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Rhymes and Recollections of a Hand-Loom Weaver

By William Thom. Edited, with a Biographical Sketch, by W. Skinner

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[Whoever he is whose destiny leads him from “the spot where he was born,” let him prepare for many queer things, even in our own enlightened land. Is he a journeyman weaver? shoemaker? tailor? Then just let him try to set up doing for himself in a small country town. If he does not “catch it” then from the brotherhood (brotherhood?), he is one in whom Providence assuredly takes a special interest. In every small community there is a vehement working of the Keep-out system, which is only changed for the Keep-down. A stranger is never welcome beyond the rule of “buy and come again.” The “Income” is a denounced animal. To wrong him in name and property is all for the common weal.

The following is reluctantly inserted to show how far human Ingratitude may be carried—reluctantly, because these verses seem


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to bear on some vagrant misfortune of the writer, and to reflect on the Sympathy, Justice, and Liberality of our enlightened, Free-trade-loving, Universal-brotherhood-advocating, fellow Burgher, Bailie Thinclaith.]