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　　toagreatage，andbutlittleabletowork，shegrewtobeseriouslyafraid，

　　that，atlast，shemightbecomechargeabletotheparishtheheaviest，in

　　herestimation，ofallhumancalamities，andthatthusalarmedshedidsuffer

　　herselfmorethanonce，duringtheexacerbationsofafitofdistempered

　　despondency，peevishlyandperhapspetulantlytoexclaimthatGodAlmighty，

　　bysufferinghertoremainsolonguponearth，seemedactuallytohaveforgotten

　　her。’’Such，’concludesEden，’arethesimpleannalsofDameStrudwick：and

　　herhistorian，partialtohissubject，closesitwithlamentingthatsuch

　　villagememoirshavenotoftenerbeensoughtforandrecorded。’2*This

　　wastheidealcharacterforthecottage。HowEdenoranybodyelsewouldhave

　　hatedthispoorwomaninwhomeverykindlyfeelinghadbeenstarvedtodeath

　　ifshehadbeeninhisownclass！WeknowfromCreeveywhathisfriendsthought

　　of’thestingykip’Lambtonwhentheyfoundthemselvesunderhisroof，where

　　’aroundofbeefatasidetablewasrunatwithasmuchkeennessasabanker’s

　　shopbeforeastoppage。’AlittlepeevishnessorevenpetulancewithGod

　　Almightywouldnothaveseemedthemostseriouschargethatcouldbebrought

　　againstsuchaneighbour。ButifeveryvillagerhadhadDameStrudwick’s

　　hardandnarrowvirtues，andhadcrushedallothertastesandinterestsin

　　thepassionforlivingonashillingadayinacoldandbitterindependence，

　　theproblemofpreservingthemonopoliesofthefewwithoutdisorderortrouble

　　wouldhavebeengreatlysimplified。Therewouldhavebeenlittledanger，

　　asBurkewouldhavesaid，thatthefruitsofsuccessfulindustryandthe

　　accumulationsoffortunewouldbeexposedto’theplunderofthenegligent，

　　thedisappointed，andtheunprosperous。’

　　Thewayinwhichtherulingclassregardedthepoorisillustratedin

　　thetoneofthediscussionswhentheproblemofpovertyhadbecomeacute

　　attheendoftheeighteenthcentury。WhenPitt，whohadbeenpesteredby

　　Edentoreadhisbook，handedavolumetoCanning，thenhissecretary，that

　　brilliantyoungpoliticianspenthistimewritingaparodyonthegrotesque

　　namestohefoundintheAppendix，anditwillberecollectedthatPittexcused

　　himselfforabandoninghisschemeforreformingthePoorLaw，ontheground

　　thathewasinexperiencedintheconditionofthepoor。Itwasnoshameto

　　apoliticiantobeignorantofsuchsubjects。Thepoorwerehappyorunhappy

　　intheviewoftherulingclassaccordingtothesympathytherichbestowed

　　onthem。Iftherewereoccasionalmisgivingstheywereeasilydispelled。

　　Thusonephilosopherpointedoutthatthoughthepositionofthepoorman

　　mightseemwantingindignityorindependence，itshouldberememberedby

　　wayofconsolationthathecouldplaythetyrantoverhiswifeandchildren

　　asmuchasheliked。3*Anothertrainofsoothingreflectionswasstarted

　　bysuchpapersasthatpublishedintheAnnalsofAgriculturein1797，

　　underthetitle’OntheComfortsenjoyedbytheCottagerscomparedtothose

　　oftheancientBarons。’Insuchasocietyasentimentlikethatexpressed

　　byFoxwhensupportingWhitbread’sBillin1795，that’itwasnotfitting

　　inafreecountrythatthegreatbodyofthepeopleshoulddependonthe

　　charityoftherich，’seemedachallengingparadox。Edenthoughtthisan

　　extraordinarywayoflookingattheproblem，andretortedthatitwasgratifying

　　toseehowreadytherichweretobestowtheirbenevolentattentions。This

　　wasthepointofviewofPittandofalmostallthespeakersinthedebate

　　thatfollowedFox’soutburst，Buxtongoingsofarastosaythatowingto

　　thoseattentionstheconditionofthepoorhadneverbeen’soeligible。’

