HOURS IN A PUBLIC LIBRARY. GLEANINGS AT THE NORWICH FREE LIBRARY (For the “Norwich Mercury" and "Peoples' Weekly Journal,”) BY Henry F. Euren. NORWICH: JARROLD AND SONS, 1891. CONTENTS. A FAMOUS FAIR [STOURBRIDGE] ... 14th Century Dealings-The Fair in the 16th Century-Defoe's Picture Page 94 A Modern Philosopher-The Animating Spirit of the North and South A POETICAL HANDBOOK FOR HUSBANDMEN A SEASIDE RESORT FIFTY YEARS AGO ... The Visitors-The Entertainers--The Entertainment. 55 186 The Public Weal the Chief Good-Landlord and Tenant-The Sturdy FAIRS AND FAIR CUSTOMS ... The Origin of Fairs-Growth and Decay of Fairs-Privileged by GLIMPSES INTO OLD RECORDS ... ... Original Documents-English Bibles -Interference with Trade-Regula- The Classes and the Masses-The Great Men of the Town-The Tyranny IN JOHN RUSKIN'S COMPANY ... The Man and his Works-Family Life-" Modern Painters"-" The 47 MARKETS AND MARKET TOLLS Our Earliest Markets-The Uses of Markets-The Authority for holding Social Condition in the Middle Ages-The Domesticities in the Middle Norwich "Doome Book"-A 14th Century News Letter-Home Indus- tries-Norwich 15th and 16th Century Prices-Feasting in Norwich- Blickling Treasures-A Suspicious Norfolk Company-Fen and other OUR FENS AND MARSHES: A BIT OF LOCAL HISTORY Evidences of the Past-Fen Land-Marsh Land-Who were the First POPULAR MEDIEVAL POLITICS The Song of the Church-A Lament for England-The People's Cham- Page 190 147 The only Trustworthy Evidence-The Ancient English Drama-Shakes- peare's Youth-His Rapid Development-The Genius of the Poet and THE BEGINNINGS OF THE ENGLISH VILLAGE In the Earliest Times-Days of Destruction-The Mark System-How the Invaders Came-" The Making of England"-The Evidences of English Conquest-"The Conquest of England "-The Village and the Parish-When the English had made their Homes-The Danish Settle- ments-Norwegian Village Settlements-Village Life and Village Folk 800 Years Ago-The Hundrei Rolls-A Cambridge "Common Field "— Masons and Masons-In Troublous Times-Stage Plays at Queen's-An Appropriate Quotation-Prices in the 14th and 15th Centuries-Gifts for Favours had or to come-Town Guilds-16th Century Manners and Customs-17th and 18th Century Manners-A 17th Century Mayor's New Year's Gifts-Pilloried for Barratry-An Alderman of the 17th Century Scholars: Notable and Otherwise-Political Nonconformists- A Freshman's Footing-A Poor's Bag-Read or Spoken Sermons- Bi-centenary of Emmanuel College-Charles Simeon and the Under- graduates-A Besetting Sin-Unfortunate Dissenters-Keeping up an PUBLIC UBLIC Libraries established under the provisions of the Free Public Libraries Act, 1850-(which has been extended by the Free Public Libraries and Museums Act. 1885) are as yet comparatively few in number. It is, however, just possible that one of the results of Local Government reform will be a large increase of such institutions. There will be a wider realisation of the fact that the community has made no sufficient provision for the carrying on of the elementary education painfully acquired in youthful days, at the cost of parents, ratepayers, and taxpayers. Too often much of the money spent in this way is almost wasted. Energies are roused, but are allowed to become dormant, and eventually they die for want of continuous exercise. In populous towns, libraries for the people, started, supported, and worked at the cost of the people, show experimentally how the community may provide means for gathering a fuller harvest from the cultivation begun in the day school. These rate-supported Public Libraries are among the influences acting in the right direction. But as yet they have not been as well used as they might be. A general introduction into counties of such an institution, which really is co-operation for a good purpose, may, however, help us on to the fulfillment of the B |