the life of william carey-第83章

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　them。

〃The　charge　of　profusion　brought　against　Dr。　Marshman　is　more　extensive　than　you　have　stated　in　your　letter。　　He　is　charged　with　having　his　house　superbly　furnished；　with　keeping　several　vehicles　for　the　use　of　his　family；　and　with　labouring　to　aggrandise　and　bring　them　into　public　notice　to　a　culpable　extent。　　The　whole　business　of　furniture；　internal　economy；　etc。；　of　the　Serampore　station；　must　exclusively　belong　to　ourselves；　and　I　confess　I　think　the　question　about　it　an　unlovely　one。　　Some　person；　we　know　not　whom；　told　some　one；　we　know　not　whom；　'that　he　had　been　often　at　Lord　Hastings's　table；　but　that　Brother　Marshman's　table　far　exceeded　his。'　　I　have　also　often　been　at　Lord　Hastings's　table　（I　mean　his　private　table）；　and　I　do　therefore　most　positively　deny　the　truth　of　the　assertion；　though　I　confess　there　is　much　domestic　plainness　at　the　table　of　the　Governor…General　of　India　（though　nothing　of　meanness；　on　the　contrary；　everything　is　marked　with　a　dignified　simplicity）。　　I　suspect　the　informant　never　was　at　Lord　Hastings's　table；　or　he　could　have　not　been　guilty　of　such　misrepresentation。　　Lord　Hastings's　table　costs　more　in　one　day　than　Brother　Marshman's　in　ten。

〃The　following　statement　may　explain　the　whole　business　of　Brother　Marshman's　furniture；　etc。；　which　you　have　all　been　so　puzzled　to　account　for；　and　have　certainly　accounted　for　in　a　way　that　is　not　the　true　one。　　We　have；　you　know；　a　very　large　school；　perhaps　the　largest　in　India。　　In　this　school　are　children　of　persons　of　the　first　rank　in　the　country。　　The　parents　or　guardians　of　these　children　frequently　call　at　the　Mission…house；　and　common　propriety　requires　that　they　should　be　respectfully　received；　and　invited　to　take　a　breakfast　or　dinner；　and　sometimes　to　continue　there　a　day　or　two。　　It　is　natural　that　persons　who　visit　the　Mission…house　upon　business　superintended　by　Brother　Marshman　should　be　entertained　at　his　house　rather　than　elsewhere。　　Till　within　the　last　four　or　five　years　we　had　no　particular　arrangement　for　the　accommodation　of　visitors　who　came　to　see　us；　but　as　those　who　visited　us　on　business　were　entertained　at　Brother　Marshman's；　it　appeared　to　be　the　most　eligible　method　to　provide　for　the　entertainment　of　other　visitors　there　also；　but　at　that　time　Brother　Marshman　had　not　a　decent　table　for　persons　of　the　above　description　to　sit　down　to。　　We；　therefore；　voted　him　a　sum　to　enable　him　to　provide　such　articles　as　were　necessary　to　entertain　them　with　decency；　and　I　am　not　aware　that　he　has　been　profuse；　or　that　he　has　provided　anything　not　called　for　by　the　rules　of　propriety。　　I　have　no　doubt　but　Brother　Ward　can　enumerate　and　describe　all　these　articles　of　furniture。　　It　is；　however；　evident　that　you　must　be　very　imperfect　judges　of　their　necessity；　unless　you　could　at　the　same　time　form　a　just　estimate　of　the　circumstances　in　which　we　stand。　　It　ought　also　to　be　considered　that　all　these　articles　are　public　property；　and　always　convertible　into　their　full　value　in　cash。　　I　hope；　however；　that　things　are　not　yet　come　to　that　pass；　that　a　man　who；　with　his　wife；　has　for　nineteen　or　twenty　years　laboured　night　and　day　for　the　mission；　who　by　their　labour　disinterestedly　contribute　between　2000　and　3000　rupees　monthly　to　it；　and　who　have　made　sacrifices　which；　if　others　have　not　seen；　Brother　Ward　and　I　have；sacrifices　which　ought　to　put　to　the　blush　all　his　accusers；　who；　notwithstanding　their　cries　against　him；　have　not　only　supported　themselves；　but　also　have　set　themselves　up　in　a　lucrative　business　at　the　Society's　expense；　and　who；　even　to　this　day；　though　they　have　two　prosperous　schools；　and　a　profitable　printing…office；　continue　to　receive　their　monthly　allowance；　amounting　（including　Miss　Chaffin's）　to　700　rupees　a　month　from　the　Society；　I　feel　indignant　at　their　outcry　on　the　subject　of　expense；　and　I　say；　merely　as　a　contrast　to　their　conduct；　So　did　not　Brother　Marshman。　　Surely　things　are　not　come　to　that　pass；　that　he　or　any　other　brother　must　give　an　account　to　the　Society　of　every　plate　he　uses；　and　every　loaf　he　cuts。

