Ohio History Journal

THE CLEAN CONSCIENCE OF A DIRTY SWEEP:

McGUFFEY'S "LITTLE CHIMNEY SWEEP" AND ANOTHER

 

by GEORGE L. PHILLIPS

Assistant Professor of English, San Diego State College

When by good fortune I come upon a story about a little chimney

sweeper, one of Lamb's "tender novices, blooming through their

first nigritude, the maternal washings not quite effaced from the

cheek," going sturdily about his business of cleaning soot out of

foul chimneys, my heart misses a few beats as I follow him, on the

printed page, carrying out his fuliginous duties all day, until, with

a few coppers in his pocket, he staggers under his soot bag at

evening to his master's cellar, where, after he has chewed some

coarse bread and gnawed a meatless bone, he falls asleep between

two bags of soot until the matutinal crowing of the cock sends

him, unwashed and unfed, back to his tortuous flues. And if one

of these "dim   specks-poor blots-innocent blacknesses" happens

to be an American urchin, native or naturalized, then my interest

in his career is doubly tender, for we do not have in this country

so many sweep boys in our literature that we can afford to let one

pass without a respectful inquiry into his origin and his activities.

Some years ago in the 1853 edition of McGuffey's Newly Revised

First Reader1 I met a little sootikin in "The Lit-tie Chim-ney Sweep"

who, by valiantly withstanding Satan's snare to steal a handsome

gold watch, won kind words and good deeds from the owner.

Very recently I came upon another sweep boy who underwent the

same trial successfully and received in consequence the protection

of a generous patroness; only this little fellow was called "The

 

1 William H. McGuffey, Newly Revised Eclectic First Reader: Containing Pro-

gressive Lessons in Reading and Spelling (Cincinnati, 1844), Lessons LII and LIII,

pp. 94-96. The story also appears in the same work with copyright of 1853.

Harvey C. Minnich in William Holmes McGuffey and the Peerless Pioneer McGuffey

Readers (Oxford, Ohio, 1928) lists the story as No. XL in the First Reader; and

Life, July 20, 1942, states that it appeared in McGuffey's New Second Reader.

However, an examination of The Newly Revised Eclectic Second Reader, Third

Reader, Fourth Reader, and The New Fifth Eclectic Reader, all published in Cin-

cinnati by Sargeant, Wilson, and Hinkle and copyrighted in 1853, except for the

last, which bears the year 1857, has failed to reveal "The Lit-tle Chim-ney Sweep."

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266      Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly

Honest Chimney-Sweeper." He was found in an eight-page chap-

book, bound with thirty-eight other stories in prose and verse

between leather covers marked Tales.² So similar is the narrative

in both of these apologues that I believe a comparison might be of

interest to sweepophile and non-sweepophile alike.

Without benefit of a title page or a table of contents or even

consecutive pagination, the four, eight, and sixteen-page pamphlets

of varying sizes of print seem to have been sewed together between

the leather covers in haphazard fashion, as if a printer, tired of

seeing them gathering dust around the corners of his shop had

decided to thrust them upon the world as quickly and cheaply as

possible. Twenty-two of them bore the name of I. Davis of 25

Grosvenor-st., Stalybridge, as their printer; two claimed William

Walker of Otley;³ and one proclaimed William Tyler of Bolt-court,

London. Only one of the thirty-nine pieces, "A Dialogue on the

Origin of Sunday Schools, and the Benefits Resulting from Those

Benevolent Institutions," could boast its maker, Joseph Hibbert,

teacher of the Flowery-field Infant School, and the date of its

publication, 1841.⁴ But if these waifs lacked a parental stamp and

a common printer and publisher, they shared with the McGuffey

stories a definite purpose: to instruct their youthful readers how to

attain moral perfection, and to interest them in art, for even the

shortest four-page tale had its illustration.

Hemmed in between "Modern Youthful Martyrs" and "The Red-

Hot Poker," "The Honest Chimney-Sweeper" has three engraved

illustrations for its eight pages of verse. The first picture shows

a gentleman in knee breeches and dress coat arguing with a work-

ingman and his wife who are standing before a blazing fire in the

fireplace of their comfortable cottage. Two small sweep boys,

their brushes and soot bags on the floor, listen intently to the

 

2 This collection holds a second story on sweepdom, "The Christian Slave, or

The Tale of the Sweep's Boy (written by a Youth)," which, in nineteen four-line

stanzas, describes how a stepmother drove the unwanted youth from his parental

home and how he fell into the wicked clutches of a sooty sweep who starved and

beat him to keep him submissive.

3 I am grateful to Dr. Harry B. Weiss, authority on early American children's

books, for pointing out to me that William Walker of Otley was in the printing

business as early as 1809.

