THE
Hermit of the Forest;
OR,
WANDERING INFANTS.
A RURAL TALE.
EMBELLISHED WITH CUTS.
NEWCASTLE:
PRINTED BY AND FOR S. HODGSON,
1807.
(Price One Penny.)
[Pg 5]
The Hermit of the Forest.
In the romantic forest of Englewood,which formerly composeda great part of the county of Cumberland,lived a celebrated hermit,whose name was Honestus. He wasonce a very considerable farmer, possessedof very extensive lands, andof large flocks and herds; but theperpetual inroads of the Scots, whofrequently plundered the northernparts of England, very much reducedhim. At last those plundererscompletely ruined him; for, inthe last excursion they made on his[Pg 6]estate, they carried off all his family,drove away his cattle, and set fireto his barns and houses, he himselfescaping with great difficulty. Seethe representation of this deplorablescene.
Coming out of his place of concealment[Pg 7]the next day, he had themelancholy prospect of his premisesreduced to ashes, and nothing lefthim but a cow, two sheep, and afew farming utensils, which had escapedthe hands of the plunderers;but what affected him most was theloss of his two children, who werecarried he knew not whither.—Happilyfor him, however, his wifedid not live to see this sad disaster,she having died two years before.
These misfortunes had so powerfulan effect upon his mind, that hedetermined to take his leave of thebusy world, and spend the remainderof his days in a cell, far fromthe commerce of mankind. Hetherefore drove his only remainingcow and two sheep into the thickestpart of the forest of Englewood,[Pg 8]taking with him his farming utensils.
Having pitched on the spot mostsuitable to his wishes, he began