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　　society，carefulofitspleasuresandcomforts，livingwiththemoralideas

　　andasfaraspossibleinthemanneroftherich。TherivalryoftheMethodist

　　movementhadgivenacertainstimulustozeal，andtheVicarofCorsleyin

　　Wilts，17*forexample，addedasecondservicetothedutiesoftheSunday，

　　thoughguardinghimselfexpresslyagainsttheadmissionofanyobligation

　　tomakeitpermanent。Butitwasfoundimpossibletoeradicatefromthesystem

　　certainofthevicesthatbelongtoasocietywhichisprimarilyaclass。

　　Someofthebishopssetthemselvestoreducethepracticeofnon-residence。

　　Porteus，BishopofLondon，devotedagreatpartofhischargetohisclergy

　　in1790tothissubject，andthoughhepleadedpassionatelyforreformhe

　　cannotbesaidtohaveshuthiseyestothedifficultiesoftheclergy。’There

　　are，indeed，twoimpedimentstoconstantresidencewhichcannoteasilybe

　　surmounted；thefirstiswhatfortunatelyprevailsinsomepartsofthis

　　dioceseunwholesomenessofsituation；theotheristhepossessionofasecond

　　benefice。Yeteventhesewillnotjustifyatotalandperpetualabsencefrom

　　yourcures。Theunhealthinessofmanyplacesisoflateyearsbyvarious

　　improvementsgreatlyabated，andtherearenowfewsocircumstancedasnot

　　toadmitofresidencethereinsomepartoftheyearwithoutanydangerto

　　theconstitution。’ThusevenBishopPorteus，whointhisverychargereminded

　　theclergythattheywerecalledbythetitlesofstewards，watchmen，shepherds，

　　andlabourers，neverwentthelengthofthinkingthattheChurchwastobe

　　expectedtoministertothepoorinallweathersandinallclimates。

　　Theexertionsofthereformingbishopsdidnotachieveaconspicuoussuccess，

　　forthesecondofthedifficultiestouchedonbyPorteuswasinsurmountable。

　　InhisLegacytoParsons，Cobbett，quotingfromtheClericalGuide，showed

　　that332parsonssharedtherevenuesof1496parishes，and500moreshared

　　thoseof1524。AmongthepluralistswereLordWalsingham，whobesidesenjoying

　　apensionof&#163；700ayear，wasArchdeaconofSurrey，PrebendaryofWinchester，

　　RectorofCalbourne，RectorofFawley，perpetualCurateofExbury，andRector

　　ofMerton；theEarlofGuildford，RectorofOldAlresford，RectorofNew

　　Alresford，perpetualCurateofMedsted，RectorofSt。Mary，Southampton，

　　includingthegreatparishofSouthStoneham，MasterofSt。CrossHospital，

　　withtherevenueoftheparishofSt。Faithalongwithit。Therewerethree

　　Pretymansdividingfifteenbenefices，andWellington’sbrotherwasPrebendary

　　ofDurham，RectorofBishopwearmouth，RectorofChelsea，andRectorofTherfield。

　　Thismethodoftreatingtheparson’sprofessionasacomfortablecareerwas

　　socloselyentangledinthesystemofaristocracy，thatnoGovernmentwhich

　　representedthoseinterestswouldeverdreamoftouchingit。Parliamentintervened

　　indeed，butintervenedtoprotectthosewholivedontheseabuses。Forbefore

　　1801therewereActsofParliamentontheStatuteBook21HenryVIII。c。

　　13，and13Elizabethc。20，whichprovidedcertainpenaltiesfornon-residence。

　　In1799acertainMr。Williamslaidinformationsagainsthundredsofthe

　　clergyforoffencesagainsttheseActs。Parliamentrepliedbypassingaseries

　　ofActstostayproceedings，andfinallyin1803SirWilliamScott，member

　　fortheUniversityofOxford，passedanActwhichallowedthebishopsto

　　authoriseparsonstoresideoutoftheirparishes。Itisnotsurprisingto

　　findthatin1812，outoftenthousandincumbents，nearlysixthousandwere

　　non-resident。

　　Intheparisheswheretheincumbentwasnon-resident，iftherewasaclergyman

　　atallintheplace，itwasgenerallyacurateonamiserablepittance。Bishop

　　Porteus，inthechargealreadymentioned，givessomeinterestinginformation

　　aboutthesalariesofcurates：’Itisalsohighlytothehonourofthisdiocese

　　thatingeneralthestipendsallowedtothecuratesaremoreliberalthan

　　inmanyotherpartsofthekingdom。InseveralinstancesIfindthatthe

　　stipendforonechurchonlyis&#163；50ayear；fortwo&#163；60andthe

　　useofaparsonage；andintheunwholesomepartsofthediocese&#163；70

　　andeven&#163；80thatis&#163；40foreachchurch，withthesameindulgence

　　ofahousetoresidein。’Manyoftheparishesdidnotseemuchofthecurate

　　assignedtothem。’Amanmusthavetravelledverylittleinthekingdom，’

