WAGES IN ARTHUR FOUNG'S DAFS. 759 



But evil as the condition of the labourer was as contrasted 

 with that which had been witnessed a century before Elizabeth's 

 age, a contrast which I have attempted to exhibit, though it 

 was a condition which even Henry looked at with uneasiness, 

 even Somerset could not help pitying, but which Elizabeth 

 tried to grapple with, the labourer in husbandry was doomed to 

 still greater penury as the centuries passed on, and to a pros- 

 pect of unrelieved hopelessness. When Young wrote, England 

 was just engaging herself in the struggle with the American 

 colonies. To this foolish effort succeeded another foolish effort, 

 the great Continental war, when manufacturers, merchants, 

 landowners, and farmers, made huge profits out of the miseries 

 of the English peasant and artisan. The working people of 

 England had to bear the great burdens of these struggles, and 

 won none of the gains and glory of those who bragged of their 

 heroism and their sacrifices. The war over, the powerful and 

 rich strove to bolster up their falling rents by enacting that the 

 people should starve before they could be relieved, and that the 

 bounties of Providence and the benefits of trade should be 

 denied to their fellow-countrymen. 



It is proved beyond doubt that during that fearful time 

 which intervened between the outbreak of the Continental 

 war and the repeal of the taxes on food, the heaviest part of the 

 suffering fell on the labouring classes in the towns where manu- 

 factures were carried on. In the country, it became necessary 

 to supplement wages by allowances from the poor-rate, and by 

 constant relief. In course of time, it was seen that pauperism 

 would devour rents and probably in time profits. That the 

 new poor-law was a necessity we may well admit, and sharp as 

 the surgery was, it has been beneficial to the English labourer, 

 because parochial relief, when properly administered, has at- 

 tached discredit to the unworthy recipients of it, but may be 

 made merciful to the prudent, but unfortunate, and considerate 

 to infancy and old age. But like many economical reforms it 

 was taken in the wrong place and time. It should have fol- 

 lowed, not preceded the repeal of the corn-laws. As long as 



