(containing divers recollections, corrections, and miscellaneous matters:)—defects in the plans and modes of public worship, or the usual proceedings in our religious assemblies—our gentry and tradesmen capriciously and absurdly distinguished—shrimp trade—water-works—brief account of certain public buildings previously omitted—additional hints relating to our grammar-school, our libraries, and present population.
To what was said of our religious sects and parties in the preceding section, under the heads of rivalry, envy, uncharitableness, &c. it might justly have been added, that they are also very deficient in their modes of conducting public worship, or their way and manner of proceeding in their religious assemblies; and particularly in neglecting as they do the reading and expounding of the scriptures. Things would be likely to come to a much better pass, if, at least, half the time that is now spent in preaching and singing were appropriated to the important duties of reading and expounding the sacred writings. The minds and attention of the people, in that case, would be directed to the meaning and understanding of holy writ, and a spirit of enquiry after scripture knowledge could not well fail of being effectually promoted in our respective congregations. Instead of that, as the case now stands, or as the public ministry is at present conducted, the people seem in general as unacquainted with the scripture at the end of the year, as they were at the beginning of it, and quite unconcerned or indifferent about the matter. They appear to attend for some other purpose—that of mere amusement, or something very short of what they ought to have in view in attending the christian ministry. Most preachers seem, as if afraid to lay the scriptures at large before the people, lest they should attract too much of their attention, so as to induce them by degrees to read, think, and judge for themselves, or become actual searchers of the scripture, and indisposed to take every thing upon trust from their ghostly guides: for notwithstanding our usual outcry against the papists, our priests and theirs are more nearly allied than is generally supposed. These hints, it is presumed, are not altogether unworthy of the serious consideration of the different religionists of this town. [1168]
Except these of the learned professions, and very few besides, all the principal families of this town are in fact tradesmen; yet even these are here very capriciously and superciliously distinguished into gentlemen and tradesmen; though the former retale their goods, or sell their commodities in small quantities, as well as the latter: and surely a man who buys corn by the bushel, the coomb, or the quarter, and sells coals by the chalder and half chalder, and his deals in any small quantity the buyer may wish, and his bottled wine by single dozens, is to all intents and purposes as much a tradesman as a grocer, a linen-draper, an ironmonger, or a druggist. What then is the ground of this distinction? Is it education? No: our tradesmen in general have been brought up at the grammar-school, and the others can seldom or ever pretend to any higher advantage. Nor do they possess minds more cultivated by reading and knowledge of the world; for there is every reason to believe that the tradesmen are at least their equals in those respects, and some of them perhaps very much their superiors. But is not fortune or wealth the ground of this distinction? No: many of those denominated tradesmen are known to be much more wealthy, as well as much more intelligent and respectable, than some of those who have arrogated to themselves the dignified name of gentlemen. On what then can this curious distinction be founded? It may very truly be answered, On pride, arrogance, ignorance, impertinence, and vulgar servility. [1169]
In treating of our trade and commerce, in the preceding section, that remarkable branch or article, the shrimp-trade, was quite forgotten; and some perhaps may think that it might as well still remain so: others however will be of a different opinion; at least when they learn that beside what has been consumed in the town and parts adjacent, and up the country, there have been actually sent from hence to London alone, by the stage coaches, in one season, or within a year, no less then between sixty and seventy tons of shrimps. [1170] It is a vast quantity to be sent by land, and coach carriage, to the distance of a hundred miles. We have not learnt how long this trade has been kept up on this large scale. It is said to have somewhat declined since the Bostonians have taken it up and become our rivals. But this rivalship can do no harm, as London, no doubt, will readily receive as many shrimps as both these towns can possibly furnish.
The Water-works of this town are also among the articles overlooked in the preceding part of this history. It is agreed on all hands that Lynn is supplied with excellent water from the Gaywood river, a stream that takes its rise about Grimston, six or seven miles off. At the Kettle-mills, in the north-east outskirt of Lynn, this water is raised into a reservoir, which is between 30 and 40 feet higher than the surface of the water in the river. Formerly there were two engines used for this purpose. One of them was worked by a fall of water in the river, and the other by horses. This latter was used when the water-engine was under repairs, or in dry seasons when the water-engine had not sufficient power to supply the town. In very dry seasons the hire of horses was very expensive. About the year 1779 or 1780 the water-engine became unfit for further use. A new one being then erected on better principles, had near three times the power of the old one. Thus the town was plentifully supplied with water for some years, and at a small expense, as the horse-engine was seldom used. But unfortunately the corporation came afterwards to a resolution to have the town supplied with water by the force of steam. A fire-engine was erected, which afforded an ample supply of water to the town; in consequence of which the horse and water engines were taken down. But the corporation, neglecting to avail themselves of the improvements of Bolton and Watts, erected their engine on the old principle of Newcomen; and it was soon discovered, to the astonishment of the unlearned in hydraulics, that the expense of coals and repairs amounted to a sum so far beyond the calculation of the corporation, that it was absolutely necessary to purchase no more steam at that rate.—The town is now supplied by an engine turned by water; but as it is constructed on old principles, the town, in dry seasons, must be ill-supplied and much distressed: and as the steam engine is become unfit for further use, the town must always be without a drop of water while the water engine is under repairs, which sometimes takes up more than a fortnight. This is an inconvenience which the town is said never to have experienced until the late alterations were made. On the whole therefore, this business appears to have been injudiciously managed; so that it would be very desirable to see it put upon a better footing, which it certainly ought to be, as there has lately been an advance made in the water-rate—for which no plausible reason is known to have been yet assigned, any more than for the unexpected advance in the price of beer.
In our preceding account of the public buildings, it now appears that divers of them have passed unnoticed, and particularly the Theatre, the Custom-Haute, and the Town-Hall; each of which we shall now briefly describe. The Theatre was originally the Hall of an opulent company, which constituted one of our numerous Guilds, that of St. George. After the dissolution of the Guilds it was converted it seems into a kind of Exchange, and after that into a court-house, for holding the county quarter sessions of the peace. Since those sessions were allowed to be held in the town-hall it has been converted into a Theatre, or Play-house, which is said to be very convenient and neat, neither profusely ornamented nor disgustingly plain; and although not free from faults, yet they are, it seems, what resulted from the architect having to fill up the shell of an old building which had been erected for another purpose. The usual time of performing here is in the Spring, when the inhabitants are entertained by the Norwich Company.
The Custom House was erected for an Exchange, in 1683, by Sir John Turner, the founder it is supposed of that family. It is a handsome free-stone building, with two tiers of pilasters, the lower of the Doric, and the upper of the Ionic order, with a small open turret, terminating in a pinnacle. In a niche, in front, is a statue of king Charles the second, that most religious king, as his bishops and clergy used to call him, even in their addresses to the deity. This building contains several commodious apartments, well suited for the accommodation of the respectable collector of his majesty’s customs and his numerous underlings.—It has been noticed before that the revenue of this house, in 1806 amounted to 84,200l. and the last year (1811,) to 75,300l. which is said to exceed the revenue of most houses of the same description in the kingdom. [1173]