　　saidArthurYoungin1798，’whodoesnotknowthatcountrytownsaboundwith

　　curateswhoneverseetheparishestheyserve，butwhentheyareabsolutely

　　forcedtoitbyduty。’18*Buttheill-paidcurate，evenwhenhewasresident

　　andconscientious，asheoftenwas，movedlikethepluralistrectorinthe

　　orbitoftherich。Hewasinthatworldthoughnotofit。Allhishopeshung

　　onthesquire。Tohavetakenthesideofthepooragainsthimwouldhave

　　meantruin，andtheEnglishChurchwasnotanurseryofthiskindofheroism。

　　Itissignificantthatalmosteveryeighteenth-centurynovelistputsatleast

　　onesycophanticparsoninhisorhergalleryofportraits。19*

　　Inadditiontothesocialtiesthatdrewtheclergytothearistocracy，

　　therewasapowerfuleconomichindrancetotheirfriendshipwiththepoor。

　　DeTocquevillethoughtthatthetithesystembroughttheFrenchpriestinto

　　interestingandtouchingrelationswiththepeasant：aviewthathasseemed

　　fancifultolaterhistorians，whoaremoreimpressedbythequarrelsthat

　　resulted。ButdeTocquevillehimselfcouldscarcelyarguethatthetithe

　　systemhelpedtowarmtheheartofthelabourertotheChurchofEngland

　　incasessuchasthoserecordedintheParliamentaryPaperissuedin1833，

　　inwhichparsonmagistratessentworkingmentoprisonforrefusingtopay

　　tithestotheirrector。Daylabouringmenhadoriginallybeenexemptedfrom

　　liabilitytopaytithes，butjustastheFrenchChurchbroughtmoreandmore

　　ofthepropertyandindustryoftheStatewithinherconfiscatinggrasp，

　　sotheEnglishParliament，fromthereignofWilliamIII，hadbeendrawing

　　theparson’snetmorecloselyroundthelabourer。Moreover，asweshallsee

　　inalaterchapter，thequestionoftitheswasintheverycentreofthe

　　socialagitationsthatendedintherisingof1830anditsterriblepunishment。

　　Inthisparticularquarrelthefarmersandlabourerswereonthesameside，

　　andtheparsonsasabodystoodoutfortheirownpropertywithasmuchdetermination

　　asthelandlords。

　　InonerespecttheChurchtookanactivepartinoppressingthevillage

　　poor，forWilberforceandhisfriendsstarted，justbeforetheFrenchRevolution，

　　aSocietyfortheReformationofManners，whichaimedatenforcingtheobservance

　　ofSunday，forbiddinganykindofsocialdissipation，andrepressingfreedom

　　ofspeechandofthoughtwhenevertheyrefusedtoconformtothesuperstitions

　　ofthemorosereligionthatwastheninfashion。Thiscampaignwasdirected

　　againstthelicenseofthepooralone。TherewerenostocksfortheSabbath-breakers

　　ofBrooks’s：aGibbonmighttakewhatlibertieshepleasedwithreligion：

　　thewildestMethodistnevertriedtoshackletheloosetonguesortheloose

　　livesofthegayrich。TheattitudeoftheChurchtotheexcessesofthis

　　classiswelldepictedinFielding’saccountofParsonSupple，whonever

　　remonstratedwithSquireWesternforswearing，butpreachedsovigorously

　　inthepulpitagainstthehabitthattheauthoritiesputthelawsveryseverely

　　inexecutionagainstothers，’andthemagistratewastheonlypersoninthe

　　parishwhocouldswearwithimpunity。’Thisdescriptionmightseemtoborder

　　onburlesque，butthereisanentryinWilberforce’sdiarythatrevealsa

　　stateofmindwhichevenFieldingwouldhavefounditimpossibletocaricature。

　　WilberforcewasstayingatBrighton，andthisishisdescriptionofanevening

　　hespentatthePavilionwiththefirstgentlemanofEurope：’ThePrince

　　andDukeofClarencetooverycivil。PrinceshowedhehadreadCobbett。Spoke

　　stronglyoftheblasphemyofhislatepapersandmostjustly。’20*Wecan

　　onlyhopethatSheridanwastheretoenjoythescene，andthatthePrince

　　wasableforoncetodojusticetohisstrongfeelingsinlanguagethatwould

　　notshockWilberforce’sears。

　　MenlikeWilberforceandthemagistrateswhomheinspireddidnotpunish

