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Mad Shepherds
From "Among the four hundred human beings who peopled our parish there were two notable men and one highly gifted woman. All three are dead, and lie buried in the churchyard of the village where they lived. Their graves form a group-unsung by any poet, but worthy to be counted among the resting-places of the mighty. The woman was Mrs. Abel, the Rector's wife. None of us knew her origin-I doubt if she knew it beyond her husband and children, assignable relatives she had none. "Sie war nicht in dem Tal geboren,
Man wusste nicht woher sie kam." Her husband met her many years ago at a foreign watering-place, and married her there after a week's acquaintance-much to the scandal of his family, for the lady was an actress not unknown to fame. Their only consolation was that she had a considerable fortune-the fruit of her professional work. In all relevant particulars this strange venture had proved a huge success. To leave the fever of the stage for the quiet life of the village had been to Mrs. Abel like the escape of a soul from the flames of purgatory. She had rightly discerned that the Rev. Edward Abel was a man of large heart, high character, and excellent wit-partly clergyman, but mostly man. He, on his part, valued his wife, and his judgment was backed by every humble soul in the village. But the bigwigs of the county, and every clergyman's wife within a radius of ten miles, were of another mind. She had not been "proper" to begin with-at least, they said so; and as time went on she took no pains to be more "proper" than she was at first. Her improprieties, so far as I could ever learn, arose from nothing more heinous than her possession of an intelligence more powerful and a courage more daring than that to which any of her neighbours could lay claim. Her outspokenness was a stumbling-block to many; and the offence of speaking her mind was aggravated by the circumstance, not always present at such times, that she had a mind to speak. To quote the language in which Farmer Perryman once explained the situation to "She'd given all on 'em a taste o' the whip, and with some on 'em she'd peppered and salted the sore place into the bargain." Moreover, she sided with many things that a clergyman's wife ought to took all sorts of undesirables under her protection, helped those whom everybody else wanted to punish, threw good discretion to the winds, and sometimes mixed in undertakings which no "lady" ought to touch. To all this she added the impertinence of regular attendance at church, where she recited the Creeds in a rich voice that almost drowned her husband's, turning punctually to the East and bowing at the Sacred Name. That she was a hypocrite trying to save her face was, of course, obvious to every Scribe and Pharisee in the county. But the poor of Deadborough preferred her hypocrisy to the virtuous simplicity of her critics."
Man wusste nicht woher sie kam." Her husband met her many years ago at a foreign watering-place, and married her there after a week's acquaintance-much to the scandal of his family, for the lady was an actress not unknown to fame. Their only consolation was that she had a considerable fortune-the fruit of her professional work. In all relevant particulars this strange venture had proved a huge success. To leave the fever of the stage for the quiet life of the village had been to Mrs. Abel like the escape of a soul from the flames of purgatory. She had rightly discerned that the Rev. Edward Abel was a man of large heart, high character, and excellent wit-partly clergyman, but mostly man. He, on his part, valued his wife, and his judgment was backed by every humble soul in the village. But the bigwigs of the county, and every clergyman's wife within a radius of ten miles, were of another mind. She had not been "proper" to begin with-at least, they said so; and as time went on she took no pains to be more "proper" than she was at first. Her improprieties, so far as I could ever learn, arose from nothing more heinous than her possession of an intelligence more powerful and a courage more daring than that to which any of her neighbours could lay claim. Her outspokenness was a stumbling-block to many; and the offence of speaking her mind was aggravated by the circumstance, not always present at such times, that she had a mind to speak. To quote the language in which Farmer Perryman once explained the situation to "She'd given all on 'em a taste o' the whip, and with some on 'em she'd peppered and salted the sore place into the bargain." Moreover, she sided with many things that a clergyman's wife ought to took all sorts of undesirables under her protection, helped those whom everybody else wanted to punish, threw good discretion to the winds, and sometimes mixed in undertakings which no "lady" ought to touch. To all this she added the impertinence of regular attendance at church, where she recited the Creeds in a rich voice that almost drowned her husband's, turning punctually to the East and bowing at the Sacred Name. That she was a hypocrite trying to save her face was, of course, obvious to every Scribe and Pharisee in the county. But the poor of Deadborough preferred her hypocrisy to the virtuous simplicity of her critics."
First published February 25, 2010
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About the author
L.P. Jacks
107 books8 followersLawrence Pearsall Jacks (9 October 1860 – 17 February 1955), abbreviated L. P. Jacks was an English educator, philosopher, and Unitarian minister who rose to prominence in the period from World War I to World War II.
He was the son in law of Stopford Augustus Brooke.
He was the son in law of Stopford Augustus Brooke.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 12, 2017
Unitarian and similar philosophy, May 11, 2017
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This review is from: Mad Shepherds and Other Human Studies (Kindle Edition)
Well written as to be expected from this prolific Unitarian philosopher and sometime minister who was well known in the first half of the twentieth century. If you already lean toward Unitarian philosophy, you may enjoy this volume. If you don't, I do not believe that anything in this work will persuade you to accept that threadbare philosophy. Four stars for the writing, one star for the philosophy.
Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Mad Shepherds and Other Human Studies (Kindle Edition)
Well written as to be expected from this prolific Unitarian philosopher and sometime minister who was well known in the first half of the twentieth century. If you already lean toward Unitarian philosophy, you may enjoy this volume. If you don't, I do not believe that anything in this work will persuade you to accept that threadbare philosophy. Four stars for the writing, one star for the philosophy.
December 19, 2017
Weird and wonderful character sketches
November 15, 2012
Mr. L.P. Jacks' very remarkable book, "Mad Shepherds," gives an account of one Toller of Clun Downs, who went deranged, took to the moors and lived for a considerable time, stealing sheep and poultry. The book is populated with other such characters on the fringes of rural, English society such as shepherds waxing both mystical and atheistic about the stars and one that communes with a silent, invisible fell shepherd. This 1910 work is fresh and engaging today and entertaining due to Jacks' amazed, wide-eyed, and even at times jocular delivery.
February 7, 2017
This is a better book than it really has any business being. Deserves more than three stars, but just a bit too uneven for 4. I have a feeling that I won't soon forget Snarley Bob and his sheep and his stars.
Definitely worth the short time it takes to read, and best read with little to no intro.
Definitely worth the short time it takes to read, and best read with little to no intro.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews