University of Virginia Library

LETTER XIV.

I was loth to break the thread
of my narration in my former letters, and
you know that we prattling folks love to
tell our stories in our own way, which we
are under great advantage to do when we
are writing letters. But I will now go
back to tell you something of the manner
in which the foresters managed their domestic
affairs during the controversy with
Mr. Bull, and for some time after it was
closed.

When they had broken their connexion
with him, it was uncertain what connexions
they might form abroad, but it
was judged expedient for them to be united
among themselves, that no one family
should connect itself in trade with any
merchant or factor, without the consent of
the others. In short it became necessary
for them to enter into a partnership for
their mutual interest and convenience.
To do this was a nice point, and required
much delicacy. It was to them a new
subject, and they had an untrodden path
before them. After much consultation
and inquiry, their ingenuity suggested to
them the idea of an original social compact.
“Why should we, said they, look
abroad for precedents, when we have enough
among ourselves? See the beavers
in our own brooks and meadows, how
they work in complete partnership, each
family has its own cell, and a number of
cells are placed in one pond. They carry
on their operations with peace and unanimity,

without even the appearance of
a master. Here is a perfect republic, a
complete equality, a striking example of
order without subordination, of liberty
without jealousy, of industry without coercion,
of economy without parsimony,
of sagacity without overbearing influence.
Every one knows his own business and
does it, their labour goes on with regularity
and decency; their united efforts serve
the common cause, and the interest of every
one is involved in that of the whole.
Let us go and do likewise.” The hint
took, and a plan of CONFEDERATION, as
it was called, was drawn up on principles
of the purest equality; each family retaining
the entire control of its own domestic
concerns, without any interference
of the others, and agreeing to contribute
voluntarily its proportion of labour and
money to support the common interest.

This was, in theory, a very pretty device,
exactly suited to a set of people who

thought themselves completely virtuous.
But as it often happens that great ingenuity
exists without much judgment or
policy, so it proved here. These foresters
did not consider that their intellects
were not, like those of the beavers, confined
to a few particular objects; that
they were not like the beavers, void of
passions and prejudices, void of ambition,
jealousy, avarice and self interest. With
all the infirmities and vices of humanity,
they were expecting to establish a community
on a plan similar to that in which
no such deformities can possibly find admittance.

Though for a while, and during the
period of the lawsuit, when common danger
impelled them to keep themselves
close together, this plan answered the end
better than none; yet in fact the notion
of independence had so intoxicated their
minds, that having cast off their dependence
on Mr. Bull, they thought themselves

independent of all the world beside.
When they had got entirely clear of the
controversy with him, they were in the
condition of a young heir just come of
age, who feels proud of his freedom, and
thinks he has a right to act without control.
Each family felt its own importance,
and expected a degree of respect
from the others in proportion to its numbers,
its property, its exertions, its antiquity,
and other trifling considerations,
which ought never to have had any place
in a partnership of complete equality;
and in consequence of this intoxicating
idea of independence, each family claimed
the right of giving or withholding its consent
to what was proposed by any or all
of the others.

In the club room, among a number of
ingenious devices, there was a clock, of a
most curious and intricate construction,
by which all the common concerns of the
partnership were to be regulated. It had

one bell, on which thirteen distinct hammers
struck the hours. Each hammer
was moved by independent wheels and
weights, each set of wheels and weights
was enclosed in a separate case, the key of
which was kept, not as it ought to have
been, by the person who represented the
family at club, but in each mansion house;
and every family claimed a right either to
keep the key at home or send it to club,
when and by whom they pleased. Now
as this clock, like all other automatons,
needed frequently to be wound up, to be
oiled and cleaned, a very nice and particular
adjustment of circumstances was necessary
to preserve the regularity of its
motions, and make the hammers perform
their functions with propriety. Sometimes
one or two of the hammers would
be out of order, and when it came to the
turn of one to strike it would be silent;
then there must be a running or sending
home for the key, and the houses being at
a considerable distance, much time was
spent in waiting. Sometimes the messenger
arrived at an unseasonable hour, when
the family was asleep, or abroad in the
fields, and it would take up a considerable
time to collect them, and lay the case
before them, that they might deliberate
and determine whether the key should be
sent or not; and before this could be
done, the clock would get more out of order.
By this means, the club was frequently
perplexed; they knew neither
the hour of the day, nor the day of the
month; they could not date their letters
nor adjust their books, nor do business
with any regularity.

Besides this there was another inconvenience.
For though they had a strong
box, yet it was filled with nothing but
bills of parcels and accounts presented for
payment, contracts of loans and indentures
for services. No money could be
had from any of the families but by their
own voluntary consent; and to gain this

consent there was great difficulty. Some
had advanced what they supposed to be
more than their proportion; others had
paid less. The former would give no
more till the latter had made up their
quotas, and there was no authority which
could call any one to account, or make
him do his duty. Their whole estates
were mortgaged for the money which they
had borrowed of Mr. Lewis and Mr.
Frog; and yet they could carry on no
business in partnership. In fact they had
formed such an unheard of kind of partnership,
that though they could run
themselves in debt, yet they could not oblige
one another to raise any money to
discharge their debts.

Each family however carried on a separate
trade, and they contrived to undersell
each other, both at home and at
market. Each family also had a separate
debt, which some were providing means
to discharge, and others neglected. In

one or two of the families they went to
loggerheads among themselves. John
Codline's family was for several days a
scene of confusion and disorder; nothing
was seen or heard but cursing and calling
names, kicking shins and pulling noses.
John at first tried to silence them by gentle
means, but finding these ineffectual,
he at length drew his scymitar, and swore
he would cut off the ears of the first that
should dare to make any more noise.
This threatening drove two or three turbulent
fellows out of doors, after which
the house was tolerably quiet. Something
of the same kind happened in Robert
Lumber's family, but he made so good
a use of his fist as quelled the disturbance
at once.

In the family of Roger Carrier there
seemed to be a predominant lurch for
knavery, for he publicly advertised that
he was ready to pay his debts by notes of
hand subject to a discount, the amount of

which was indefinite, because continually
increasing; and that whoever did not take
his pay when thus offered, might go without.
The other families were alarmed at
his conduct; but had no power to oblige
him to deal honestly, and he carried his
roguery so far as to bid them all defiance.

In this state of debility and distraction,
it became necessary to consult on some
measures for a better plan of union.
They began to be convinced that they
were not beavers, nor capable of subsisting
in such a state of society as had been
adopted from them. Something more
energetic was wanted to compel the lazy,
to check the knavish, to direct the industrious,
and to keep the honest from being
imposed upon. It had been often in contemplation
to amend the mode of partnership;
but now the disorders in some of
the families became so alarming, that
though they had been quelled for the

present, it was uncertain whether they
would not break out again, especially as
one whole family seemed determined openly
to patronise roguery. These confiderations
served to hasten the change
which had been contemplated. It was
accordingly moved in the club, that each
family should appoint one or more persons
to meet together, and consult upon
some alterations and improvements in the
partnership. This meeting was accordingly
held, and the result of it shall be the
subject of my next letter.

Adieu.