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　　therewasnobodyintheEnglishvillagetointerpretthesetwoworldsto

　　eachother。M。BabeauhaspointedoutthatinFrance，undertheancientr&eacute；gime，

　　thelawyersrepresentedanddefendedinsomedegreetherightsofthepeasants。

　　Thiswasoneconsequenceoftheconstantlitigationbetweenpeasantsand

　　seigneursovercommunalproperty。Thelawyerswhotookthesideofthepeasants

　　livedattheirexpenseitistrue，buttheyrenderedpublicservices，they

　　presentedthepeasants’casebeforepublicopinion，andtheyunderstoodtheir

　　ideasanddifficulties。ThisexplainsastrikingfeatureoftheFrenchRevolution，

　　thelargenumberoflocallawyerswhobecameprominentaschampionsofrevolutionary

　　ideas。OneofBurke’schiefcomplaintsoftheConstituentAssemblywasthat

　　itcontainedsomanycountryattorneysandnotaries，’thefomentersandconductors

　　ofthepettywarofvillagevexation。’11*InEnglandthelawyersnever

　　occupiedthisposition，anditisimpossibletoimaginesuchadevelopment

　　takingplacethere。Thelawyerswhointerestedthemselvesinthepoorwere

　　enlistednotinthedefenceoftherightsofthecommonersbutinthedefence

　　ofthepursesoftheparishes。Forthemtheall-importantquestionwasnot

　　whatrightsthepeasanthadagainsthislord，butonwhichparishhehad

　　aclaimformaintenance。

　　Thecausesoflitigationwereendless：ifamanrentedatenementofthe

　　annualvalueof&#163；10heacquiredasettlement。Buthisrentalmightnot

　　haverepresentedtheannualvalue，andsothefurtherquestionwouldcome

　　up，Wastheannualvalueactually&#163；10？’Ifitmaybereallynotfar

　　fromthatsum，andthefamilyofthepauperbenumerous，theinterestsof

　　thecontendingparishes，supportedbytheconflictingopinionsoftheirrespective

　　surveyors，leadstotheutmostexpenseandextremityoflitigation。’12*

　　Iftheannualvaluewerenotindisputetheremightbeniceandintricate

　　questionsaboutthekindoftenementandthenatureofthetenure：ifthe

　　settlementwasclaimedinvirtueofacontractofhiring，wasthecontract

　　’general，special，customary，retrospective，conditional，personal’orwhat

　　not？13*Ifthesettlementwasclaimedinvirtueofapprenticeship，14*

　　whatwasthenatureoftheindenturesandsoon。Ifclaimedforanestate

　　of&#163；30，wastheestatereallyworth&#163；30，andhowwasitacquired？

　　Theseareafewofthequestionsindispute，andtoaddtotheconfusion

　　’onnobranchofthelawhavethejudgmentsofthesuperiorcourtbeenso

　　contradictory。’15*

　　Thustheprincipaloccupationofthoselawyerswhosebusinessbrought

　　themintotheworldofthepoorwasofanaturetodrawtheirsympathies

　　andintereststothesideofthepossessingclasses，andwhereaspeasants’

　　ideaswereacclimatisedoutsidetheirownclassinFranceasaconsequence

　　ofthecharacterofrurallitigationandofrurallawyers，theEnglishvillager

　　camebeforethelawyer，notasaclient，butasadanger；notasaperson

　　whoserightsandinterestshadtobeexploredandstudied，butasaperson

　　whoseclaimsontheparishhadtobeparriedorevaded。Itisnotsurprising，

　　therefore，tofindthatbothFieldingandSmollettlaygreatstressonthe

　　reputationoflawyersforharshnessandextortionintheirtreatmentofthe

　　poor，regardingthem，likeCarlyle，as’attorneysandlawbeagleswhohunt

　　ravenousontheearth。’ReadersoftheadventuresofSirLauncelotGreaves

　　willrememberTomClarke’whosegoodnessofhearteventheexerciseofhis

　　professionhadnotbeenabletocorrupt。Beforestrangersheneverowned

　　himselfanattorneywithoutblushing，thoughhehadnoreasontoblushfor

　　hisownpractice，forheconstantlyrefusedtoengageinthecauseofany

　　clientwhosecharacterwasequivocal，andwasneverknowntoactwithsuch

　　industryaswhenconcernedforthewidowandorphanoranyotherobjectthat

　　suedinformapauperis。’Fieldingspeaksinafoot-notetoTomJonesofthe

　　oppressionofthepoorbyattorneys，asascandaltothelaw，thenation，

　　Christianity，andevenhumannatureitself。

　　Therewasanotherclassthatmight，underdifferentcircumstances，have

　　helpedtosootheandsoftentheisolationofthepoor，butthepositionand

　　thesympathiesoftheEnglishChurchmadethisimpossible。Thiswasseen

　　veryclearlybyAdamSmith，whowastroubledbythefearthat’enthusiasm，’

