Harbord。ItwasMarshallwhosuggestedthecreationofaBoardofRuralAffairs，
andthepreparationofSurveysandMinutes。Thoughheneverheldanofficial
position，itwasfromhisownchoice，forhepreferredtopublishhisown
MinutesandSurveysratherthantowritethemfortheBoard。Hewasinterested
inphilologyaswellasinagriculture；hepublishedavocabularyofthe
YorkshiredialectandhewasafriendofJohnson，whomheratherscandalised
bycondoningSundaylabourinagricultureunderspecialcircumstances。Nathaniel
Kent1737-1810studiedhusbandryintheAustrianNetherlands，wherehe
hadbeensecretarytoanambassador，andonhisreturntoEnglandin1766
hewasemployedasanestateagentandlandvaluer。Hewroteawell-known
bookHintstoGentlemenofLandedProperty，andhehadconsiderableinfluence
inimprovingthemanagementofvariousestates。
Hewas，forashorttime，bailiffofGeorgeIII’sfarmatWindsor。All
ofthesewriters，thoughtheyareveryfarfromtakingtheviewwhichfound
expressionintheriotsintheLincolnshirefens，orintheanonymouspamphlet
alreadymentioned，addressedsomeveryimportantcriticismsandrecommendations
totheclassthatwasinclosingtheEnglishcommons。BothMarshallandYoung
complainedoftheinjusticeofthemethodofchoosingcommissioners。Marshall，
ardentchampionofenclosureashewas，andnosentimentalistonthesubject
ofthecommoners，wroteamostbitteraccountofthemotivesoftheenclosers。
’Atthisjuncture，itistrue，theownersofmanorsandtithes，whetherclergy
orlaity，menofministryormenofopposition，areequallyonthealert：
nothoweverpressingforwardwithofferingsandsacrificestorelievethe
presentdistressesofthecountry，butsearchingforvantagegroundtoaid
theminthescramble。’12*Holdingthisview，hewasnotunnaturallyill-content
withtheplanoflettingthebiglandlordsnominatethecommissioners，and
proposedthatthelordofthesoilandtheownerorownersoftithesshould
chooseonecommissionereach，thattheownerorownersofpasturageshould
choosetwo，andthatthefourshouldchooseafifth。ArthurYoungproposed
thatthesmallproprietorsshouldhaveashareinthenominationofcommissioners
eitherbyaunionofvotesorotherwise，asmightbedetermined。
ThegeneralengrossingoffarmswasarraignedbyThomasStone，theauthor
ofanimportantpamphlet，Suggestionsforrenderingtheinclosureofcommon
fieldsandwastelandsasourceofpopulationandofriches，1787，whoproposed
thatinfutureenclosuresfarmsshouldbeletoutindifferentsitesfrom
£；40to£；200ayear。HethoughtfurtherthatParliamentshouldconsider
theadvisabilityofforbiddingthealienationofcottagers’property，in
ordertostopthefritteringawayofcottagers’estateswhichwasgeneral
underenclosure。Kent，apassionateenthusiastforenclosing，wasnotless
criticalofthepracticeofthrowingfarmstogether，apracticewhichhad
raisedthepriceofprovisionstothelabourer，andheappealedtolandlords
toaidthedistressedpoorbyreducingthesiteoftheirfarms，aswellas
byraisingwages。Arbuthnot，theauthorofapamphletonAnInquiryinto
theConnectionbetweenthepresentPriceofProvisionsandtheSizeofFarms，
byaFarmer，1773，whohaddefendedthelarge-farmsystemagainstDr。Price，
wrote，’Myplanistoallottoeachcottagethreeorfouracreswhichshould
beannexedtoitwithoutpoweroralienationandwithoutrentwhileunder
thecovenantofbeingkeptingrass。’
Somuchforwritersonagriculture。Buttheeighteenthcenturyproduced
twoauthoritativewritersonsocialconditions。Anystudentofsocialhistory
whowishestounderstandthisperiodwouldfirstturntothethreegreat
volumesofEden’sStateofthePoor，publishedin1797，asastorehouseof
coldfacts。Davies，whowroteTheCaseofLabourersinHusbandry，published
in1795，islessfamousthanhedeservestobe，ifwearetojudgefromthe
factthattheDictionaryofNationalBiographyonlyknowsabouthimthat
hewasRectorofBarkhaminBerkshire，andagraduateofJesusCollege，Oxford，
thathereceivedaD。D。degreein1800，thatheistheauthorofthisbook，
andthathedied，perhaps，intheyear1809。ButDavies’book，whichcontains
theresultofmostcarefulandpatientinvestigation，madeaprofoundimpression
oncontemporaryobservers。Howlettcalledit’incomparable，’anditisimpossible