〃Till　a　very　few　years　ago　we　had　no　vehicle　except　a　single　horse　chaise　for　me　to　go　backwards　and　forwards　to　Calcutta。　　That　was　necessarily　kept　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　river；　and　if　the　strength　of　the　horse　would　have　borne　it；　could　not　have　been　used　for　the　purposes　of　health。　　Sister　Marshman　was　seized　with　a　disease　of　the　liver；　a　disease　which　proves　fatal　in　three　cases　out　of　four。　　Sister　Ward　was　ill　of　the　same　disorder；　and　both　of　them　underwent　a　long　course　of　mercurial　treatment；　as　is　usual　in　that　disease。　　Exercise　was　considered　by　the　physicians　as　of　the　first　importance；　and　we　certainly　thought　no　expense　too　great　to　save　the　valuable　lives　of　our　sisters。　　A　single　horse　chaise；　and　an　open　palanquin；　called　a　Tonjon；　were　procured。　　I　never　ride　out　for　health；　but　usually　spend　an　hour　or　two；　morning　and　evening；　in　the　garden。　　Sister　Ward　was　necessitated　to　visit　England　for　hers。　　Brother　Ward　had　a　saddle　horse　presented　to　him　by　a　friend。　My　wife　has　a　small　carriage　drawn　by　a　man。　　These　vehicles　were　therefore　almost　exclusively　used　by　Brother　Marshman's　family。　When　our　brethren　arrived　from　England　they　did　not　fail　to　put　this　equipage　into　the　account　against　Brother　Marshman。　　They　now　keep　three　single　horse　chaises；　besides　palanquins；　but　we　do　not　think　they　keep　more　than　are　necessary。

〃Brother　Marshman　retains　for　the　school　a　French　master；　a　music　master；　and　a　drawing　master。　　The　expenses　of　these　are　amply　repaid　by　the　school；　but　Brother　Marshman's　children；　and　all　those　belonging　to　the　family；　have　the　advantage　of　their　instructions。　Brother　Marshman's　children　are；　however；　the　most　numerous；　and　envy　has　not　failed　to　charge　him　with　having　retained　them　all　for　the　sake　of　his　own　children。　　Surely　a　man's　caring　for　his　family's　health　and　his　children's　education　is；　if　a　crime；　a　venial　one；　and　ought　not　to　be　held　up　to　blacken　his　reputation。　Brother　Marshman　is　no　more　perfect　than　other　men；　partakers　like　him　of　the　grace　of　God。　His　natural　bias　and　habits　are　his　own；　and　differ　as　much　from　those　of　other　men　as　theirs　differ　from　one　another。　　I　do　not　deny　that　he　has　an　inclination　to　display　his　children　to　advantage。　　This；　however；　is　a　foible　which　most　fond　parents　will　be　inclined　to　pardon。　　I　wish　I　had　half　his　piety；　energy　of　mind；　and　zeal　for　the　cause　of　God。　These　excellencies；　in　my　opinion；　so　far　overbalance　all　his　defects　that　I　am　constrained　to　consider　him　a　Christian　far　above　the　common　run。　　I　must　now　close　this　defence　of　Brother　Marshman　by　repeating　that　all　matters　of　furniture；　convenience；　etc。；　are　things　belonging　to　the　economy　of　the　station　at　Serampore；　and　that　no　one　beside　ourselves　has　the　smallest　right　to　interfere　therewith。　　The　Calcutta　brethren　are　now　acting　on　the　same　principle；　and　would　certainly　repel　with　indignation　any　attempt　made　by　us　to　regulate　their　affairs。

〃I　have　said　that　'I　never　ride　out　for　the　sake　of　health'；　and　it　may　therefore　be　inquired；　'Why　are　vehicles；　etc。；　for　the　purpose　of　health　more　necessary　for　the　other　members　of　the　family　than　for　you？'　　I　reply　that　my　health　is　in　general　good；　and　probably　much　benefited　by　a　journey　to　and　from　Calcutta　two　or　three　times　a　week。　　I　have　also　a　great　fondness　for　natural　science；　particularly　botany　and　horticulture。　　These；　therefore；　furnish　not　only　exercise；　but　amusement　for　me。　　These　amusements　of　mine　are　not；　however；　enjoyed　without　expense；　any　more　than　those　of　my　brethren；　and　were　it　not　convenient　for　Brother　Marshman's　accusers　to　make　a　stepping…stone　of　me；　I　have　no　doubt　but　my　collection　of　plants；　aviary；　and　museum；　would　be　equally　impeached　as　articles　of　luxury　and　lawless　expenses；　though；　except　the　garden；　the　whole　of　these　expenses　are　borne　by　myself。

〃John　Marshman　is　admitted　a　member　of　the　union；　but　he　had　for　some　time　previously　thereto　been　a　member　of　the　church。　　I　perceive　plainly　that　all　your　objections　to　him　have　been　excited　by　the　statements　of　the　Calcutta　brethren；　which　you　certainly　ought　to　receive