ThreeyearsagoIbecameanxiousfromcircumstancesthatneednotbemorefullyalludedtotoemploymyselfinwritingaworkoffiction。LivinginManchester，butwithadeeprelishandfondadmirationforthecountry，myfirstthoughtwastofindaframe-workformystoryinsomeruralscene；
　　andIhadalreadymadealittleprogressinatale，theperiodofwhichwasmorethanacenturyago，andtheplaceonthebordersofYorkshire，whenIbethoughtmehowdeepmightbetheromanceinthelivesofsomeofthosewhoelbowedmedailyinthebusystreetsofthetowninwhichIresided。Ihadalwaysfeltadeepsympathywiththecare-wornmen，wholookedasifdoomedtostrugglethroughtheirlivesinstrangealternationsbetweenworkandwant；tossedtoandfrobycircumstances，apparentlyinevenagreaterdegreethanothermen。Alittlemanifestationofthissympathyandalittleattentiontotheexpressionoffeelingsonthepartofsomeofthework-peoplewithwhomIwasacquainted，hadlaidopentometheheartsofoneortwoofthemorethoughtfulamongthem；Isawthattheyweresoreandirritableagainsttherich，theeventenorofwhoseseeminglyhappylivesappearedtoincreasetheanguishcausedbythelottery-likenatureoftheirown。Whetherthebittercomplaintsmadebythem，oftheneglectwhichtheyexperiencedfromtheprosperous——especiallyfromthemasterswhosefortunestheyhadhelpedtobuildup——werewell-foundedorno，itisnotformetojudge。Itisenoughtosay，thatthisbeliefoftheinjusticeandunkindnesswhichtheyendurefromtheirfellow-creatures，taintswhatmightberesignationtoGod’swill，andturnsittorevengeintoomanyofthepooruneducatedfactory-workersofManchester。
　　ThemoreIreflectedonthisunhappystateofthingsbetweenthosesoboundtoeachotherbycommoninterests，astheemployersandtheemployedmusteverbe，themoreanxiousIbecametogivesomeutterancetotheagonywhich，fromtimetotime，convulsesthisdumbpeople；theagonyofsufferingwithoutthesympathyofthehappy，oroferroneouslybelievingthatsuchisthecase。Ifitbeanerror，thatthewoes，whichcomewithever-returningtide-likefloodtooverwhelmtheworkmeninourmanufacturingtowns，passunregardedbyallbutthesufferers，itisatanyrateanerrorsobitterinitsconsequencestoallparties，thatwhateverpubliceffortcandointhewayoflegislation，orprivateeffortinthewayofmercifuldeeds，orhelplessloveinthewayofwidow’smites，shouldbedone，andthatspeedily，todisabusethework-peopleofsomiserableamisapprehension。
　　Atpresenttheyseemtometobeleftinastate，whereinlamentationsandtearsarethrownasideasuseless，butinwhichthelipsarecompressedforcurses，andthehandsclenchedandreadytosmite。
　　IknownothingofPoliticalEconomy，orthetheoriesoftrade。Ihavetriedtowritetruthfully；andifmyaccountsagreeorclashwithanysystem，theagreementordisagreementisunintentional。
　　TomyselftheideawhichIhaveformedofthestateoffeelingamongtoomanyofthefactory-peopleinManchester，andwhichIendeavouredtorepresentinthistalecompletedaboveayearago，hasreceivedsomeconfirmationfromtheeventswhichhavesorecentlyoccurredamongasimilarclassontheContinent。
　　Oh!’tishard，’tishardtobeworkingThewholeofthelive-longday，WhenalltheneighboursaboutoneAreofftotheirjauntsandplay。There’sRichardhecarrieshisbaby，AndMarytakeslittleJane，Andlovinglythey’llbewanderingThroughfieldandbrierylane。MANCHESTERSONG。TherearesomefieldsnearManchester，wellknowntotheinhabitantsas“GreenHeysFields，“throughwhichrunsapublicfootpathtoalittlevillageabouttwomilesdistant。Inspiteofthesefieldsbeingflat，andlow，nay，inspiteofthewantofwoodthegreatandusualrecommendationofleveltractsofland，thereisacharmaboutthemwhichstrikeseventheinhabitantofamountainousdistrict，whoseesandfeelstheeffectofcontrastinthesecommon-placebutthoroughlyruralfields，withthebusy，bustlingmanufacturingtownheleftbuthalfanhourago。