　　JustastheboisterouscaptaininEvelinathoughtitwasanhonourtoawretched

　　FrenchwomantoberolledinBritishmud，sotheEnglishHouseofCommons

　　thoughtthatpovertywasturnedintoapositiveblessingbythekindness

　　oftherich。

　　Writingtowardstheendoftheancientr&eacute；gime，Cobbettmaintained

　　thatinhisownlifetimethetoneandlanguageofsocietyaboutthepoor

　　hadchangedverygreatlyfortheworse，thattheoldnameof’thecommons

　　ofEngland’hadgivenwaytosuchnamesas’thelowerorders，’’thepeasantry，’

　　and’thepopulation，’andthatwhenthepoormettogethertodemandtheir

　　rightstheywereinvariablyspokenofbysuchcontumelioustermsas’the

　　populace’or’themob。’’Inshort，bydegreesbeginningaboutfiftyyears

　　agotheindustriousPartofthecommunity，particularlythosewhocreate

　　everyusefulthingbytheirlabour，havebeenspokenofbyeveryonepossessing

　　thepowertooppresstheminanydegreeinjustthesamemannerinwhich

　　wespeakoftheanimalswhichcomposethestockuponafarm。Thisisnot

　　themannerinwhichtheforefathersofus，thecommonpeople，weretreated。’4*

　　Suchlanguage，Cobbettsaid，wastobeheardnotonlyfrom’tax-devourers，

　　bankers，brewers，monopolistsofeverysort，butalsofromtheirclerks，

　　fromtheveryshopkeepersandwaiters，andfromthefribblesstuckupbehind

　　thecountertodothebusinessthatoughttobedonebyagirl。’Thisis

　　perhapsonlyanotherwayofsayingthattheisolationofthepoorwasbecoming

　　amoreandmoreconspicuousfeatureofEnglishsociety。

　　Manycausescombinedtodestroythecompanionshipofclasses，andmost

　　ofallthebreak-upoftheoldvillagewhichfollowedontheenclosuresand

　　theconsolidationoffarms。Intheoldvillage，labourersandcottagersand

　　smallfarmerswereneighbours。Theykneweachotherandlivedmuchthesame

　　kindoflife。Thesmallfarmerwasafarmeronedayoftheweekandalabourer

　　another；hemarried，accordingtoCobbett，thedomesticservantofthegentry，

　　afactthatexplainstheremarkofSophiaWestern’smaidtothelandlady

　　oftheinn，’andletmehavethebaconcutveryniceandthin，forIcan’t

　　endureanythingthat’sgross。Prytheetryifyoucan’tdoalittletolerably

　　foronce；anddon’tthinkyouhaveafarmer’swifeorsomeofthosecreatures

　　inthehouse。’Thenewfarmerlivedinadifferentlatitude。Hemarrieda

　　youngladyfromtheboardingschool。Heoftenoccupiedtheoldmanorhouse。5*

　　Hewasdividedfromthelabourerbyhistastes，hisinterests，hisambitions，

　　hisdisplayandwholemanneroflife。ThechangethatcameovertheEnglish

　　villageinconsequencewasapparenttoallobserverswithsocialinsight。

　　WhenGoldsmithwantedtodescribeahappyvillagehewascarefultochoose

　　avillageoftheoldkind，withthefarmers’strangersaliketoopulence

　　andtopoverty，’andCrabbe，towhosesincereandrealistpenweowemuch

　　ofourknowledgeofthesociallifeofthetime，givesaparticularlypoignant

　　impressionofthecoldandfriendlessatmospherethatsurroundedthepoor：

　　’WherePlentysmiles，alas！shesmilesforfew，Andthosewhotastenot，yetbeholdherstore，Areastheslavesthatdigthegoldenore，Thewealtharoundthemmakesthemdoublypoor。’6*

