Julia Griffiths to Frederick Douglass, January 16, 1857

For Frederick Douglass' Paper.

LETTERS FROM THE OLD WORLD.

Number XXXVI.

IBSTOCK GRANCE, Leicestershire, Jan. 16th.

MY DEAR FRIEND:—The last fortnight has flitted too rapidly for me to realize that mroe than half the first month of the New Year is gone to join that past, which "comes not back again,"

"Let's dance, and sing, and make good cheer, For Christmas comes but once a year,"

is a couplet thoroughly acted out in Old England. Nor is Leicestershire an exception. JOHN BULL, at this social season, makes not only himself, but every one about him quite comfortable. He enjoys his own roast beef and plum pudding, and distributes, with bountiful hand, these good things to his poor neighbors. He is, in truth, "liberal, and deviseth liberal things," feeding the hungry and clothing the naked.

It has been very pleasant to participate, once again, in the social festivities of the season, with my dear old friends in the shire of Leicester.—To attempt a sketch of the sayings and doings of the blithe and merry young cousins, by whom I am surrounded, would be next to impossible—for games, entertainments, and pleasant surprises, of all kinds, have been the result of their plans and handy work during this keeping of Christmas.—* Having, at length, exhausted mortal stores, they summoned to their aid the wise Eastern Sage—one Eben Ben Ekir—learned in the lore of the ancient Magi; and this Sage, looking with amiable benignity on the smiling children around him, besought the assistance of the good genii, to make them happy—and these good genii, being graciously pleased to obey his behests, sent forth the Genius of Fire to dispense good first to men;—and charming did this little being perform her the fairy basket, each being ticketed, and having its appropriate verse. it was a beautiful entertainment, and (I rather think) was as much enjoyed by the seniors as by the brilliant little band of juniors who took part in it. Many gifts were poured into the lap of "Cousin Julia;" who, tho' long absent, has not been forgotten by her warmhearted young friends. I wished so often, that evening, that I had had a certain dear little child from Rochester with me! How she would have jumped, and clapped her hands to see the fun! and in their eagerness to pet her and play with her, my fair-haired cousins would have forgotten to notice that she does not belong to the Anglo-Saxon division of the one great human family!—

At some of the Leicester parties, I met several gentlemen who have only recently returned form the United States; and as a matter of course, America and American affairs and customs were very much discussed. I found some as indignant as myself against that most unnatural of all prejudices—"Prejudice against Color"—and we unanumously agreed that, if all the American friends of the slave were entirely free from this disease, they would work far more effectively in his behalf. To CONNER SMITH, Esq., (one of my new friends in Leicester,) belongs the rare merit of having lived for twenty years in Germantown, Pa., (where he was, as you will remember, a subscriber to The North Star,) and having returned to his fatherland with as great a hatred of slavery, and as intense a sympathy for the oppressed colored man, as he bore with him to the New World.—Mr. Smith remembers the time when the votes for freedom, in Germantown, only numbered four. At the last election, they were increased to seven hundred; but against this sign of progress, we must put the appalling fact, (with which he made me acquainted,) that in Philadelphia alone, the false votes amounted to twelve thousand. In what a dark and deep abyss of degradation is the great Republic sunk! Not only should sympathy for the oppressed, but love for his country incites every true hearted American to come to the rescue, and free her from the government of tyrants and their abettors.

* * * * * *

Another recent Gala day at Ibstock Grange was that on which the village school children came to partake of the good cheer, and to play Christmas games, and sing their happy songs. 'Twas a sight well worth looking at! Those smiling round faces, and rosy, red cheeks, and the nice, neat dresses—a better looking, more attractive set of school children I never saw anywhere; and the worthy master and mistress may well be proud of them. Towards the close of the entertainment, we all assembled in the spacious kitchen—to the number of sixty—and, then in full chorus, their sweet and well cultivated voices pealed out the praises of their native land as follows:

Old England forever! no power shall sever My heart from the land of my birth; Tis the land of the brave, which none shall enslave 'Tis the happiest land upon earth, 'Tis the land of the free! so it ever shall be Which no earthly power can bind, Ere Britons be slaves, she shall sink in the waves, And leave not a vestige behind. Old England for ever! &c.

If the African stand but once on her strand That moment his freedom he gains;

A captive no more, he leaps on the shore, And break from his Slavery's chains. Dear land of my birth! brightest spot upon earth, From thee my heart never shall warm, But gladly I'll prize the blessings that rise From England—my country and home. Old England for ever, &c.