　　thereligiousforcesodreadedbythemenofscienceandreason，wouldspread

　　amongthepoor，becausetheclergywhoshouldhavecontrolledandcounteracted

　　itweresolittleintouchwiththemassofthepeople。Underthegovernment

　　oftheAnglicanChurch，assetupbytheReformation，hepointedout，’the

　　clergynaturallyendeavourtorecommendthemselvestothesovereign，tothe

　　court，andtothenobilityandgentryofthecountry，bywhoseinfluence

　　theychieflyexpecttoobtainpreferment。’16*Headdedthatsuchaclergy

　　areveryapttoneglectaltogetherthemeansofmaintainingtheirinfluence

　　andauthoritywiththelowerranksoflife。TheassociationoftheAnglican

　　Churchwiththegoverningclasshasneverbeenmoreintimateandbinding

　　thanitwasduringtheeighteenthcentury。Thiswastruealikeofbishops

　　andofclergy。TheEnglishbishopwasnotagayVoltaireanliketheFrench，

　　buthewasjustaszealousamemberoftheprivilegedorders，andthesystem

　　overwhichhepresidedandwhichhedefendedwasafaintcopyofthegloriously

　　colouredscandalsoftheFrenchChurch。Theprelateswholiveduponthose

　　scandalsweredescribedbyRobespierre，withahumourthathedidnotoften

　　indulge，astreatingthedeityinthesamewayasthemayorofthepalace

　　usedtotreattheFrenchkings。’Ilsl’onttrait&eacute；commeiadisles

　　mairesdupalaistrait&egrave；rentlesdescendantsdeClovispour，regner

　　soussonnometsemettre&agrave；saplace。Ilsl’ontrel&eacute；gu&eacute；

　　danslecielcommedansunpalais，etnel’ontappel&eacute；surlaterre

　　quepourdemanderaleurprofitdesd&icirc；mes，desrichesses，deshonneurs，

　　desplaisirsetdelapuissance。’WhenArchbishopDillondeclaredagainst

　　thecivilconstitutionhesaidthatheandhiscolleaguesactedasgentlemen

　　andnotastheologians。TheArchbishopofAixspokeoftithesasavoluntary

　　offeringfromthepietyofthefaithful。’Astothat，’saidtheDukedela

　　Rochefoucault，’therearenowfortythousandcasesintheCourts。’Boththese

　　archbishopswouldhavefoundthemselvesquiteathomeamongthespiritual

　　peersintheHouseofLords，wherethesamedecoroushypocrisiesmingled

　　withthesameclassatmosphere。FortheEnglishbishops，thoughtheywere

　　notlibertinesliketheFrench，neverlearntsotobeChristiansastoforget

　　tobearistocrats，andtheirreligiousdutieswereneverallowedtointerfere

　　withthedemandsofscholarshiporofpleasure。Perhapsthemostdistinguished

　　productofthisr&eacute；gimewasBishopWatsonofLlandaff，whoinvented

　　animprovedgunpowderanddefendedChristianityagainstPaineandGibbon。

　　Thesewerehisdiversions；hismainbusinesswascarriedonathismagnificent

　　countryscatonthebanksofWindermere。Hewasbishopforthirty-fouryears，

　　andduringthewholeofthattimeheneverlivedwithinhisdiocese，preferring

　　toplaythepartofthegrandseigneurplantingtreesinWestmorland。He

　　hasleftasympatheticandcharmingaccountofwhathemodestlycallshis

　　retirementfrompubliclife，aneventnottobeconfusedwithabdication

　　ofhissee，andofhowhebuiltthepalacewherehespenttheemoluments

　　ofLlandaffandthelongautumnofhislife。

　　Itwasnaturaltomenwholivedinthisatmospheretoseepoliticsthrough

　　thespectaclesofthearistocracy。Tounderstandhowstronglytheviewthat

　　theChurchexistedtoservethearistocracy，andtherestoftheStatethrough

　　thearistocracy，wasfixedinthemindsofthehigherclergy，wehaveonly

　　tolookatthecaseofareformerlikeBishopHorsley。Thebishopischiefly

　　knownasapreacher，acontroversialist，andtheauthorofthecelebrated

　　dictumthatthepoorhadnothingtodowiththelawsexcepttoobeythem。

　　HisbattlewithPriestleyhasbeencomparedtotheencounterofBentleyand

　　Collins，acomparisonthatmaynotgiveHorsleymore，butcertainlygives

　　Priestleylessthanhisdue。WhenhepreachedbeforetheHouseofLordson

