The Story of My Heart, 1883

CHAPTER I: THE STORY OF MY HEART [published Oct. 1883] commences seventeen years ago. In the glow of youth there were times every now and then when I felt the necessity of a strong inspiration of soul thought. My heart was dusty, parched for want of the rain of deep feeling; my mind arid and dry, for there is a dust which settles on the heart as well as that which falls on a ledge. ... When this began to form I felt eager to escape from it, to throw off the heavy clothing, to drink deeply once more at the fresh fountains of life. An inspiration―a long deep breath of the pure air of thought―could alone give health to the heart. There is a hill [Liddington] to which I used to resort at such periods. The labour of walking three miles to it, all the while gradually ascending, seemed to clear my blood of the heaviness accumulated at home. On a warm summer day the slow continued rise required continual effort, which carried away the sense of oppression.... I began to breathe a new air and to have a fresher aspiration. ... Moving up the sweet short turf, at every step my heart seemed to obtain a wider horizon of feeling; with every inhalation of rich pure air, a deeper desire. The very light of the sun was whiter and more brilliant here. By the time I had reached the summit I had entirely forgotten the petty circumstances and the annoyances of existence. I felt myself, myself.

24 May 2016

Event: Tewkesbury and John Moore


A VISIT TO THE JOHN MOORE MUSEUM
41 Church Street, Tewkesbury, Glos. GL20 5SN
Thursday 14 July 2016.
Meet at the John Moore Museum
at 10.45am for 11am start.


Peter Bainbridge is organising a guided walk around the John Moore Museum, the Merchant’s House, the Old Baptist Chapel and to places associated with Moore in Tewkesbury along with a talk about John Moore. The charge will be £8.00 per person. The Museum is closed between 1-2pm. 

Simon Lawton, the Curator, has suggested that he gives his talk about John Moore first and that would take place in the Chapel. There will be time to visit other places of interest in Tewkesbury and take lunch there. Allow for a 4pm finish.

For more information email Pete on treasurer@richardjefferiessociety.co.uk




The John Moore Museum is nestled in a row of historic timber-framed buildings close to the Abbey in Tewkesbury. The museum was established in 1980 in memory of the writer and naturalist John Moore. Today it is also home to an extensive Natural History collection featuring specimens of mammals and birds native to the British countryside, woodlands, wetlands and farmland. A few doors away is The Merchant’s House, a two storey building which has been restored and furnished to show the construction of a 15th century shop and dwelling. The museum has also recently taken over the management of the Old Baptist Chapel, originally a late Medieval Hall house which was later converted for use as a non-conformist meeting house, that will be open to the public after May this year.