　　Perhapsthemostvividaccountofthechangeisgiveninaletterfrom

　　CobbettinthePoliticalRegisterfor17thMarch1821，7*

　　addressedtoMr。Gooch：——

　　’IholdareturntosmallfarmstobeabsOlutelynecessarytoarestoration

　　toanythinglikeanEnglishcommunity；andIamquitesure，thattheruin

　　ofthepresentraceoffarmers，generally，isanecessarypreliminaryto

　　this……Thelifeofthehusbandmancannotbethatofagentlemanwithout

　　injurytosocietyatlarge。Whenfarmersbecomegentlementheirlabourers

　　becomeslaves。AVirginianfarmer，asheiscalled，verymuchresemblesa

　　greatfarmerinEngland；butthen，theVirginian’sworkisdonebyslaves。

　　ItisinthoseStatesofAmerica，wherethefarmerisonlythefirstlabourer

　　thatallthedomesticvirtuesaretobefound，andallthatpublic-spirit

　　andthatvalour，whicharethesafeguardsofAmericanindependence，freedom，

　　andhappiness。You，Sir，withothers，complainoftheincreaseofthepoor-rates。

　　But，youseemtoforget，that，inthedestructionofthesmallfarms，as

　　separatefarms，small-farmershavebecomemerehiredlabourers……TakeEngland

　　throughoutthreefarmshavebeenturnedintoonewithinfiftyyears，and

　　thefargreaterpartofthechangehastakenplacewithinthelastthirty

　　years；thatistosay，sincethecommencementofthedeadlysystemofPitt。

　　Insteadoffamiliesofsmallfarmerswithalltheirexertions，alltheir

　　decencyofdressandofmanners，andalltheirscrupulousnessastocharacter，

　　wehavefamiliesofpaupers，withalltheimprovidenceandwrecklessness

　　belongingtoanirrevocablesentenceofpovertyforlife。Mr。Curweninhis

　　HintsonAgriculture，observesthathesawsomewhereinNorfolk，Ibelieve

　　itwas，twohundredfarmersworthfromfivetotenthousandpoundseach；

　　andexclaims“Whataglorioussight！”Incommentingonthispassage

　　intheRegister，intheyear1810，Iobserved“Mr。Curwenonlysaw

　　theoutsideofthesepulchre；ifhehadseenthetwoorthreethousandhalf-starved

　　labourersofthesetwohundredfarmers，andthefiveorsixthousandragged

　　wivesandchildrenofthoselabourers；ifthefarmershadbroughtthosewith

　　them，thesightwouldnothavebeensoglorious。”’

