296 AWAKENING OF ENGLAND. 



simplicity, and its display of wealth has an 

 influence which certainly does not make for 

 righteousness, there is a splendid opportunity 

 in rural England awaiting members of the 

 educated classes who are not dependent upon 

 either large farmers or the landowning class 

 for their livelihood, to exercise an influence 

 for good. 



Some one may remind me that there is the 

 country doctor, sometimes the lawyer and 

 the auctioneer, and always the clergyman, to 

 help to make rural life more bearable for the 

 poor who labour with their hands. 



There are, it is true, these gentlemen ; 

 but can any one say, excepting in very rare 

 instances, that either the doctor or the land- 

 agent, the lawyer or the parson, have sufficient 

 courage to battle for the poor, when in fight- 

 ing it means contending against farmers and 

 landowners, on whom professional men in the 

 country are largely dependent for their daily 

 bread ? 



Indeed, I have found that in cases of rural 

 sanitation concerning schools and cottages, 

 the doctor, while agreeing entirely with me 

 or any other sanitarian, has begged to be 

 excused from uttering any public opinion on 



