with the worthy blacksmith. He also spoke of the great delight which reading gave him even in early boyhood. He was a very precocious politician, and in his eighth year became the reader to the family of the weekly newspaper. As the French Revolution proceeded, his thirst for political information became intense, and it is still remembered that, on his way from Soham, with the newspaper for which he had called on returning from school, he was often seen sitting by the road-side, or slowly walking, and eagerly devouring the news for which he could not wait till he became the reader to the home circle. He was accustomed to speak of his early home as being cheerful and happy. Amongst his cherished recollections was. that of his father's eager and fearless patriotism. He held in the strongest dislike the See a pleasing tribute to his memory, by the Rev. W. Clack, of Soham, in Christian Reformer, 1st Series, Vol. XIX. pp. 375–377. measures of Mr. Pitt, and both in private and public expressed hostility to that unscrupulous statesman. This circumstance gave Mrs. Aspland some uneasiness, when it became known that spies and informers were abroad in the country, ready to pounce on any imprudent opponent of the Government. Several times did the young Robert Aspland sit up with his mother long beyond his usual hour of rest, comforting her, in her husband's absence at market or a parish meeting, and allaying her apprehensions lest he had fallen, through his honest warmth, into the hands of the enemies of liberty. Joyful was the greeting when the kind husband and father returned in safety. But the recollection of those anxious hours never left the mind of this affectionate son, and served, twenty years afterwards, when, under the discreditable Administration of Lords Liverpool and Castlereagh, the Government again resorted to the base services of spies and informers, to whet his indignation against their proceedings. A source of anxiety common to both his parents was the difficulty of obtaining for their son the means of educating those talents, of the existence of which they soon became conscious and proud. In this respect, Wicken furnished no advantages beyond the humblest dameschool. There were no educated Dissenting ministers, and there was no resident clergyman. The towns of Ely, Cambridge and Newmarket, were each distant about two hours' ride. The neighbouring villages were scarcely better off as respects teachers than Wicken. The only resource was the grammar-school at Soham, at which, twenty years before, Andrew Fuller had gained all that he ever had of school education. To this Robert Aspland was accordingly daily sent, with one or two young companions, as soon as he was old and strong enough to trudge across the huge, unenclosed field that lies between Wicken and Soham. The master of the grammar-school at Soham at this time, and for many subsequent years-for he kept his post for half a century-was Mr. John Aspland, who, besides being a cousin of the family at Wicken, had married a sister of Robert Aspland, Sen. He was a self-taught man, of rough manners and eccentric habits. He had the reputation of being a superior mathematician, and there is this evidence that he deserved it, that he prepared his only son for the University of Cambridge, the Rev. Isaac Aspland, of Pembroke Hall, who successfully stood for a Fellowship, and afterwards obtained the living of Earl Stoneham, near Framlingham. To his mathematical reputation John Aspland added that of a musician, and, where required, taught the harpsichord, the fashionable instrument of that day. As a teacher of the languages and of general knowledge, he had no great skill. Of the art, so important to a schoolmaster, of winning the affections of his pupils, the master of Soham school was utterly deficient. One of his later pupils records of him that he was somewhat merciless in the use of a whip, the handle of which served him as a poker. A marked feature in his character was avarice. He was a man of some humour, and, after his fashion, a poet; and the following anecdote shews that he did not care to conceal from himself or others the peculiarity of his character. His housekeeper (for his wife was dead) having unsuccessfully applied to him for some articles necessary in housekeeping, remarked that his visitors would blame her for not keeping his house VOL. III. in proper order. "Well, madam," said he, "they shall not blame you: I will write your apology, and you may hang it up in selfdefence!" He went to his desk and presently produced the following doggrel lines, which were hung up for the inspection of visitors: "Be it known to all those Who perhaps may suppose That this house is not kept very clean, Such a niggard scarce ever was seen." John Aspland was a High-Churchman in both religion and politics, and looked with no approving eye on the recent Nonconformity of his relations at Wicken, or on their liberal politics, which were very much in accordance with the views maintained by Mr. Benjamin Flower in his popular journal, "The Cambridge Intelligencer." He did not always restrain himself from expressions of dislike and contempt, and the words " Pogram" and "Jacobin," prevalent cant Tory terms to denote a Dissenter and a liberal politician, fell harshly on the ears of his young relative and pupil, who in consequence carried from the Soham school a burning sense of the indignity offered to his parents, and the injustice done to himself, by its master. It accords with the recollections of one who was Robert Aspland's daily companion from Wicken to the Soham school, that this sense of wrong was not without foundation; that, notwithstanding his quickness and desire of