　　ApracticereferredtointhesameletterofCobbett’sthattendedto

　　widenthegulfbetweenthefarmerandthelabourerwastheintroductionof

　　bailiffs：’Alongwithenormouspricesforcorncameintheemploymentof

　　Bailiffsbyfarmers，anaturalconsequenceoflargefarms；andtowhata

　　degreeofinsolentfollythesystemwasleading，maybeguessedfromanobservation

　　ofMr。ArthurYoung，whorecommended，thattheBailiffshouldhaveagood

　　horsetoride，andabottleofportwineeverydayathisdinner：whilein

　　thesamework，Mr。Younggivesgreatnumbersofrulesforsavinglabourupon

　　afarm。Aprettysortoffarmwherethebailiffwastohaveabottleofport

　　wineathisdinner！Thecustomwas，too，tobringbailiffsfromsomedistant

　　part，inordertopreventthemfromhavinganyfeelingofcompassionfor

　　thelabourers。Scotchbailiffsaboveall，werepreferred，asbeingthought

　　harderthananyothersthatcouldbeobtained；andthuswithshameIwrite

　　thewords！thefarmsofEngland，likethoseofJamaica，weresuppliedwith

　　driversfromScotland！……Neverwasatruersaying，thanthatofthecommon

　　people，thataScotchmanmakesa“goodsole，butad——dbadupper

　　leather。”’8*Bamford，speakingof1745，says：’Gentlementhenlived

　　astheyoughttolive：asrealgentlemenwilleverbefoundliving：inkindliness

　　withtheirneighbours；inopenhandedcharitytowardsthepoor，andinhospitality

　　towardsallfriendlycomers。Therewerenogrindingbailiffsandlandstewards

　　inthosedaystostandbetwixtthegentlemanandhislabourerorhistenant：

　　toscrewuprentsandscrewdownlivings，andtoinventandtransactall

　　littlemeannessesforsomuchperannum。’9*Cobbett’sprejudiceagainst

　　Scotsmen，theraceof’feelosofers，’blindedhimtovirtueswhichwerenotoriously

　　theirs，asinhisrounddeclarationthatallthehardworkofagriculture

　　wasdonebyEnglishmenandIrishmen，andthattheScotsmenchosesuchtasks

　　as’peepingintomelonframes。’Butthathisremarksuponthesubjectof

　　theintroductionofScottishbailiffsreflectedageneralfeelingmaybe

　　seenfromapassageinMissAusten’sEmma，’Mr。Grahamintendstohavea

　　Scotchbailiffforhisnewestate。Willitanswer？Willnottheoldprejudice

　　betoostrong？’

　　Thechangeinthestatusofthefarmercameatatimeofageneralgrowth

　　ofluxury。Allclassesabovethepooradoptedamoreextravagantandostentatious

　　styleandscaleofliving。Thiswastrue，forexample，ofsportingEngland。

　　Fox-huntingdatesfromthiscentury。Beforetheeighteenthcenturytheamusement

　　ofthearistocracywashuntingthestag，andthatofthecountrysquirewas

　　huntingthehare。ItwasbecauseWalpolekeptbeaglesatRichmondandused

　　tohuntonceaweekthattheHouseofCommonshasalwaysmadeSaturdaya

　　holiday。InthePeninsularWar，Wellingtonkeptapackofhoundsatheadquarters，

　　buttheywerefox-hounds。Initsearlydaysfox-huntinghadcontinuedthe

　　simplertraditionsofhare-hunting，andeachsmallsquirekeptafewcouple

　　ofhoundsandbroughtthemtothemeet。Grayhasdescribedhisuncle’sestablishment

　　atBurnham，whereeverychairinthehousewastakenupbyadog。Butas

　　thecenturyadvancedthesportwasorganisedonagranderscale：theold

　　buck-houndsandslowhorsesweresupersededbymoreexpensivebreeds，and

　　fargreaterdistanceswerecovered。Foxhuntingbecametheamusementboth

　　ofthearistocracyandofthesquires，anditresembledratherthepompand

　　stateofstag-huntingthanthemodestpleasuresofWalpoleandhisfriends。

　　Inallotherdirectionstherewasageneralincreaseofmagnificenceinlife。

　　Theeighteenthcenturywasthecenturyofgreatmansions，andsomeofthe

　　mostsplendidpalacesofthearistocracywerebuiltduringthedistressand

　　famineoftheFrenchwar。Theambitionsofthearistocracybecametheambitions

　　oftheclassesthatadmiredthem，asweknowfromSmollett，andSirWilliam

　　Scottin1802，speakinginfavourofthenon-residenceoftheclergy，’expressly

　　saidthattheyandtheirfamiliesoughttoappearatwatering-places，and

　　thatthiswasamongstthemeansofmakingthemrespectedbytheirflocks！’10*

　　Therichandthepoorwerethusgrowingfurtherandfurtherapart，and