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　　Fromthebeginningoftheeighteenthcenturythereinsarethrowntothe

　　enclosuremovement，andthepolicyofenclosureisemancipatedfromallthese

　　checksandafterthoughts。OneinterestissupremethroughoutEngland，supreme

　　inParliament，supremeinthecountry；theCrownfollows，thenationobeys。

　　Theagriculturalcommunitywhichwastakentopiecesintheeighteenth

　　centuryandreconstructedinthemannerinwhichadictatorreconstructs

　　afreegovernment，wasthreatenedfrommanypoints。Itwasnotkilledby

　　avaricealone。Cobbettusedtoattributetheenclosuremovemententirely

　　tothegreedofthelandowners，but，ifgreedwasasufficientmotive，greed

　　wasinthiscaseclothedandalmostenvelopedinpublicspirit。Letusremember

　　whatthiscommunitylookedliketomenwiththemindofthelandlordclass。

　　TheEnglishlandownershavealwaysbelievedthatorderwouldberesolved

　　intoitsoriginalchaos，iftheyceasedtocontrolthelivesanddestinies

　　oftheirneighbours。’Agreatresponsibilityrestsonuslandlords；ifwe

　　go，thewholethinggoes。’SosaysthelandlordinMr。Galsworthy’snovel，

　　andsosaidthelandlordsintheeighteenthcentury。TheEnglisharistocracy

　　alwaysthinkingofthisclassasthepillarsofsociety，astheAtlasthat

　　bearstheburdenoftheworld，verynaturallyconcludedthatthisoldpeasant

　　community，withitstroublesomerights，wasapublicencumbrance。Thisview

　　receivedaspecialimpetusfromallthecircumstancesoftheage。Thelandlord

　　classwasconstantlybeingrecruitedfromtheranksofthemanufacturers，

　　andthenewlandlords，bringingintothischarmedcircleanenergyoftheir

　　own，caughtatonceitstasteforpower，fordirection，forauthority，for

　　imposingitswill。ReadersofShirleywillrememberthatwhenRobertMoore

　　picturestohimselfafutureofusefulnessandsuccess，hesaysthathewill

　　obtainanActforenclosingNunnelyCommon，thathisbrotherwillbeput

　　onthebench，andthatbetweenthemtheywilldominatetheparish。Thebook

　　endsinthisdreamoftriumph。Signorialpositionowesitsspeciallustre

　　forEnglishmindstotheassociationofsocialdistinctionwithpowerover

　　thelifeandwaysofgroupsofmenandwomen。WhenBagehotsneeredatthe

　　suddenmillionairesofhisday，whohopedtodisguisetheirsocialdefects

　　bybuyingoldplacesandhidingamongaristocraticfurniture，hewasremarking

　　onafeatureofEnglishlifethatwasveryfarfrombeingpeculiartohis

　　time。DidnotAdamSmithobservethatmerchantswereverycommonlyambitious

　　ofbecomingcountrygentlemen？Thiskindofambitionwastheformthatpublic

　　spiritoftentookinsuccessfulEnglishmen，anditwasaverypowerfulmenace

　　totheoldvillageanditstraditionsofcollectivelife。

　　Nowthispassionreceivedatthistimeaspecialmomentumfromthecondition

　　ofagriculture。Adictatorshiplendsitselfmorereadilythananyotherform

　　ofgovernmenttothequickintroductionofrevolutionaryideas，andnewideas

　　wereintheair。Thus，inadditiontothedesireforsocialpower，there

　　wasbehindtheenclosuremovementazealforeconomicprogressseconding

　　andalmostconcealingthedirectinspirationofself-interest。Manyanenclosing

　　landlordthoughtonlyofthesatisfactionofdoublingortreblinghisrent：

　　thatisunquestionable。Ifwearetotrustsowarmachampionofenclosure

　　asWilliamMarshall，thiswasthestateofmindofthegreatmajority。But

　　thereweremanywhoseeyesglistenedastheythoughtoftheprosperitythey

　　weretobringtoEnglishagriculture，applyingtoawiderandwiderdomain

　　thelessonsthatweretobelearntfromtheprocessesofscientificfarming。