4 "The Honest Chimney-Sweeper" lacks name of author, printer, and date of

publication.

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The Clean Conscience of a Dirty Sweep          267

heated discussion. The second depicts a ragged, sooty-faced boy,

wearing the cap of his profession, with its brass plate providing

the name and address of his master, and carrying his brush. He

is watching sadly and shyly several well-dressed, clean school

children conning their lessons. In the third, a half-grown schoolboy

is leaning an elbow on a large volume placed on a flat rock and

waving with his free arm a large banner marked "Finis." Except

for the last picture, the illustrations are in no way related to the

story they are supposedly embellishing.

Outside of the fact that "The Lit-tle Chim-ney Sweep" is in prose

and "The Honest Chimney-Sweeper" in verse, the manner of pre-

senting the stories shows perhaps the most obvious difference

between them. Whereas the former starts with action in the first

paragraph, the latter is like the medieval apologue set in a frame

of prologue and epilogue and is made to serve as an illustration

for a text. The opening lines of the introductory material begin

with an exhortation to the young:

Children, you often have been told,

Whose eye does all your ways behold;

Who, when your nightly slumbers spread,

Watches and guards your weary head;

And marks your busy steps by day,

Engaged in learning, work, or play,

Surveys your actions, right and wrong;

Hears every whisper of your tongue;

And in your heart's remotest folds,

Each secret thought and wish beholds.

 

You could not find the secret spot

Where God's omniscience reaches not.

But this is nothing new I tell,

The solemn truth you know full well;

You know-but does your conduct show

Its proper weight and influence too?

Some tempting toy should you behold,

Sweetmeat or trinket, lace or gold,

When Satan whispers in your ear,

"Go, take it, child, nor danger fear;

Enjoy the thing you love so well,

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268      Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly No eye can see, no tongue can tell:" Then does your conscience quick reply, "But God beholds it with his eye, Nor would I for the world offend So great a God, so kind a Friend!" Perhaps you stand in fear of blame, You shrink from punishment or shame; But could you dare the truth deny, Conceal your fault and tell a lie?   Did truth and conscience thus prevail, And cause temptation's power to fail? This is the proper use indeed, Of all you hear, and learn, and read. Such application to enforce, A simple tale I'll now rehearse:-   With the introduction out of the way, let us look at the stories themselves.

"The Lit-tle Chim-ney Sweep"   Some time a-go, there was a lit-tle chim-ney sweep, who had to sweep a chim-ney in the house of a ver-y rich la-dy. The lit-tle sweep went up at the kitch-en fire place, and came down in the cham- ber.   When he got in-to the cham-ber, he found him-self all a-lone. He stop-ped a mo-ment to look round up-on the rich things he saw there. As he look-ed on the top of the ta-ble, he saw a fine gold watch, with gold seals to it.

"The Honest Chimney-Sweeper"     A little chimney-sweeper lad Set forth to ply his sooty trade, A stately mansion as he pass'd A servant call'd him in, in haste, To mount, with scraper, bag, and broom, The flue of madam's dressing-room;       The neat apartment, as he enter'd, The youth to peep about him ventur'd. What brilliance met his wand'ring gaze, The ruby's glow, the diamond's blaze, And gold and pearls in grand display. Midst velvets rich, and satins gay! Their varied charms by turns invited, But most a glittering watch delighted. Its curious works pure gold encas'd, With sparkling brilliants richly grac'd.

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The Clean Conscience of a Dirty Sweep       269

He had nev-er seen a-ny thing so beau-ti-ful be-fore, and he took it up in his hands. As he list-en-ed to hear it tick, it be-gan to play sweet mu-sic. He then thought, that if it was on-ly his own, how rich he would be; and then he thought he might hide it in his blank-et.           "Now," said he, "if I take it, I shall be a thief-and yet no bod-y sees me. No bod-y? Does not God see me? Could I ev-er a-gain be good? Could I then ev-er say my pray-ers again to God? And what should I do when I come to die?"             While the lit-tle sweep was think-ing a-bout tak-ing the la-dy's watch, he felt cold all o-ver, and trem-bled with fear.   "No," said he, "I can not take this watch. I would rath-er be a sweep and al- ways be poor, than steal." And down he laid the watch, and crept up the chim-ney.