forthemodernreadertoresistitsatmosphereofrealityandtruth。This
countryparsongivesusasimple，faithfulandsincerepictureofthefacts，
seenwithoutillusionorprejudice，andfreefromalltheconventionalaffectations
ofthetime：apricelesslegacytothosewhoareimpatientofthegeneralisations
withwhichtherichdismissthepoor。Nowbothofthesewriterswarnedtheir
contemporariesofthedangeroftheuncontrolledtendenciesoftheage。Eden
proposedthatineveryenclosureacertainquantityoflandshouldbereserved
forcottagersandlabourers，tobevestedinthewholedistrict。Hespoke
infavourofthecroftersinScotland，anddeclaredthatprovisionofthis
kindwasmadeforthelabouringclassesinthefirstsettledtownshipsof
NewEngland。DavieswasstillmoreemphaticincallinguponEnglandtosettle
cottagersandtoarresttheprocessofengrossingfarms。13*
Thusofalltherememberedwritersoftheperiodwhohadanypractical
knowledgeofagricultureorofthepoor，thereisnotonewhodidnottry
toteachthegoverningclasstheneedforreform，andthedangersofthe
stateintowhichtheywereallowingruralsocietytodrift。Parliamentwas
assailedonallsideswithcriticismsandrecommendations，anditsrefusal
toalteritswayswasdeliberate。
Oftheprotestsofthetimethemostimportantandsignificantcamefrom
ArthurYoung。Nomanhadbeensoimpatientofobjectionstoenclosure：no
manhadtakensosevereanddisciplinaryaviewofthelabourer：nomanhad
dismissedsolightlytheappealsforthepreservationofthefragmentary
possessionsofthepoor。Hehadtaughtaverysimplephilosophy，thatthe
morethelandownerpressedthefarmer，andthemorethefarmerpressedthe
labourer，thebetteritwasforagriculture。Hehadbelievedasimplicitly
asSinclairhimself，andwithapparentlyaslittleefforttomasterthefacts，
thatthecottagerswerecertaintobenefitbyenclosure。Allthisgivespathos，
aswellasforce，tohisremarkablepaper，publishedunderthetitleAnInquiry
intotheProprietyofapplyingWastestothebetterMaintenanceandSupport
ofthePoor。
Theoriginofthisdocumentisinteresting。Itwaswrittenin1801，a
fewyearsaftertheSpeenhamlandsystemhadbeguntofixitselfonthevillages。
Thegrowthofthepoorrateswastroublingthemindsoftheupperandmiddle
classes。ArthurYoung，inthecourseofhistravelsatthistime，stumbled
onthediscoverythatinthoseparisheswherethecottagershadbeenable
tokeeptogetheratinypatchofproperty，theyhadshownaSpartandetermination
torefusetherefugeofthePoorLaw。Whenoncehehadobservedthis，he
madefurtherinvestigationswhichonlyconfirmedhisfirstimpressions。This
openedhiseyestotheconsequencesofenclosureasithadbeencarriedout，
andhebegantoexaminethehistoryoftheseoperationsinanewspirit。
Hethenfoundthatenclosurehaddestroyedwiththepropertyofthepoor
oneofthegreatincentivestoindustryandself-respect，andthathisview
thatthebenefitofthecommonstothepoorwas’perfectlycontemptible，’
and’whenittemptsthemtobecomeownersofcattleorsheepusuallyruinous，’14*
wasfundamentallywrong。Beforetheenclosures，thedespisedcommonshad
enabledthecottagertokeepacow，andthis，sofarfrombringingruin，
hadmeantinverymanycasesallthedifferencebetweenindependenceand
pauperism。HisscrutinyoftheActsconvincedhimthatinrespectofthis
theyhadbeenunjust。’BynineteenoutoftwentyInclosureBillsthepoor
areinjured，andsomegrosslyinjured……Mr。ForsterofNorwich，aftergiving
meanaccountoftwentyinclosuresinwhichhehadactedasCommissioner，
statedhisopinionontheirgeneraleffectonthepoor，andlamentedthat
hehadbeenaccessorytotheinjuringof2000poorpeople，attherateof
twentyfamiliesperparish……Thepoorintheseparishesmaysay，andwith
truth，“Parliamentmaybetenderofproperty：allIknowisthatIhad
acowandanActofParliamenthastakenitfromme。”’
ThispaperappearedontheeveoftheEnclosureActof1801，theActto
facilitateandcheapenprocedure，whichYoungandSinclairhadworkedhard
tosecure。Itwasthereforeanopportunemomentfortryingtotemperenclosure
tothedifficultiesofthepoor。ArthurYoungmadeapassionateappealto
theupperclassestorememberthesedifficulties。’TopassActsbeneficial
toeveryotherclassintheStateandhurtfultothelowestclassonly，when
