Transcribed from the 1860 J. Bumpus edition ,

She hath done what she could.

A DISCOURSE
ADDRESSED TO THE
RATEPAYERS OF ST. MARYLEBONE,
URGING THE ADOPTION OF
THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES ACT, 1855.

BY MATTHEW FEILDE,
ST. DAVID’S COLLEGE.

Late Memberof the Committee of the Newspaper Press Association, forobtaining
the Repeal of the Paper Duty.

But it is to Free Libraries and News Rooms,and NOT to high-priced Institutes,that you must look for the spread of knowledge and intellectualculture.  It may be argued that 1s. 6d. aquarter, or 6s. a year, is not much to pay to a WorkingMan’s Association.  I contend it is exactly4s. 4d. too much, as a halfpenny rate in thepound on a £40 house would amount to only 1s.8d. a year.

LONDON:
J. BUMPUS, 158, OXFORD STREET.
1860.

Price Sixpence.

p. 3“Shehath done what she could.”

TO THE RATEPAYERS OF ST. MARYLEBONE.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Field of Battle is in sight atlast!  The St. Marylebone Mental Light Columns, escorted byTroops of Progress in bright armour, with Advancement inKnowledge Rifle Corps, fair women, and brave men, are in marchingorder, and eager for the fray with the Mental Darkness Brigade,the cruel and relentless enemies of Improvement.  TheObstructive Forces for the defence of Ignorance, with a great flourish oftrumpets, proclaiming themselves friends of the poor parexcellence, are marching in defile, and scenting the battle afaroff.

These bitter and unscrupulous foes, who care as much for thePoor, as their pretended and hollow friend, Judas Iscariot, whowhen he cried aloud for the public, meant only himself, of whomit was said, “not that he cared for the poor, but becausehe carried the bag,” who murmured at the waste of costlyointment of spikenard with which Mary had anointed the feet ofJesus, and treacherously asked“why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence andgiven to the poor?”

These determined opponents of Progress—ParishMagnates—who dread the light of intelligence, and whoseexcessive desire to guard the ratepayers’ pockets issuspicious, and reminds me of Judas’ anxiety to trade onthe distress of the poor.  This Ignorant Phalanx, officeredby pompous little great men, or loud little foolishmen,—small vanities and pomposities, whose cry is“more taxation,” and who seem to say, “I am theParish,” and p.4“when I speak let no dog bark;” all thesesmall politicians and miserable DO-NOTHINGS are making ready for thefield.

A motley group are these specious Antagonists!  Franticabout the Ballot, clinging to some Utopian impracticable reform,these sciolists and pedagogues presume to snarl at the Chancellorof the Exchequer, and denounce him as a financial jobber, wishingto float every stranding newspaper with public money, and whospeak of our foremost Statesman and his Bill for the repeal ofthe Paper Duty, “as a sop to that Cerberus...