Hereandthereanoldblackandwhitefarm-house，withitsramblingoutbuildings，speaksofothertimesandotheroccupationsthanthosewhichnowabsorbthepopulationoftheneighbourhood。Hereintheirseasonsmaybeseenthecountrybusinessofhay-making，ploughing，etc。，whicharesuchpleasantmysteriesfortownspeopletowatch；andheretheartisan，deafenedwithnoiseoftonguesandengines，maycometolistenawhiletothedelicioussoundsofrurallife：thelowingofcattle，themilkmaid’scall，theclatterandcackleofpoultryintheoldfarm-yards。Youcannotwonder，then，thatthesefieldsarepopularplacesofresortateveryholidaytime；andyouwouldnotwonder，ifyoucouldsee，orIproperlydescribe，thecharmofoneparticularstile，thatitshouldbe，onsuchoccasions，acrowdedhalting-place。Closebyitisadeep，clearpond，reflectinginitsdarkgreendepthstheshadowytreesthatbendoverittoexcludethesun。Theonlyplacewhereitsbanksareshelvingisonthesidenexttoaramblingfarm-yard，belongingtooneofthoseold-world，gabled，blackandwhitehousesInamedabove，overlookingthefieldthroughwhichthepublicfoot-pathleads。Theporchofthisfarm-houseiscoveredbyarose-tree；andthelittlegardensurroundingitiscrowdedwithamedleyofold-fashionedherbsandflowers，plantedlongago，whenthegardenwastheonlydruggist’sshopwithinreach，andallowedtogrowinscramblingandwildluxuriance——roses，lavender，sage，balmfortea，rosemary，pinksandwallflowers，onionsandjessamine，inmostrepublicanandindiscriminateorder。Thisfarm-houseandgardenarewithinahundredyardsofthestileofwhichIspoke，leadingfromthelargepasturefieldintoasmallerone，dividedbyahedgeofhawthornandblackthorn；andnearthisstile，onthefurtherside，thererunsatalethatprimrosesmayoftenbefound，andoccasionallythebluesweetvioletonthegrassyhedgebank。Idonotknowwhetheritwasonaholidaygrantedbythemasters，oraholidayseizedinrightofNatureandherbeautifulspringtimebytheworkmen，butoneafternoonnowtenoradozenyearsagothesefieldsweremuchthronged。ItwasanearlyMayevening——theAprilofthepoets；
　　forheavyshowershadfallenallthemorning，andtheround，soft，whitecloudswhichwereblownbyawestwindoverthedarkbluesky，weresometimesvariedbyoneblackerandmorethreatening。Thesoftnessofthedaytemptedforththeyounggreenleaves，whichalmostvisiblyflutteredintolife；
　　andthewillows，whichthatmorninghadhadonlyabrownreflectioninthewaterbelow，werenowofthattendergrey-greenwhichblendssodelicatelywiththespringharmonyofcolours。Groupsofmerryandsomewhatloud-talkinggirls，whoseagesmightrangefromtwelvetotwenty，camebywithabuoyantstep。Theyweremostofthemfactorygirls，andworetheusualout-of-doorsdressofthatparticularclassofmaidens；namely，ashawl，whichatmid-dayorinfineweatherwasallowedtobemerelyashawl，buttowardsevening，orifthedaywerechilly，becameasortofSpanishmantillaorScotchplaid，andwasbroughtovertheheadandhunglooselydown，orwaspinnedunderthechininnounpicturesquefashion。Theirfaceswerenotremarkableforbeauty；indeed，theywerebelowtheaverage，withoneortwoexceptions；theyhaddarkhair，neatlyandclassicallyarranged，darkeyes，butsallowcomplexionsandirregularfeatures。Theonlythingtostrikeapasserbywasanacutenessandintelligenceofcountenance，whichhasoftenbeennoticedinamanufacturingpopulation。Therewerealsonumbersofboys，orratheryoungmen，ramblingamongthesefields，readytobandyjokeswithanyone，andparticularlyreadytoenterintoconversationwiththegirls，who，however，heldthemselvesaloof，notinashy，butratherinanindependentway，assuminganindifferentmannertothenoisywitorobstreperouscomplimentsofthelads。Hereandtherecameasoberquietcouple，eitherwhisperinglovers，orhusbandandwife，asthecasemightbe；andifthelatter，theywereseldomunencumberedbyaninfant，carriedforthemostpartbythefather，whileoccasionallyeventhreeorfourlittletoddlershadbeencarriedordraggedthusfar，inorderthatthewholefamilymightenjoythedeliciousMayafternoontogether。Sometimeinthecourseofthatafternoon，twoworkingmenmetwithfriendlygreetingatthestilesooftennamed。OnewasathoroughspecimenofaManchesterman；hornoffactoryworkers，andhimselfbredupinyouth，andlivinginmanhood，amongthemills。Hewasbelowthemiddlesizeandslightlymade；therewasalmostastuntedlookabouthim；andhiswan，colourlessface，gaveyoutheideathatinhischildhoodhehadsufferedfromthescantylivingconsequentuponbadtimesandimprovidenthabits。