learning, his master treated him with neglect and harshness on account of the obnoxious opinions of his father. Certain it is that between the master and his pupil there was no sympathy. After about four years' instruction, the pupil began to be aware of wants which his master could not supply, and he panted for that rapid progress of which he felt himself capable, but for which Soham school furnished no facilities. parents' judgment seconded his earnest entreaties, and it was at length resolved that he should go to some school in the neighbourhood of London. But here no slight difficulty was felt in making a selection. The only acquaintances his parents had in London were business correspondents and one or two relations, themselves engaged in trade, and not particularly qualified to recommend a school. His A school at Islington, conducted by a Mr. Gillyat, was at length fixed upon, and thither the young Robert Aspland proceeded when eleven years of age, i. e. in the beginning of 1793. His letters to his parents were frequent, and shew powers of observation, a strong desire of improvement, and the warmest feelings of filial affection. The bias to Nonconformity which his mind had received from parental example and instruction, soon evinces itself. He describes the wretchedness of the Sundays passed at school. When prevented, as was frequently the case, from going to church, the occupation of the pupils was to read aloud throughout the afternoon, one after another, the Church prayers. Another Sunday occupation, against which his taste from the first revolted, was the repeating the Church Catechism and Collects. But he was permitted to spend most of his Sundays with his friends in London, and was a regular and deeply-interested attendant at the various Dissenting chapels near to their residences. Frequently he was a hearer of Dr. Benjamin Davies, who was the Classical Tutor at Homer ton, and preached to an Independent congregation in Fetter Lane. Towards the close of his first year's residence at Islington, he expresses in a confidential letter his satisfaction with the literary advantages afforded him at his school, and contrasts the ten hours' daily study with the four hours' which was all he had the benefit of at Soham school. The year 1794 was characterized by much political animosity and popular tumults, and by Mr. Pitt's bold, but happily unsuccessful, attempt to destroy English liberty, and to take the lives of Horne Tooke, the Rev. Jeremiah Joyce, and other members of the "Society for Constitutional Information," under a false charge of High Treason. In the course of that summer, Robert Aspland accompanied some country friends to the Tower of London. The attendant who shewed them round pointed to a court connected with the prison, where some of the State prisoners were taking exercise. Young as he was, he looked at them with intense interest and compassion, and breathed a prayer for their deliverance. He little thought at the time that one at least of these patriotic sufferers would afterwards be his own intimate associate and friend. The public events of this year made a deep, and for a time injurious, impression on the mind of this ardent and high-spirited youth, who began to entertain the painful thought that Government was an engine of oppression, rather than a protection to the people. It required the more careful observation and the discriminating judgment of a riper age to correct this strong youthful impression. During his frequent visits to London, he was a spectator of some of the riotous proceedings of the London mob. The following extract from a letter to his parents, dated Aug. 21, 1794, will at least serve to shew the excited and passionate state of feeling into which a harsh Administration had goaded the popular mind. "There have been many riots in London about the recruiting offices. It is said they have trap-doors in some of the public-houses. When the people go for beer, the trap-doors sink down into the cellars. Then the men below take them and fasten them down with heavy irons. It is said that Government favours this plan, and the belief of it is likely to be attended with very bad consequences. Is this the way they get poor men against their will, torn from their wives and children (perhaps never to see each other more), to go and support this glorious war? The riot first began on Friday night, at Charing Cross. They had got a man up in a garret. They put soldiers' clothes on him and shaved his head. Rather than be kept by them, he resolved to venture his life; so he got out of the window, and, falling head foremost into the street, he was killed. A mob immediately assembled and pulled the house down. A gunner who lived next door fired at the people. Before they could get to him, the horse-guards arrived. But the people said it would not end so. On Monday night they went to a house in Wycombe Street and demolished it. The horse-guards drove the mob away. Then the mob collected in Shoe Lane. The Lord Mayor read the Riot Act three times before the mob dispersed. Isaac and I went to Shoe Lane on our way from Camberwell. There was a great number of persons there. I durst not go on, but stood a little way off; but the people increased so fast, I was soon surrounded. The constables could do no good till the soldiers came. All passage through the street was stopped, and the mob knocked down the constables. The soldiers drew their bayonets, and would have charged the mob, had they not retired. We called as we came back at Bride Lane, where the mob pulled a house down last night; another in Holborn; another at Clerkenwell; and another in Long Lane. It was said last night that Pitt's house would soon |