thesmallestalterationwouldpreventit，isaconductagainstwhichreason，
justiceandhumanityequallyplead。’Hethenproceededtooutlineaconstructive
scheme。Heproposedthattwentymillionsshouldbespentinsettinguphalf
amillionfamilieswithallotmentsandcottages：thefee-simpleofthecottage
andlandtobevestedintheparish，andpossessiongrantedunderanAct
ofParliament，onconditionthatifthefatherorhisfamilybecamechargeable
totherates，thecottageandlandshouldreverttotheparish。Theparishes
weretocarryoutthescheme，borrowingthenecessarymoneyonthesecurity
oftherates。15*’Aman，’hetoldthelandlords，inapassagetouchedperhaps
withremorseaswellaswithcompassion，’willlovehiscountrythebetter
evenforapig。’’Atamoment，’soheconcludes，’whenaGeneralInclosure
ofWastesisbeforeParliament，toallowsuchameasuretobecarriedinto
executioninconformitywiththepracticehitherto，withoutenteringone
voice，howeverfeeble，indefenceoftheinterestsofthepoor，wouldhave
beenawoundtothefeelingsofanymannotlosttohumanitywhohadviewed
thesceneswhichIhavevisited。’
Theappealbrokeagainstadensemassofclassprejudice，andsofaras
anyeffectontheConsolidatingActof1801isconcerned，ArthurYoungmight
neverhavewrittenaline。Thisisperhapsnotsurprising，forweknowfrom
Young’sautobiographyp。350thathedidnotevencarrytheBoardofAgriculture
withhim，andthatLordCarrington，whowasthenPresident，onlyallowed
himtoprinthisappealontheunderstandingthatitwasnotpublishedas
anofficialdocument，andthattheBoardwasinnowayidentifiedwithit。
Sinclair，whosharedYoung’sconversion，hadceasedtobePresidentin1798。
ThecompunctionhetriedtoawakendidaffectanActhereandthere。Awitness
beforetheAllotmentsCommitteeof1843describedthearrangementshecontrived
tointroduceintoanEnclosureAct。ThewitnesswasMr。Demainbray，anadmirable
andmostpublic-spiritedparson，RectorofBroadSomerfordinWiltshire。
Mr。DemainbrayexplainedthatwhentheEnclosureActforhisparishwasprepared
in1806，hehadbeenpressedtoacceptlandinlieuoftithes，andthathe
tooktheopportunitytostipulateforsomeprovisionforthepoor。Asaconsequence
ofhisefforts，halfanacrewasattachedtoeachcottageonthewaste，the
landbeingvestedintherector，churchwardensandoverseersforthetime
being，andeightacreswerereservedforthevillagersforallotmentand
reallotmenteveryEaster。Thisarrangement，whichhadexcellentresults，
’everymanlookingforwardtobecomingamanofproperty，’wascopiedin
severaloftheneighbouringparishes。Dr。Slaterhascollectedsomeother
examples。OneAct，passedin1824forPotterninWiltshire，vestedtheownership
oftheenclosedcommonintheBishopofSalisbury，whowaslordofthemanor，
thevicar，andthechurchwardens，intrustfortheparish。Thetrusteeswere
requiredtoleaseitinsmallholdingstopoor，honestandindustriouspersons，
whohadnot，exceptincasesofaccidentorsickness，availedthemselves
ofPoorLawRelief。16*ThomasStone’sproposalformakinginalienableallotments
tocottagerswasadoptedintwoorthreeActsintheeasterncounties，but
theActsthatmadesomeprovisionforthepoordonotamount，inDr。Slater’s
opinion，tomorethanonepercentoftheEnclosureActspassedbefore1845，17*
andthisviewiscorroboratedbythegreatstresslaidintheReportsof
theSocietyforBetteringtheConditionofthePoor，uponafewcaseswhere
thepoorwereconsidered，andbyastatementmadebyMr。Demainbrayina
pamphletpublishedin1831。18*InthispamphletMr。Demainbrayquoteswhat
Davieshadsaidnearlyfortyyearsearlierabouttheeffectofenclosures
inrobbingthepoor，andthenadds：’Sincethattimemanyhundredenclosures
havetakenplace，butinhowfewofthemhasanyreservebeenmadeforthe
privilegeswhichthepoormanandhisancestorshadforcenturiesenjoyed？’
SomeinterestingprovisionsarecontainedincertainoftheActsofthe
period。AtStanwellthecommissionersweretosetasidesuchparcelasthey
thoughtpropernotexceedingthirtyacres，tobeletoutandtherentsand
profitsweretobegivenforthebenefitofsuchoccupiersandinhabitants
asdidnotreceiveparochialrelieforoccupylandsandtenementsofmore
than£；5ayear，andhadnotreceivedanyallotmentundertheAct。Middleton，