At the close of this patriotic song, (which was sung with great animation, and which none with British hearts could have listened to without emotion,) I was quite unexpectedly requested by my kind hostess, to tell these happy children about the poor slave children. I tried to say something; but the very thought of the contrast was so painful, that it was with difficultly I could give expression to my feelings. The worthy master of the Ibstock British School (Mr. Babcock) is thoroughly imbued with anti-slavery sentiments;—and at the close of my brief address, (if I may so dignify it,) he made a spirit-stirring speech, in reference chiefly to the abolition of Slavery in our Colonies. Then the children sand "Rule Britania," and literally thundered out the closing words, "Britons never will be slaves;" and with "God save the Queen," their gay and happy day closed. Since then I have paid a visit to the school, and have given the children an account of the early life of that once slave boy to see whom a poor slave mother used to walk twelve weary miles, at the close of her hard day's toil. "Frederick Douglass` Narrative," is to be, forthwith, circulated in the school, and "My Bondage and My Freedom" is in the hands of the master.

* * * * * *

And now I turn to another and far different scene.

Yesterday, we drove to the Monastery of Saint Bernard, of which I had often heard. Passing through the villages of Hugglescote, Coalville, and Whittick, we began to wind round the rocky heights, near which the Monastic edifice rears its head, and from the highest point of which a huge crucifix is visible for many miles around. The dear friends who escorted me are well acquainted with the Monastery; and they were particularly desirous that Father Lawrence should be our chaperon, he being, I understand, a very superior, well informed man. This piece of good luck, however, did not befall us; and the Lay-brother (or the Guest-Master, as he is called) who did the honors, was a simple hearted man, who seemed as if he knew little, or nothing beyond the walls of his hilly habitation. Of course, ladies are not admitted far into the interior of the Monastery;—but the Monks are famed for their hospitality—and while we were inspecting the curiosities of the guest apartments, our driver was being regal-

ed in the Porter's room. I only saw one Father, attired in full order as Monk, and he wore a white serge dress, with black robe of some kind. The Lay brethren wear brown sarge garments. and cowl and hood to correspond. I understand there are fifty Fathers and Brothers, in all. Strange and mistaken as is their mode of life, I cannot give a dismal report of those I was permitted to see. They all looked smiling and happy, and pleased to see us, and regretted (as did we) that it was their chimney sweeping day, and that we did not see their pretty guest Parlor to advantage. Engraved in old English characters, on the cornice of this room were the inscriptions, "Hospitality do not forget, for by this some, being not aware of it, entertained angels"—"The kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but justice, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." There is nothing very striking in the architecture of the Monastery, nor in either the exterior nor interior of their chapel; but the panoramic view from the adjacent cross-crowned heights is magnificent, and well repays an admirer of the beautiful the fatigue of the ascent. The sun shone brightly, and the sky (for England) was clear and blue:—the foliage of the numerous and various ever green shrubs glistened in the sunlight, all around us, and beneath us; away, in the distance, stretched the ranges of Charnwood Forest—forest hills rising here and there—and little village spires pointing upwards. I looked in vain for some meandering river to complete the beauty of this sweet scene; but even without that crowning charm, I could have spent the day on the rocky heights of St. Bernard.

* * * * * *

We visited the Reformatory Institution, which has been recently established by these Monks, and is situated about half a mile from the Monastery. One hundred and twenty-six boys are there at the present time; but the premises are being greatly extended and it is expected that when all is completed, two hundred and fifty boys can be accommodated. It was just the dinner hour, so we did not see them at work, which I was sorry for.—They are taught then different trades in the institution among which those of watch-maker, blacksmith, carpenter, tailor, and shoe-maker must be a pleasant charge to the brethren of the monastery. Our Government allows sever shillings a week towards the maintenance of each boy there, which, is, I think, right and proper. Five years is the longest time they can be there; as this institution has only been started within the last year, it is impossible to tell, at present, how it will work.—I trust that as each boy quits, he will be provided with a situation, and not be cast homeless on the

wide world—nor permitted to revisit the scenes of his previous nefarious practices, where, with the disadvantage of damaged character he will be but too likely to fall again into temptation.

If it be a sad fact that wickedness abounds on our side of the Atlantic, as well as on your`s, I am quite sure that there never was half as much doing, by good Christian people, to counteract the evil, as now. This cannot be called the idle era; and when i mentally look around my wide circle of dear, old English friends, or among the many new friends it has been my privilege to make during the last year and a half, I am filled with amazement at the amount of work, earnest, active, philanthropic, Christian work these friends do—and have wondered that they can find time to crowd in any work for the poor slave. But they are rewarded now by the sweet consciousness of doing what they can; and they will be rewarded hereafter by Him who has said that "A cup of cold water, given in the name of a disciple, shall in no wise lose its reward."

I must say adieu—remaining, as always,

Very truly yours,

JULIA GRIFFITHS.