　　thedeathofLouisXVIhisaudienceroseandstoodinsilentreverenceduring

　　hisperoration。Thecynicalmayfeelthatitwasnotdifficulttoinspire

　　emotionandaweinsuchacongregationonsuchasubjectatsuchatime，

　　butweknowfromDeQuinceythatHorsley’sreputationasapreacherstood

　　remarkablyhigh。HewasoneoftheleadersoftheChurchinpolitics；for

　　ourpurposesitismoreimportanttonotethathewasoneofthereforming

　　bishops。Amongotherscandalsheattackedthescandalofnon-residence，and

　　hemaybetakenassettinginthisregardthestricteststandardofhistime；

　　yethedidnotscrupletogoandliveinOxfordforsomeyearsastutorto

　　LordGuernsey，duringthetimethathewasRectorofNewington，asplain

　　aconfessionaswecouldwantthatintheestimationofthemostpublic-spirited

　　oftheclergythenobilityhadthefirstclaimsontheChurch。Thesesocial

　　sympathieswereconfirmedbycommonpoliticalinterests。Theprivilegesof

　　thearistocracyandofthebishopswereinfactbounduptogether，andboth

　　bishopsandaristocracyhadgoodreasontoshrinkfrombreakingathread

　　anywhere。Perhapsthemaliciouswouldfindthemostcompleteandpiquant

　　illustrationoftherelationsoftheChurchandthegoverningclassinthe

　　letterwrittenbyDr。GoodenoughtoAddington，whohadjustmadehimdean

　　ofRochester，whentheclerkshipofthePells，worth&#163；3000ayear，was

　　abouttobecomevacant。’IunderstandthatColonelBarr&eacute；isinavery

　　precariousstate。IhopeyouwillhavethefortitudetonominateHarryto

　　behissuccessor。’Harry，Addington’sson，wasaboyatWinchester。Thefather’s

　　fortituderosetotheemergency：thedeanblossomedalittlelaterintoa

　　bishop。

　　ButiftheFrenchandtheEnglishbishopsbothbelongedtothearistocracy

　　infeelingsandinhabits，agreatdifferencedistinguishestherankand

　　fileoftheclergyinthetwocountries。TheFrenchpriestbelongedbycircumstances

　　andbysympathytothepeasantclass。Thebishopregardedthecountrycur&eacute；

　　asunvilainsentantlefumier，andtreatedhimwithaboutasmuchconsideration

　　astheseigneurshowedtohisdependants。Thepriest’squarrelwiththebishop

　　waslikethepeasant’squarrelwiththeseigneur：forbothpriestandpeasant

　　smartedunderthearrogantairsoftheirrespectivesuperiors，andthebishop

　　swallowedupthetithesastheseigneurswallowedupthefeudaldues。Sometimes

　　thecur&eacute；puthimselfattheheadofalocalrebellion。Inthereign

　　ofLouisXVthepriestsroundSaint-Germainledouttheirflockstodestroy

　　thegamewhichdevouredtheircrops，thecampaignbeingannouncedandsanctified

　　fromthepulpit。IntheRevolutionthecommonclergywerelargelyonthe

　　sideofthepeasants。SuchadevelopmentwasinconceivableinEngland。As。the

　　cur&eacute；’swindowslookedtothevillage，theparson’swindowslooked

　　tothehall。Whentheparson’scircumstancesenabledhimtolivelikethe

　　squire，herodetohounds，forthough，asBlackstonetellsus，RomanCanon

　　Law，undertheinfluenceofthetraditionthatSt。Jeromehadonceobserved

　　thatthesaintshadeschewedsuchdiversions，hadinterdictedvenationes

　　etsylvaticasvagationescumcanibusetaccipitribustoallclergymen，this

　　earlyseverityoflifehadvanishedlongbeforetheeighteenthcentury。He

　　treatedthecallsofhisprofessionastriflingaccidentsinterruptinghis

　　normallifeofvigorouspleasure。OnbecomingBishopofChester，Dr。Blomfield

　　astonishedthediocesebyrefusingtolicenseacurateuntilhehadpromised

　　toabstainfromhunting，andbythepainandsurprisewithwhichhesawone

　　ofhisclergycarriedawaydrunkfromavisitationdinner。Onerector，whom

　　herebukedfordrunkenness，repliedwithaninjuredmannerthathewasnever

　　drunkonduty。

　　Therewere，itistrue，clergymenofgreatpublicspiritanddevotedlives，

　　andsuchmenfigureinthesepages，buttheChurch，asawhole，wasaneasy-going