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　　Bills，weretoreceivecompensation；buttherewasnotalkofcompensation

　　forthestolenlivelihoodofapinderorachimneypeeper，astherehadbeen

　　forthelostpickingsoftheofficialsofParliament，orastherewaswhenever

　　anunhappyaristocratwasmadetosurrenderoneofhissinecures。George

　　Selwyn，whohadbeenPaymasteroftheWorksfortwenty-sevenyearsatthe

　　timethatBurke’sActof1782deprivedhimofthatprofitabletitle，was

　　notallowedtolanguishverylongonthetwosinecuresthatwereleftto

　　him。In1784PittconsoledhimwiththelucrativenameofSurveyor-General

　　ofCrownLands。Thepinderandtheviewerreceivedadifferentkindofjustice。

　　Fortherichthereiscompensation，astheweaversaidinDisraeli’sSybil，

　　but’sympathyisthesolaceofthepoor。’Inthiscase，ifthetruthbetold，

　　eventhissolacewasnotadministeredwithtooliberalahand。

　　Alltheseclassesandinterestswerescatteredbyenclosure，butitwas

　　notonegenerationalonethatwasstruckdownbytheblow。Forthecommons

　　werethepatrimonyofthepoor。Thecommoner’schild，howeverneedy，was

　　bornwithaspooninhismouth。Hecameintoaworldinwhichhehadashare

　　andaplace。Thecivilisationwhichwasnowsubmergedhadspeltasortof

　　independencefortheobscurelineageofthevillage。Ithadrepresented，

　　too，theimportanceoftheinterestofthecommunityinitssoil，andin

　　thisaspectalsotherobberyofthepresentwaslessimportantthantherobbery

　　ofthefuture。Foroneactofconfiscationblottedoutaprincipleofpermanent

　　valuetotheState。

　　Theimmediateconsequencesofthispolicywereonlypartiallyvisible

　　tothegoverningorthecultivatedclasses。TherulersofEnglandtookit

　　forgrantedthatthelossesofindividualswerethegainsoftheState，and

　　thatthedistressesofthepoorweretheconditionofpermanentadvance。

　　Modernapologistshaveadoptedthesameview；andthepopularresistance

　　toenclosureisoftencomparedtothewildandpassionatefurythatbroke

　　againstthespinningandweavingmachines，thesymbolsandenginesofthe

　　IndustrialRevolution。Historyhasdrawnacurtainoverthosedaysofexile

　　andsuffering，whencottageswerepulleddownasifbyaninvader’shand，

　　andfamiliesthathadlivedforcenturiesintheirdalesorontheirsmall

　　farmsandcommonsweredrivenbeforethetorrent，losing

　　’Estateandhouseandalltheirsheep，Aprettyflock，andwhichforaughtIknowHadclothedtheEwbanksforathousandyears。’

　　Ancientpossessionsandancientfamiliesdisappeared。Butthefirstconsequence

　　wasnottheworstconsequence：sofarfromcompensatingforthismisery，

　　theultimateresultwasstillmoredisastrous。Thegoverningclasskilled

　　bythispolicythespiritofarace。Thepetitionsthatareburiedwiththeir

　　briefandunavailingpathosintheJournalsoftheHouseofCommons

　　arethelastvoiceofvillageindependence，andtheunnamedcommonerswho

　　bravedthedangersofresistancetosendtheirdoomedproteststotheHouse

　　ofCommonsthatobeyedtheirlords，werethelastoftheEnglishpeasants。

　　Thesewerethemen，itisnotunreasonabletobelieve，whomGrayhadinmind

　　whenhewrote：——

　　’SomevillageHampdenthatwithdauntlessbreastThelittletyrantofhisfieldswithstood，’