　　AmanwhohadcaughtthelargeideasofaCoke，ormasteredthediscoveries

　　ofaBakewell，chafedundertherestraintsthatthesystemofcommonagriculture

　　placedonimprovementandexperiment。Itwasmaddeningtohavetosetyour

　　pacebytheslowbucolictemperamentofsmallfarmers，nursedinasimple

　　andold-fashionedroutine，wholookedwithsuspiciononanyproposalthat

　　wasstrangetothem。Inthistiresomepartnershiptheswiftwereputbetween

　　theshaftswiththeslow，andthetemptationtothinkthatwhatwaswanted

　　wastogetridofthepartnershipaltogether，wasalmostirresistible。From

　　suchastatethemindpassedrapidlyandnaturallytotheconclusionthat

　　thewiderthespherebroughtintotheabsolutepossessionoftheenlightened

　　class，thegreaterwouldbethepublicgain。ThespiritinwhichtheBoard

　　ofAgricultureapproachedthesubjectfoundappropriateexpressioninSir

　　JohnSinclair’shigh-soundinglanguage。’Theideaofhavinglandsincommon，

　　ithasbeenjustlyremarked，istobederivedfromthatbarbarousstateof

　　society，whenmenwerestrangerstoanyhigheroccupationthanthoseofhunters

　　orshepherds，orhadonlyjusttastedtheadvantagestobereapedfromthe

　　cultivationoftheearth。’16*ArthurYoung17*comparedthewithitsinconveniences

　　’whichthebarbarityoftheirancestorshadneitherknowledgetodiscover

　　norgovernmenttoremedy’totheTartarpolicyoftheshepherdstate。

　　Itisnotsurprisingthatmenundertheinfluenceofthesesetideascould

　　findnovirtueatallintheoldsystem，andthattheysoonbegantopersuade

　　themselvesthatthatsystemwasatthebottomofalltheevilsofsociety。

　　Itwasharmfultothemoralsanduselesstothepocketsofthepoor。’The

　　benefit，’wroteArbuthnot，18*’whichtheyaresupposedtoreapfromcommons，

　　intheirpresentstate，Iknowtobemerelynominal；nay，indeed，whatis

　　worse，Iknow，that，inmanyinstances，itisanessentialinjurytothem，

　　bybeingmadeapleafortheiridleness；for，somefewexcepted，ifyouoffer

　　themwork，theywilltellyou，thattheymustgotolookuptheirsheep，

　　cutfurzes，gettheircowoutofthepound，or，perhaps，saytheymusttake

　　theirhorsetobeshod，thathemaycarrythemtoahorse-raceorcricket-match。’

　　LordSheffield，inthecourseofoneofthedebatesinParliament，described

　　thecommonersasa’nuisance，’andmostpeopleofhisclassthoughtofthem

　　assomethingworse。Mr。JohnBillingsley，whowrotetheReportonSomerset

　　fortheBoardofAgriculturein1795，describesinsomedetailtheenervating

　　atmosphereofthecommoners’life。’Besides，moraleffectsofaninjurious

　　tendencyaccruetothecottager，fromarelianceontheimaginarybenefits

　　ofstockingacommon。Thepossessionofacowortwo，withahog，andafew

　　geese，naturallyexaltsthepeasant，inhisownconception，abovehisbrethren

　　inthesamerankofsociety。Itinspiressomedegreeofconfidenceinaproperty，

　　inadequatetohissupport。Insaunteringafterhiscattle，heacquiresa

　　habitofindolence。Quarter，half，andoccasionallywholedaysareimperceptibly

　　lost。Daylabourbecomesdisgusting；theaversionincreasesbyindulgence；

　　andatlengththesaleofahalf-fedcalf，orhog，furnishesthemeansof

　　addingintemperancetoidleness。’19*Mr。Bishton，whowrotetheReport

　　onShropshirein1794，givesastillmoreinterestingglimpseintothemind

　　oftheenclosingclass：’Theuseofcommonlandbylabourersoperatesupon

　　themindasasortofindependence。’Whenthecommonsareenclosed’thelabourers

　　willworkeverydayintheyear，theirchildrenwillbeputouttolabour

　　early，’and’thatsubordinationofthelowerranksofsocietywhichinthe

　　presenttimesissomuchwanted，wouldbetherebyconsiderablysecured。’

