Excerpt from A Few Footprints
I was born March e4th, 1823, in Blackwater, a small village, situated between Redruth and Truro, in Cornwall, which contained at the time about two hundred inhabitants. My father was a Cornishman and by trade a carpenter, and my mother, whose maiden name was Passmore, was a native of Newton Abbot, Devonshire. I had three brothers, William, Richard, and James. The cottage in which I and my brothers were born consisted of four small rooms. As there was not much carpentering to do in the neighbourhood, and my father not being fully employed, he built, mainly by borrowed money, a larger house near by, for which he obtained a public-house licence. Though the new house had eight small rooms, it had more rooms than windows consequently two bedrooms at the back of the house had no direct window light, but only borrowed light from a small window between the two rooms, over the stairs. I mention this circumstance to recall the fact that during the early part of the last century almost every thing consumed by the people was taxed, including the wood, glass, and other materials used in the production of windows, and the windows as well. One of the results of this state of things was that I, with one of my brothers, slept thousands of times in a small bedroom into which the light of heaven never directly entered. As with us, so with hundreds of thousands of others. The window tax alone assisted to enfeeble the British race. As with the window tax, so with hundreds of other taxes, including the tax on bread, which still more enfeebled the race, and which a partisan states manship would triumphantly re-impose, and thereby endanger the power and prosperity of the country. I well remember some Of the blighting effects of the Corn Laws, when large numbers of the industrious poor of Cornwall ate barley bread, and many had not enough of that. The repeal of the Corn Laws and the introduc tion of a Free Trade era soon broadened and brightened nationa
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Vendeur : Forgotten Books, London, Royaume-Uni
Paperback. Etat : New. Print on Demand. This book offers a captivating glimpse into 19th-century England through the lens of the author's personal journey. Born into a humble Cornish village, the author recounts a childhood marked by limited opportunities and a fervent desire for knowledge. The narrative then follows his early attempts at self-improvement, from lecturing to political activism, and his eventual move to Manchester and London. Through vivid anecdotes and insightful reflections, the author paints a picture of a society grappling with issues of poverty, education, and political reform. We witness the harsh realities of the window tax and the Corn Laws, the impact of the Chartist movement, and the author's own brush with the criminal justice system. Yet, amidst these challenges, the author's unwavering optimism shines through. He finds solace in the beauty of nature, the power of ideas, and the kindness of strangers. His experiences fuel his commitment to social justice and his belief in the potential for positive change. Ultimately, this book is a testament to the human spirit's resilience and the transformative power of education and self-belief. It reminds us that even amidst darkness, there is always the possibility for light and progress. This book is a reproduction of an important historical work, digitally reconstructed using state-of-the-art technology to preserve the original format. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in the book. print-on-demand item. N° de réf. du vendeur 9781527655454_0
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Vendeur : PBShop.store US, Wood Dale, IL, Etats-Unis
PAP. Etat : New. New Book. Shipped from UK. Established seller since 2000. N° de réf. du vendeur LW-9781527655454
Quantité disponible : 15 disponible(s)
Vendeur : PBShop.store UK, Fairford, GLOS, Royaume-Uni
PAP. Etat : New. New Book. Shipped from UK. Established seller since 2000. N° de réf. du vendeur LW-9781527655454
Quantité disponible : 15 disponible(s)
Vendeur : AHA-BUCH GmbH, Einbeck, Allemagne
Taschenbuch. Etat : Neu. Neuware. N° de réf. du vendeur 9781527655454
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