　　AswereadthedescriptionsofthestateofFrancebeforetheRevolution，

　　thereisonefactthatcomfortstheimaginationandbracestheheart。We

　　readoftheintolerableservicesofthepeasant，ofhisforcedlabour，his

　　confiscatedharvests，hiscrushingburdens，hispainfulandhumiliatingtasks，

　　includinginsomecaseseventhedutyofprotectingthesleepoftheseigneur

　　fromthecroakingoftheneighboringmarshes。ThemindofArthurYoungwas

　　filledwiththisimpressionofunsupportableservitude。Butamorediscerning

　　eyemighthaveperceivedatruththatescapedtheEnglishtraveller。Itis

　　containedinanentrythatoftengreetsusintheofficialreportsonthe

　　stateoftheprovinces：ceseigneurlitigeavecsesvaissaux。Thosefewwords

　　flashlikeagleamofthedawnacrossthissombreandmelancholypage。The

　　peasantmaybeoverwhelmedbythed&icirc；me，thetaille，thecorv&eacute；e，

　　thehundredandoneservicesthatknithistenuretothecapriceofalord：

　　hemaybewretched，brutal，ignorant，ill-clothed，ill-fed，andill-housed：

　　buthehasnotlosthisstatus：heisnotacasualfigureinadriftingproletariat：

　　hebelongstoacommunitythatcanwithstandtheseigneur，disputehisclaims

　　atlaw，resumeitsrights，recoveritspossessions，andestablish，oneday，

　　itsindependence。

　　InEnglandthearistocracydestroyedthepromiseofsuchadevelopment

　　whenitbrokethebackofthepeasantcommunity。Theenclosurescreateda

　　neworganisationofclasses。Thepeasantwithrightsandastatus，witha

　　shareinthefortunesandgovernmentofhisvillage，standinginrags，but

　　standingonhisfeet，makeswayforthelabourerwithnocorporaterights

　　todefend，nocorporatepowertoinvoke，nopropertytocherish，noambition

　　topursue，bentbeneaththefearofhismasters，andtheweightofafuture

　　withouthope。Noclassintheworldhassobeatenandcrouchingahistory，

　　andiftheblazingricksin1830oncethreatenedhisrulerswiththeanguish

　　ofhisdespair，innochapterofthathistorycouldithavebeenwritten，

　　’Thisparishisatlawwithitssquire。’Fortheparishwasnolongerthe

　　communitythatofferedthelabourerfriendshipandshelteredhisfreedom：

　　itwasmerelytheshadowofhispoverty，hishelplessness，andhisshame。

　　’Gotoanale-housekitchenofanoldenclosedcountry，andthereyouwill

　　seetheoriginofpovertyandPoor-rates。Forwhomaretheytobesober？

　　Forwhomaretheytosave？Fortheparish？IfIamdiligent，shallIhave

　　leavetobuildacottage？IfIamsober，shallIhavelandforacow？If

　　Iamfrugal，shallIhavehalfanacreofpotatoes？Youoffernomotives；

　　youhavenothingbutaparishofficerandaworkhouse！——Bringmeanother

　　pot。’16*

　　1。SeetheEvidenceofWitnessesbeforetheCommitteeonCommonsInclosure

　　of1844。Baily，land-agent：’GeneralcustomtogivetheLordofManor1/16th

　　ascompensationforhisrightsexclusiveofthevalueofmineralsandof

　　hisrightsasacommonrightowner。’AnotherwitnessCoulson，asolicitor

　　definedthesurfacerightsas’gameandstockage，’andsaidthattheproportion

　　determinedupontheresultofabargainbeforehand。

　　2。’Manysmallproprietorshavebeenseriouslyinjuredbybeingobliged

　　inpursuanceofill-framedprivatebillstoenclosurelandswhichnewerrepaid

　　theexpense。’Marshall，TheAppropriationandEnclosuresofCommonable

　　andIntermixedLands，1801，p。52。

　　3。CostofEnclosure——TheexpensesofparticularActsvariedverymuch。

　　BillingsleyinhisReportonSomersetp。57gives&#163；3anacre

　　asthecostofenclosingalowlandparish，&#163；2，10s。foranuplandparish。

　　Theenclosureofthe12，000acreKing’sSedgmoorIbid。，p。196camewith

　　thesubdivisionstonolessthan&#163；59，624，4s。8d。，ornearly&#163；5

　　anacre。StanwellEnclosure，ontheotherhand，cametoabout23s。anacre，

　　andvariousinstancegivenintheReportforBedfordshireworkout

　　ataboutthesamefigure。Whentheallotmentstothetithe-ownersandthe

　　lordofthemanorwereexempted，thesumperacrewouldofcoursefallmore

　　heavilyontheotherallottees，e。g。，ofLouth，wheremorethanathirdof

　　the1701acresenclosedwereexempt。Inmanycases，ofcourse，landwassold

　　tocoverexpenses。Thecostoffencingallotmentswouldalsovaryindifferent

　　localities。InSomerset，from7s。7d。to8s。7d。for20feetofquickset

　　hedgewascalculated，inBedfordshire，10s。6d。perpole。Seealsoforexpense

　　Hasbach，pp。64，65，andGeneralReportonEnclosures，Appendix，xvii。

　　MainItems：——

　　Countrysolictor’sfeesfordrawingupBillandattendingintown；

　　AttendanceofwitnessesatHouseofCommonsandHouseofLordstoprove

