Page:A Journal of the Plague Year (1722).djvu/270

 But it was all to no Purpoſe, the audacious Creatures were ſo poſſeſs’d with the firſt Joy, and ſo ſurpriz’d with the Satisfaction of ſeeing a vaſt Decreaſe in the weekly Bills, that they were impenetrable by any new Terrors, and would not be perſuaded, but that the Bitterneſs of Death was paſs’d; and it was to no more purpoſe to talk to them, than to an Eaſt-wind; but they open’d Shops, went about Streets, did Buſineſs, and converſed with any Body that came in their Way to converſe with, whether with Buſineſs, or without, neither inquiring of their Health, or ſo much as being Apprehenſive of any Danger from them, tho’ they knew them not to be found.

This imprudent raſh Conduct coſt a great many their Lives, who had with great Care and Caution ſhut themſelves up, and kept retir’d as it were from all Mankind, and had by that means, under God’s Providence, been preſerv'd thro’ all the heat of that Infection.

This raſh and fooliſh Conduct, I ſay, of the People went ſo far, that the Miniſters took notice to them of it at laſt, and laid before them both the Folly and Danger of it; and this check’d it a little, ſo that they grew more cautious, but it had another Effect, which they cou’d not check; for as the firſt Rumour had ſpread not over the City only, but into the Country, it had the like Effect, and the People were ſo tir’d with being ſo long from London, and ſo eager to come back, that they flock’d to Town without Fear or Forecaſt, and began to thew themſelves in the Streets, as if all the Danger was over: It was indeed ſurpriſing to ſee it, for tho’ there died full from a Thouſand to eighteen Hundred a Week, yet the People flock’d to Town, as if all had been well.

The Conſequence of this was, that the Bills encreas’d again Four Hundred the very firſt Week in