Page:A Sketch of the Life of George Wilson, the Blackheath Pedestrian.djvu/9

 head, and convince me by the significant instrumentality of a warrant, unanimously issued for my apprehension, that I was, though most unknowingly and unintentionally transgressing the law, in presuming to walk on Backheath, even your leave and promise of protection; for I beg leave to remind you that I had both before I ventured to commence the task. My errrorerror [sic] was further confirmed by the circumstance of my being permitted to continue my laborious exertions for fifteen days, without so much as an authentic intimation, that I was doing any thing contrary to law or injurious to the public peace. It was no trial of skill with any rival; I did not publicly announce, except to a few persons in the neighbourhood, the object of my peregrination. I did not influence the public prints to notice me or my efforts. I did not send for the multitude who were pleased to honour me with their attention; and least of all, did I dream that an obscure, forlorn, and insignificant being, like me, could have formed a centre of attraction for the thousands who daily crowded Blackheath, while I was labouring to perform a task, that in its result was to save me from famine, and bring me a few pounds, by what I conceived the most laborious and most harrassing occupation on earth, for twenty successive days. I had heard of the perambulations of the celebrated, who had won a thousand guineas by walking a thousand miles in a thousand hours. I had the honour of knowing that gentleman, and feel a warm attachment to him as a brother disciple of what I am told has been jocularly termed the peripatetic school. He met no interruption from the Magistrates of the county