　　AsimilarviewwastakenofthemoraleffectsofcommonsbyMiddleton，

　　thewriteroftheReportonMiddlesex。20*’Ontheotherhand，theyare，

　　inmanyinstances，ofrealinjurytothepublic；byholdingoutalureto

　　thepoorman——Imeanofmaterialswherewithtobuildhiscottage，andground

　　toerectitupon：togetherwithfiringandtherunofhispoultryandpigs

　　fornothing。Thisisofcoursetemptationsufficienttoinduceagreatnumber

　　ofpoorpersonstosettleuponthebordersofsuchcommons。Butthemischief

　　doesnotendhere：forhavinggainedthesetriflingadvantages，throughthe

　　neglectorconnivanceofthelordofthemanor，itunfortunatelygivestheir

　　mindsanimproperbias，andinculcatesadesiretolive，fromthattimeforward，

　　withoutlabour，oratleastwithaslittleaspossible。’

　　OneofthewitnessesbeforetheSelectCommitteeonCommonsInclosure

　　in1844wasMr。CarusWilson，whoisinterestingastheoriginalofthecharacter

　　ofMr。BrocklehurstinJaneEyre。WeknowhowthatzealousChristianwould

　　regardthecommonersfromthespeechinwhichhereprovedMissTemplefor

　　givingthepupilsatLowoodalunchofbreadandcheeseononeoccasionwhen

　　theirmeagrebreakfasthadbeenuneatable。’Oh，madam，whenyouputbread

　　andcheese，insteadofburntporridge，intothesechildren’smouths，you

　　mayindeedfeedtheirvilebodies，butyoulittlethinkhowyoustarvetheir

　　immortalsouls！’WearenotsurprisedtolearnthatMr。CarusWilsonfound

　　thecommoners’hardenedandunpromising，’andthathewasobligedtoinform

　　thecommitteethat。themisconductwhichthesystemencouraged’hardensthe

　　heart，andcausesagooddealofmischief，andatthesametimeputsthe

　　personinanunfavourablepositionfortheapproachofwhatmightbeserviceable

　　tohiminamoralandreligiouspointofview。’21*

　　Itisinteresting，afterreadingalltheseconfidentgeneralisationsabout

　　theinfluenceofthiskindoflifeuponthecharacterofthepoor，tolearn

　　whatthecommonersthemselvesthoughtofitsmoralatmosphere。Thiswecan

　　dofromsuchapetitionasthatsentbythesmallproprietorsandpersons

　　entitledtorightsofcommonatRaunds，inNorthamptonshire。Theseunfortunate

　　peoplelosttheirrightsbyanEnclosureActin1797，andduringtheprogress

　　oftheBilltheypetitionedParliamentagainstit，intheseterms：’That

　　thePetitionersbegLeavetorepresenttotheHousethat，underPretence

　　ofimprovingLandsinthesaidParish，theCottagersandotherPersonsentitled

　　toRightofCommonontheLandsintendedtobeinclosed，willbedeprived

　　ofaninestimablePrivilege，whichtheynowenjoy，ofturningacertainNumber

　　oftheirCows，Calves，andSheep，onandoverthesaidLands；aPrivilege

　　thatenablesthemnotonlytomaintainthemselvesandtheirFamiliesinthe

　　depthofWinter，whentheycannot，evenfortheirMoney，obtainfromthe

　　OccupiersofotherLandsthesmallestPortionofMilkorWheyforsuchnecessary

　　Purpose，but，inadditiontothis，theycannowsupplytheGrazierwithyoung

　　orleanStockatareasonablePrice，tofattenandbringtoMarketatamore

　　moderateRateforgeneralConsumption，whichtheyconceivetobethemost

　　rationalandeffectualWayofestablishingPublicPlentyandCheapnessof

