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 certainly written early in the
sixties) giving some description of one of my father's journeys to
Yarmouth, reminds us that the old-fashioned windowless third-class
carriage left many things to be desired, and in these days of luxurious
travelling such hardships would be thought unendurable:--

 "I am safely landed here[25] with sevenpence in my pocket. It has
 snowed nearly all the journey, and if it continues I expect all the
 bloaters will be turned into whitings. The ride was a cold one, for
 the E. C. R.[26] parliamentary carriage combined the advantage of
 ventilation with that of a travelling bath, wind, rain, and snow
 gaining admission and accompanying us without payment--which was not
 fair.

 [Footnote 25: The letter is headed, "Yarmouth, Thursday."]

 [Footnote 26: "Eastern Counties," now "Great Eastern" Railway.]

 "You asked me to write, and I will therefore describe the incidents of
 the journey. Park to Broxbourne: carriage full, darkness prevailed;
 Broxbourne: spent 1d. on _Daily Telegraph_, which read to myself lying
 on the broad of my back, the carriage being more empty; the view was
 mist in the clouds of snow. Cambridge: bought 3d. of biscuits and a
 [_Morning_] _Star_, ate one and read the other till I arrived at Ely,
 with an occasional glance at Buckle on Civilisation. Ely to Norwich:
 cold, and discontented with my lot in life; Norwich: met Adams and
 Roberts, talked sweet things about confectionery for ten minutes, then
 straight on here, where I fulfil my promise of writing you."

The letter is ornamented with several drawings of himself under the
different circumstances indicated in his letter.

The story he also relates in his "Autobiography," "for the
encouragement of young propagandists," is a forcible example of the
little profit his lectures often brought, and the difficulties his
poverty sometimes forced upon him.

"I had," he says, "lectured in Edinburgh in mid-winter; the audience
was small, the profits microscopical. After paying my bill at the
Temperance Hotel, where I then stayed, I had only a few shillings more
than my Parliamentary fare to Bolton, where I was next to lecture.
I was out of bed at five on a freezing morning, and could have no
breakfast, as the people were not up. I carried my luggage (a big tin
box, corded round, which then held books and clothes, and a small black
bag), for I could not spare any of my scanty cash for a conveyance or
porter. The train from Edinburgh being delayed by a severe snowstorm,
the corresponding Parliamentary had left Carlisle long before our
arrival. In order to reach Bolton in time for my lecture, I had to book
by a quick train, starting in about three-quarters of an hour, but
could only book to Preston, as the increased fare took all my money
except 4-1/2d. With this small sum I could get no refreshment in the
station, but in a little shop in a street outside I got a mug of hot
tea and a little hot meat pie. From Preston I got with great difficulty
on to Bolton, handing my black bag to the station-master there, as
security for my fare from Preston, until the morning. I arrived in
Bolton about a quarter to eight; the lecture commenced at eight, and
I, having barely time to run to my lodgings, and wash and change, went
on to the platform cold and hungry. I shall never forget that lecture;
it was in an old Unitarian Chapel. We had no gas, the building seemed
full of a foggy mist, and was imperfectly lit with candles. Everything
appeared cold, cheerless, and gloomy. The most amusing feature was
that an opponent, endowed with extra piety and forbearance, chose that
evening to specially attack me for the money-making and easy life I was
leading."

Writing in April 1860, he also gives some idea of his profits as
an editor and a publisher:--"When," he writes, "I relinquished the
editorship of the _Investigator_, I was burdened with a printing
debt of nearly £60; this has been reduced a little more than half by
contributions, leaving about £26 still due. I have, in addition, paid
out of my own pocket, for Freethought printing, during two years, more
than £100, for which I have yet no return. During the last eight months
I have been actively engaged in lecturing.... When you learn that at
some places I took nothing away, and paid my own expenses, and that at
nearly every place I only received the actual profit of my lectures;
and when, in addition, you allow a few days for visits to my wife and
family, which have been few and far between; and also reckon for more
than a week of enforced idleness through ill health, you will perceive
that I am not amassing a fortune."

In 1861 he again wrote: "During the past twelve months I have addressed
276 different meetings, four of which each numbered over 5000 persons;
eighty of these lectures have involved considerable loss in travelling,
hotel expenses, loss of time, etc. I have during the same time held
five separate debates, two of these also without remuneration."

It is very likely that even in these early years my father cherished
the hope of being able to earn enough by his tongue and his pen to
devote himself entirely to that Freethought and political work which he
had so much at heart; but as his own words show us, the day for that
was not yet come, and the fortune he was accused of amassing existed
then, as always, only in the heated imagination of his detractors.

CHAPTER XI.

A CLERICAL LIBELLER.

Some lawsuits in which Mr Bradlaugh was interested brought him into
contact with a solicitor named Montague R. Leverson, who had indeed
been engaged in the defence of Dr Bernard. The acquaintance thus
begun resulted in an arrangement between them in January 1862 that Mr
Leverson should give my father his articles. It was agreed that Mr
Leverson should pay the £80 stamp duty and all expenses in connection
with the articles, and that my father should serve him as clerk for
five years at a salary of £150 per annum for the first three years and
£200 for the final two. The articles were drawn up and duly stamped
on 25th June of the same year. For the convenience of business, my
father gave up his house at Park, and went to live at 12 St Helen's
Place, Bishopsgate. This connection, which opened so favourably, and
gave my father the opportunity, as he thought, of making a settled
position in life, lasted only for two years or less. Mr Leverson got
into difficulties, and the business was broken up. Vague accusations
had been brought against my father for the manner in which he is
supposed to have treated Mr Leverson. Nothing definite is stated, but
the slanderous "know-all's," who really know nothing, try to make out
a case by means of hint and innuendo. With a view of disposing of even
such paltry slanders as these, I quote the following letter written in
reference to Mr Montague R. Leverson:--

 "Langham Hotel, Portland Place, London, W.
 "7th January 1867.

 "MY DEAR SIR,--As written words remain when those spoken
 may be forgotten, I desire to p

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