　　thatStandingOrdershadbeencompliedwith；

　　Expensesofpersonstogetsignaturesofconsentsandafterwardstoattend

　　togetconsentofprincipalproprietors；

　　ExpenseofParliamentarysolicitor，20gs。，butmoreifopposition；

　　Expenseofcounseliftherewasopposition；

　　Parliamentfees，seep。76。

　　InquiryintotheAdvantagesandDisadvantagesresultingfromBills

　　ofEnclosure，1789，p。14。

　　Cf。Ashelworth，Cheshunt，Knaresborough。

　　Previoustoenclosurethereweretwenty-fivefarmers；thelandisnow

　　dividedamongfiveorsixpersonsonly。

　　Itwasthenconfidentlysaidthatseveralpoorpersonsactuallyperished

　　fromwant，andsogreatwastheoutcrythatsomeofthefarmerswerehissed

　　inthepublicmarketatBicester。

　　Dunkin’sOxfordshire，pp。2and3。

　　F。Moore，ConsiderationsontheExorbitantPriceofProprietors，

　　1773，p。22；quotedbyLevy，p。27。

　　EssayontheNatureandMethodofascertainingthespecificShare

　　ofProprietorsupontheInclosureofCommonfields，withobservationson

　　theinconveniencesofcommonfields，etc。，p。22。

　　TheKirton，SuttertonandWigtoftLincsActsprescribedapenalty

　　fortakingturforsodafterthepassingoftheAct，of&#163；10，andin

　　defaultofpaymentimprisonmentintheHouseofCorrectionwithhardlabour

　　forthreemonths。

　　TheonlyprovisionforthepoorintheMauldenAct，36Geo。III，

　　c。65wasafuelallotmentasacompensationfortheancientusageofcutting

　　peatormoorturf。Thetrusteesrector，churchwardenandoverseerswere

　　todistributetheturftopoorfamilies，andweretopayanysurplusfrom

　　therentoftheherbagetothepoorrates。

　　AtSt。NeotsagentlemancomplainedtoArthurYoungin1791thatin

　　theenclosurewhichtookplacesixteenyearsbefore，’thepoorwereill-treated

　　byhavingabouthalfaroodgiventheminlieuofacowkeep，theinclosure

　　ofwhichlandcostingmorethantheycouldafford，theysoldthelotsat

　　&#163；5，themoneywasdrankoutattheale-house，andthemen，spoiledby

　　thehabit，came，withtheirfamiliestotheparish。’——AnnualsofAgriculture，

　　ChapterFiveTheLabourerin1795

　　Inanunenclosedvillage，aswehaveseen，thenormallabourerdidnot

　　dependonhiswagesalone。Hislivelihoodwasmadeupfromvarioussources。

　　Hisfiringhetookfromthewaste，hehadacoworapigwanderingonthe

　　commonpasture，perhapsheraisedalittlecroponastripinthecommon

　　fields。Hewasnotmerelyawageearner，receivingsomuchmoneyaweekor

　　adayforhislabour，andbuyingallthenecessariesoflifeatashop：he

　　receivedwagesasalabourer，butinparthemaintainedhimselfasaproducer。

　　Further，theactualmoneyrevenueofthefamilywasnotlimitedtothelabourer’s

　　earnings，forthedomesticindustriesthatflourishedinthevillagegave

　　employmenttohiswifeandchildren。

　　Inanenclosedvillageattheendoftheeighteenthcenturytheposition

　　oftheagriculturallabourerwasverydifferent。Allhisauxiliaryresources

　　hadbeentakenfromhim，andhewasnowawageearnerandnothingmore。Enclosure

　　hadrobbedhimofthestripthathetilled，ofthecowthathekeptonthe

　　villagepasture，ofthefuelthathepickedupinthewoods，andoftheturf

　　thathetorefromthecommon。Andwhileasocialrevolutionhadsweptaway

　　hispossessions，anindustrialrevolutionhadsweptawayhisfamily’searnings。

　　Tofamilieslivingonthescaleofthevillagepoor，eachoftheselosses

　　wasacripplingblow，andthetotaleffectofthechangeswastodestroy

　　theireconomicindependence。

　　Someoftheseauxiliaryresourceswerenotvaluedveryhighlybytheupper

　　classes，andmanychampionsofenclosureprovedtotheirownsatisfaction

　　thattheadvantage，forexample，oftherightofcuttingfuelwasquiteillusory。

　　Suchwritershadaverysuperficialknowledgeofthelotofthecottagers。

　　Theyarguedthatitwouldbemoreeconomicalforthelabourertospendon

　　hisordinaryemploymentthetimehedevotedtocuttingfuelandturf，and

　　tobuyfiringoutofhiswages：anargumentfromthetheoryofthedivision

　　oflabourthatassumedthatemploymentwasconstant。Fortunatelywehave，

　　thankstoDavies，averycarefulcalculationthatenablesustoformrather

　　acloserjudgment。Heestimates1*thatamancouldcutnearlyenoughin

　　aweektoservehisfamilyalltheyear，andasthefarmerswillgivethe

　　carriageofitinreturnfortheashes，heputsthetotalcostat10s。a

　　year，oralittlemorethanaweek’swages。2*Ifwecomparethiswithhis

　　accountsofthecostoffuelelsewhere，wesoonseehowessentialcommon

　　fuelrightsweretoalabourer’seconomy。AsSidleshaminSurrey，forinstance，