Ah me! he thought, (as near he drew, To feast upon a closer view,) If 'twere but mine! that one rich treasure Would make me happy beyond measure, So neat and useful; or, if sold, 'Twould fetch almost a mint of gold! If I should take it, who's to know? I heard the servant go below. He paus'd, and listen'd, look'd around, But no one else in sight was found; Then once more vent'ring to approach, With hasty, longing, trembling touch, He seized the tempting, glittering toy, And felt a momentary joy;   But soon a gleam of conscience stole Across the young transgressor's soul: "What! shall I dare a thief to be, And forfeit my integrity; My peace of conscience, and good name; Victim of guilt, remorse, and shame! What! though no human witness nigh, Have I forgot the All-seeing eye, That marks each act? How could I dare Protection ask, or kneel in prayer? Or, if death's solemn call should come, How could I bear to hear my doom? Could I in that dread hour possess One ray of hope, one gleam of peace?"   These thoughts repell'd the fatal snare;           The watch replaced, with trembling care, The boy retiring breathed his prayer; "O God! forgive the sinful thought, Blot out the half-committed fault; Let the rich blood for sinners spilt, My conscience cleanse from secret guilt; And 0, henceforth my heart incline

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270     Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly

Now the la-dy who own-ed the watch was just in the next room, and she could look through, and see and hear all that pass-ed. She did not say a-ny thing to the boy then, but let him go a-way. The next day she sent for him, and when he came, she said to him, "Well, my lit-tle friend, why did you not take my watch yes-ter-day?" The lit-tle sweep then fell up-on his knees and told the la-dy all a-bout it.   Now, as the lit-tle sweep did not steal the gold watch, nor tell a-ny sto-ries a-bout it, the la-dy let him stay and live in her house. For ma-ny years she sent him to school, and when he grew up, he be-came a good man, and nev-er for-got the com-mand- ment which says, "Thou shalt not steal."   Had he ta-ken the la-dy's watch, he would have sto-len. Then he would have been sent to jail.

To dread the first approach of sin; Make me with poverty content, The lot that thou hast wisely sent; And rather let me starve or die, Than dare defraud or tell a lie!"   The danger 'scaped, poor lad! 'twas well; But I have something more to tell: The lady, though by him unseen, Meanwhile in the next room had been, Had watch'd his conflict, heard his prayer, Resolved to take him in her care;                     She gave him learning, clothes, and food, And he turn'd out a servant good.                     'Twas well that principles instill'd E'en on this lowly sweeper's child Had check'd temptations fatal power, And saved him in the trying hour, Gain'd him protection, favour, friends, And prosper'd all his worldly ends.

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The Clean Conscience of a Dirty Sweep        271

Let no lit-tle boy or girl ev-er take things with-out leave, for it is stealing; and they who steal are thi-eves.

But more, far more, if taught in youth To feel the power of saving truth; Brought humbly to the throne of grace For pardon, purity, and peace; By sweet experience led to prove The worth of Christ's redeeming love; And live a life of holiness, And die a death of heavenly peace. Oh! had he yielded to the foe, And stole the watch when tempted so, Through steps of vice and misery soon, He might have reach'd an awful doom!

Both stories conclude with a gentle admonition to their youthful readers not to sin. In "The Lit-tle Chim-ney Sweep" this exhortation is the only occasion when the reader has been personally addressed; in "The Honest Chimney-Sweeper" it serves as the epilogue and thus rounds out the moral lesson:

"The Lit-tle Chim-ney Sweep" You can not steal the small- est pin, with-out its be-ing seen by that eye which nev-er sleeps.

"The Honest Chimney-Sweeper"   By his example, on your breast, Dear child, be serious thoughts impress'd, Dread the first wish of sin, nor dare A moment tamper with the snare; But to temptation still reply, "I cannot sin, for God is by."

Is McGuffey's little sweep, who carries a blanket, an item of sweeping paraphernalia peculiar to the American funnel-scourer, a native American climbing-boy, a clergy imp "of our own growth," or has he been brought over the Atlantic and transplanted with a simpler setting and American spelling? Did McGuffey "borrow" the tale without acknowledging the source in the same way as the editor of the Publications of the American Tract Society "borrowed" about 1830 the moral story, "The Chimney Sweeper," from a Penrith chapbook, The History of William Black, A Chimney Sweeper, and as the editor of the New England Farmer in 1822

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272    Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly

"borrowed" the amusing poem, "The Lawyer and the Chimney

Sweeper," from a Glasgow chapbook where it was almost con-

cealed under the glittering story of The History of Cinderella, or,

The Little Glass Slipper, To Which Is Added, The Babes in the

Wood? Or did the unknown author of "The Honest Chimney-

Sweeper" make use of McGuffey's material? Did both stories share

a common parent? Or did chance alone give us two such similar

narratives appearing on either side of the Atlantic Ocean within

a few years of one another? In all probability, however, McGuffey

followed the common practice of many other American publishers

of children's books; he "borrowed."

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