　　Provision；andtheyfurtherconceive，thatamoreruinousEffectofthis

　　InclosurewillbethealmosttotaldepopulationoftheirTown，nowfilled

　　withboldandhardyHusbandmen，fromamongwhom，andtheInhabitantsofother

　　openParishes，theNationhashithertoderiveditsgreatestStrengthand

　　Glory，intheSupplyofitsFleetsandAries，anddrivingthem，fromNecessity

　　andWantofEmploy，invastCrowds，intomanufacturingTowns，wherethevery

　　NatureoftheirEmployment，overtheLoomortheForge，soonmaywastetheir

　　Strength，andconsequentlydebilitatetheirPosterity，andbyimperceptible

　　degreesobliteratethatgreatPrincipleofObediencetotheLawsofGodand

　　theirCountry，whichformstheCharacterofthesimpleandartlessVillagers，

　　moreequallydistributedthroughtheOpenCountries，andonwhichsomuch

　　dependsthegoodOrderandGovernmentoftheState：Thesearesomeofthe

　　InjuriestothemselvesasIndividuals，andoftheillConsequencestothe

　　Public，whichthePetitionersconceivewillfollowfromthis，astheyhave

　　alreadydonefrommanyInclosures，butwhichtheydidnotthinktheywere

　　entitledtolaybeforetheHousetheConstitutionalPatronandProtector

　　ofthePooruntilitunhappilycametotheirownLottobeexposedtothem

　　throughtheBillnowpending。’22*

　　Whenwerememberthattheenterpriseoftheagewasunderthespellof

　　themostseductiveeconomicteachingofthetime，andthattheoldpeasant

　　society，wearingasitdidthelookofconfusionandweakness，hadtofear

　　notonlythesimplifyingappetitesofthelandlords，butthesimplifying

　　philosophy，inEnglandofanAdamSmith，inFranceofthePhysiocrats，we

　　canrealisethatarulingclasshasseldomfoundsoplausibleanatmosphere

　　forthefreeplayofitsinterestsandideas。Descrimessontflatt&eacute；s

　　d’&ecirc；trepr&eacute；sid&eacute；sparunevertu。Benthamhimselfthought

　　thespectacleofanenclosureoneofthemostreassuringofalltheevidences

　　ofimprovementandhappiness。Indeed，alltheelementsseemedtohaveconspired

　　againstthepeasant，foraesthetictaste，whichmightatothertimeshave

　　restrained，intheeighteenthcenturyencouragedthedestructionofthecommons

　　andtheirroughbeauty。Theragefororderandsymmetryandneatcultivation

　　wasuniversal。ItfoundexpressioninBurnet，whosaidoftheAlpsandAppenines

　　thattheyhadneitherformnorbeauty，neithershapenororder，anymore

　　thanthecloudsoftheair：inJohnson，whosaidoftheHighlandsthat’the

　　uniformityofbarrennesscanaffordverylittleamusementtothetraveller；’

　　andinCobbett，whosaidoftheCotswolds，’thisisasortofcountryhaving

　　lesstopleasetheeyethananyotherthatIhaveeverseen，alwayssave

　　andexcepttheheathslikethoseofBagshotandHindhead。’Theenjoyment

　　ofwildnaturewasalostsense，toberediscoveredonedaybytheRomanticists

　　andtheRevolution，buttoolatetohelptheEnglishvillage。InFrance，

　　owingtovariouscauses，parteconomic，partpolitical，onwhichweshall

　　touchlater，thepeasantpersistedinhisancientandridiculoustenure，

　　andsurvivedtobecometheenvyofEnglishobserver：itwasonlyinEngland

　　thathelosthisfooting，andthathisancientpatrimonyslippedawayfrom

　　him。