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cunning of our right hand； or the still； creative activity of our
thought。 Look at Adam through the rest of the day； as he stands on
the scaffolding with the two…feet ruler in his hand； whistling low
while he considers how a difficulty about a floor…joist or a window…
frame is to be overcome； or as he pushes one of the younger
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workmen aside and takes his place in upheaving a weight of
timber； saying； “Let alone； lad！ Thee’st got too much gristle i’ thy
bones yet”； or as he fixes his keen black eyes on the motions of a
workman on the other side of the room and warns him that his
distances are not right。 Look at this broad…shouldered man with
the bare muscular arms； and the thick； firm； black hair tossed
about like trodden meadow…grass whenever he takes off his paper
cap； and with the strong barytone voice bursting every now and
then into loud and solemn psalm…tunes； as if seeking an outlet for
superfluous strength； yet presently checking himself； apparently
crossed by some thought which jars with the singing。 Perhaps； if
you had not been already in the secret； you might not have
guessed what sad memories what warm affection； what tender
fluttering hopes； had their home in this athletic body with the
broken finger…nails—in this rough man； who knew no better lyrics
than he could find in the Old and New Version and an occasional
hymn； who knew the smallest possible amount of profane history；
and for whom the motion and shape of the earth； the course of the
sun； and the changes of the seasons lay in the region of mystery
just made visible by fragmentary knowledge。 It had cost Adam a
great deal of trouble and work in over…hours to know what he
knew over and above the secrets of his handicraft； and that
acquaintance with mechanics and figures； and the nature of the
materials he worked with； which was made easy to him by inborn
inherited faculty—to get the mastery of his pen； and write a plain
hand； to spell without any other mistakes than must in fairness be
attributed to the unreasonable character of orthography rather
than to any deficiency in the speller； and； moreover； to learn his
musical notes and part…singing。 Besides all this； he had read his
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Bible； including the apocryphal books； Poor Richard’s Almanac；
Taylor’s Holy Living and Dying； The Pilgrim’s Progress； with
Bunyan’s Life and Holy War； a great deal of Bailey’s Dictionary；
Valentine and Orson； and part of a History of Babylon； which Bartle
Massey had lent him。 He might have had many more books from
Bartle Massey； but he had no time for reading “the commin print；”
as Lisbeth called it； so busy as he was with figures in all the leisure
moments which he did not fill up with extra carpentry。
Adam； you perceive； was by no means a marvellous man； nor；
properly speaking； a genius； yet I will not pretend that his was an
ordinary character among workmen； and it would not be at all a
safe conclusion that the next best man you may happen to see with
a basket of tools over his shoulder and a paper cap on his head has
the strong conscience and the strong sense； the blended
susceptibility and self…command； of our friend Adam。 He was not
an average man。 Yet such men as he are reared here and there in
every generation of our peasant artisans—with an inheritance of
affections nurtured by a simple family life of common need and
common industry； and an inheritance of faculties trained in skilful
courageous labour： they make their way upwards； rarely as
geniuses； most commonly as painstaking honest men； with the
skill and conscience to do well the tasks that lie before them。 Their
lives have no discernible echo beyond the neighbourhood where
they dwelt； but you are almost sure to find there some good piece
of road； some building； some application of mineral produce； some
improvement in farming practice； some reform of parish abuses；
with which their names are associated by one or two generations
after them。 Their employers were the richer for them； the work of
their hands has worn well； and the work of their brains has guided
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well the hands of other men。 They went about in their youth in
flannel or paper caps； in coats black with coal…dust or streaked
with lime and red paint； in old age their white hairs are seen in a
place of honour at church and at market； and they tell their well…
dressed sons and daughters； seated round the bright hearth on
winter evenings； how pleased they were when they first earned
their twopence a…day。 Others there are who die poor and never put
off the workman’s coal on weekdays。 They have not had the art of
getting rich； but they are men of trust； and when they die before
the work is all out of them； it is as if some main screw had got
loose in a machine； the master who employed them says； “Where
shall I find their like？”
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Chapter XX
Adam Visits the Hall Farm
dam came back from his work in the empty waggon—that
Awas why he had changed his clothes—and was ready to
set out to the Hall Farm when it still wanted a quarter to
seven。
“What’s thee got thy Sunday cloose on for？” said Lisbeth
complainingly； as he came downstairs。 “Thee artna goin’ to th’
school i’ thy best coat？”
“No； Mother；” said Adam； quietly。 “I’m going to the Hall Farm；