　　Hisfeatureswerestronglymarked，thoughnotirregular，andtheirexpressionwasextremeearnestness；resoluteeitherforgoodorevil，asortoflatentsternenthusiasm。AtthetimeofwhichIwrite，thegoodpredominatedoverthebadinthecountenance，andhewasonefromwhomastrangerwouldhaveaskedafavourwithtolerablefaiththatitwouldbegranted。Hewasaccompaniedbyhiswife，whomight，withoutexaggeration，havebeencalledalovelywoman，althoughnowherfacewasswollenwithcrying，andoftenhiddenbehindherapron。Shehadthefreshbeautyoftheagriculturaldistricts；
　　andsomewhatofthedeficiencyofsenseinhercountenance，whichislikewisecharacteristicoftheruralinhabitantsincomparisonwiththenativesofthemanufacturingtowns。Shewasfaradvancedinpregnancy，whichperhapsoccasionedtheoverpoweringandhystericalnatureofhergrief。Thefriendwhomtheymetwasmorehandsomeandlesssensible-lookingthanthemanIhavejustdescribedheseemedheartyandhopeful，andalthoughhisagewasgreater，yettherewasfarmoreofyouth’sbuoyancyinhisappearance。
　　Hewastenderlycarryingababyinarms，whilehiswife，adelicatefragile-lookingwoman，limpinginhergait，boreanotherofthesameage；little，feebletwins，inheritingthefrailappearanceoftheirmother。Thelast-mentionedmanwasthefirsttospeak，whileasuddenlookofsympathydimmedhisgladsomeface。“Well，John，howgoesitwithyou？“and，inalowervoice，headded，“anynewsofEsther，yet？“Meanwhilethewivesgreetedeachotherlikeoldfriends，thesoftandplaintivevoiceofthemotherofthetwinsseemingtocallforthonlyfreshsobsfromMrsBarton。“Come，women，“saidJohnBarton，“you’vebothwalkedfarenough。MyMaryexpectstohaveherbedinthreeweeks；andasforyou，MrsWilson，youknowyou’rebutacrankysortofabody，atthebestoftimes。“Thiswassaidsokindly，thatnooffencecouldbetaken。“Sityoudownhere；thegrassiswellnighdrybythistime；andyou’reneitherofyouneshfolkabouttakingcold。Stay，“headded，withsometenderness，“here’smypockethandkerchieftospreadunderyoutosavethegowns，womenalwaysthinksomuchon；andnow，MrsWilson，givemethebaby，Imayaswellcarryhim，whileyoutalkandcomfortmywife；poorthing，shetakesonsadlyaboutEsther。“Thesearrangementsweresooncompleted；thetwowomensatdownonthebluecottonhandkerchiefsoftheirhusbands，andthelatter，eachcarryingababy，setoffforafurtherwalk；butassoonasBartonhadturnedhisbackuponhiswife，hiscountenancefellbackintoanexpressionofgloom。“Thenyou’veheardnothingofEsther，poorlass!“askedWilson。“No，norshan’t，asItakeit。Mymindis，she’sgoneoffwithsomebody。
　　Mywifefretsandthinksshe’sdrownedherself，butItellher，folksdon’tcaretoputontheirbestclothestodrownthemselves；andMrsBradshawwhereshelodged，youknow，saysthelasttimesheseteyesonherwaslastTuesday，whenshecamedownstairs，dressedinherSundaygown，andwithanewribboninherbonnet，andglovesonherhands，liketheladyshewassofondofthinkingherself。““Shewasasprettyacreatureaseverthesunshoneon。““Ay，shewasafarrantlylass；more’sthepityInow，“addedBarton，withasigh。“YouseethemBuckinghamshirepeopleascomestoworkherehasquiteadifferentlookwiththemtousManchesterfolk。You’llnotseeamongtheManchesterwenchessuchfreshrosycheeks，orsuchblacklashestogreyeyesmakingthemlooklikeblack，asmywifeandEstherhad。