　　therichfortheirdissolutebehaviour；theyonlyfoundinthatbehaviour

　　anotherargumentforcoercingthepoor。Astheywatchedthedishevelledlives

　　ofmenlikeGeorgeSelwyntheironeideaofactionwastopunishavillage

　　labourer，forneglectingchurchonSundaymorning。Wehaveseenhowthecottagers

　　paidinEnclosureBillsfortheirlords’adventuresatplay。Theypaidalso

　　fortheirlords’dissipationsinthelossofinnocentpleasuresthatmight

　　havebroughtsomecolourintotheirgreylives。Themoreboisterousthefun

　　atAlmack’s，thedeeperthegloomthrownoverthevillage。TheSelectCommittee

　　onAllotmentsthatreportedin1843foundoneofthechiefcausesofcrime

　　inthelackofrecreations。SheridanatonetimeandCobbettatanothertried

　　torevivevillagesports，butsocialcircumstancesweretoostrongforthem。

　　InthisrespecttheFrenchpeasanthadtheadvantage。Babeau’spictureof

　　hisgayandsociableSundaymaybeoverdrawn，butacomparisonofCrabbe’s

　　descriptionoftheEnglishSundaywithcontemporarydescriptionsofSunday

　　asitwasspentinaFrenchvillage，showsthatthespiritofcommongaiety，

　　killedinEnglandbyPuritanismandbythedestructionofthenaturaland

　　easy-goingrelationsofthevillagecommunity，survivedinFrancethrough

　　allthetribulationsofpovertyandfamine。Theeighteenth-centuryFrench

　　villagestillborearesemblanceinfacttothemedievalEnglishvillage，

　　andGoldsmithhasrecordedinTheTravellerhisimpressionsof’mirth

　　andsocialease。’Babeaugivesanaccountofagreatvarietyofvillagegames，

　　fromtheviolentcontestsinBrittanyforthe’choule，’inoneofwhichfourteen

　　playersweredrowned，tothegentlerdancesandthechildren’srompsthat

　　weregeneralinotherpartsofFrance，andArthurYoungwasverymuchstruck

　　bytheagilityandthegracethattheheavypeasantsdisplayedindancing

　　onthevillagegreen。Windham，speakinginabadcause，thedefenceofbull-baiting

　　in1800，laidstressonthecontrast：’InthesouthofFianceandinSpain，

　　attheendoftheday’slabour，andinthecooloftheevening’sshade，the

　　poordanceinmirthfulfestivityonthegreen，tothesoundoftheguitar。

　　Butinthiscountrynosuchsourceofamusementpresentsitself。Ifthey

　　dance，itmustbeofteninamarsh，orintherain，forthepleasureofcatching

　　cold。Butthereisasubstituteinthiscountrywellknownbythenameof

　　Hops。Weallknowthealarmwhichtheverywordinspires，andthesoundof

　　thefiddlecallsforththemagistratetodissolvethemeeting。Menbredin

　　ignoranceoftheworld，andhavingnoopportunityofmixinginitsscenes

　　orobservingitsmanners，maybemuchworseemployedthaninlearningsomething

　　ofitscustomsfromtheatricalrepresentations；butifacompanyofstrolling

　　playersmaketheirappearanceinavillage，theyarehuntedimmediatelyfrom

　　itasanuisance，except，perhaps，therebeafewpeopleofgreaterwealth

　　intheneighbourhood，whosewivesanddaughterspatronizethem。’21*Thus

　　alltheinfluencesofthetimeconspiredtoisolatethepoor，andthechanges，

　　destructiveoftheirfreedomandhappiness，thatweretakingplaceintheir

　　socialandeconomicsurroundings，wereaggravatedbyarevivalofPuritanism

　　whichhelpedtorobvillagelifeofallitsnaturalmelodyandcolour。

　　Cf。caseofapprentice，AnnualRegister，1819，p。195。

　　PoorLawReport，1817；insomecasestherewereamicablearrangements

　　tokeepdownlegalexpenses；e。g。，atHalifaxEden，theoverseerformed

　　asocietyoftheofficersofadjoiningparishes。Caseswerereferredtothem，

　　andthedecisionofthemajoritywasaccepted。

　　WealthofNations，vol。iii，p。234。

　　LifeinanEnglishVillage，byMaudeF。Davies，p。58。InquiryintotheStateofthePublicMindamongtheLowerClasses，

　　TheparsonsunderSquireAllworthy’sroof，theparsontowhomPamela

　　appealedinvain，and，moststrikingofall，MrCollinsinPrideandPrejudice。