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第9章

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in venturing to run into the reach of it。



Nor did this unwary conduct of the people end here; for a great

many that thus cast off their cautions suffered more deeply still; and

though many escaped; yet many died; and at least it had this public

mischief attending it; that it made the decrease of burials slower than

it would otherwise have been。  For as this notion ran like lightning

through the city; and people's heads were possessed with it; even as

soon as the first great decrease in the bills appeared; we found that the

two next bills did not decrease in proportion; the reason I take to be

the people's running so rashly into danger; giving up all their former

cautions and care; and all the shyness which they used to practise;

depending that the sickness would not reach them … or that if it did;

they should not die。



The physicians opposed this thoughtless humour of the people with

all their might; and gave out printed directions; spreading them all

over the city and suburbs; advising the people to continue reserved;

and to use still the utmost caution in their ordinary conduct;

notwithstanding the decrease of the distemper; terrifying them with

the danger of bringing a relapse upon the whole city; and telling them

how such a relapse might be more fatal and dangerous than the whole

visitation that had been already; with many arguments and reasons to

explain and prove that part to them; and which are too long to repeat here。



But it was all to no purpose; the audacious creatures were so

possessed with the first joy and so surprised with the satisfaction of

seeing a vast decrease in the weekly bills; that they were impenetrable

by any new terrors; and would not be persuaded but that the bitterness

of death was past; and it was to no more purpose to talk to them than

to an east wind; but they opened shops; went about streets; did

business; and conversed with anybody that came in their way to

converse with; whether with business or without; neither inquiring of

their health or so much as being apprehensive of any danger from

them; though they knew them not to be sound。



This imprudent; rash conduct cost a great many their lives who had

with great care and caution shut themselves up and kept retired; as it

were; from all mankind; and had by that means; under God's

providence; been preserved through all the heat of that infection。



This rash and foolish conduct; I say; of the people went so far that

the ministers took notice to them of it at last; and laid before them

both the folly and danger of it; and this checked it a little; so that they

grew more cautious。  But it had another effect; which they could not

check; for as the first rumour had spread not over the city only; but

into the country; it had the like effect: and the people were so tired

with being so long from London; and so eager to come back; that they

flocked to town without fear or forecast; and began to show

themselves in the streets as if all the danger was over。  It was indeed

surprising to see it; for though there died still from 1000 to 1800 a

week; yet the people flocked to town as if all had been well。



The consequence of this was; that the bills increased again 400 the

very first week in November; and if I might believe the physicians;

there was above 3000 fell sick that week; most of them new…comers; too。



One John Cock; a barber in St Martin's…le…Grand; was an eminent

example of this; I mean of the hasty return of the people when the

plague was abated。  This John Cock had left the town with his whole

family; and locked up his house; and was gone in the country; as many

others did; and finding the plague so decreased in November that

there died but 905 per week of all diseases; he ventured home again。

He had in his family ten persons; that is to say; himself and wife; five

children; two apprentices; and a maid…servant。  He had not returned to

his house above a week; and began to open his shop and carry on his

trade; but the distemper broke out in his family; and within about five

days they all died; except one; that is to say; himself; his wife; all his

five children; and his two apprentices; and only the maid remained alive。



But the mercy of God was greater to the rest than we had reason to

expect; for the malignity (as I have said) of the distemper was spent;

the contagion was exhausted; and also the winter weather came on

apace; and the air was clear and cold; with sharp frosts; and this

increasing still; most of those that had fallen sick recovered; and the

health of the city began to return。 There were indeed some returns of

the distemper even in the month of December; and the bills increased

near a hundred; but it went off again; and so in a short while things

began to return to their own channel。  And wonderful it was to see

how populous the city was again all on a sudden; so that a stranger

could not miss the numbers that were lost。  Neither was there any miss

of the inhabitants as to their dwellings … few or no empty houses were

to be seen; or if there were some; there was no want of

tenants for them。



I wish I could say that as the city had a new face; so the manners of

the people had a new appearance。  I doubt not but there were many

that retained a sincere sense of their deliverance; and were that

heartily thankful to that Sovereign Hand that had protected them in so

dangerous a time; it would be very uncharitable to judge otherwise in

a city so populous; and where the people were so devout as they were

here in the time of the visitation itself; but except what of this was to

be found in particular families and faces; it must be acknowledged

that the general practice of the people was just as it was before; and

very little difference was to be seen。



Some; indeed; said things were worse; that the morals of the people

declined from this very time; that the people; hardened by the danger

they had been in; like seamen after a storm is over; were more wicked

and more stupid; more bold and hardened; in their vices and immoralities

than they were before; but I will not carry it so far neither。  It would

take up a history of no small length to give a particular of all the

gradations by which the course of things in this city came to be

restored again; and to run in their own channel as they did before。



Some parts of England were now infected as violently as London

had been; the cities of Norwich; Peterborough; Lincoln; Colchester;

and other places were now visited; and the magistrates of London

began to set rules for our conduct as to corresponding with those

cities。  It is true we could not pretend to forbid their people coming to

London; because it was impossible to know them asunder; so; after

many consultations; the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen were

obliged to drop it。 All they could do was to warn and caution the

people not to entertain in their houses or converse with any people

who they knew came from such infected places。



But they might as well have talked to the air; for the people of

London thought themselves so plague…free now that they were past all

admonitions; they seemed to depend upon it that the air was restored;

and that the air was like a man that had had the smallpox; not capable

of being infected again。  This revived that notion that the infection

was all in the air; that there was no such thing as contagion from the

sick people to the sound; and so strongly did this whimsy prevail

among people that they ran all together promiscuously; sick and well。

Not the Mahometans; who; prepossessed with the principle of

predestination; value nothing of contagion; let it be in what it will;

could be more obstinate than the people of London; they that were

perfectly sound; and came out of the wholesome air; as we call it; into

the city; made nothing of going into the same houses and chambers;

nay; even into the same beds; with those that had the distemper upon

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