1J INTRODUCTION. Jl 



skilful labour. To assist him in the pursuit of this 

 labour, and in the turning of it to the best account, are 

 the principal objects of the present little work. I pro- 

 pose to treat of brewing Beer, making Bread, keeping 

 Cows and Pigs, rearing Poultry, and of other matters ; 

 and to show, that, while, from a very small piece of 

 ground a large part of the food of a considerable fami- 

 ly may be raised, the very act of raising it will be the 

 best possible foundation of education of the children 

 of the labourer ; that it will teach them a great number 

 of useful things, add greatly to their value when they 

 go forth from their father's home, make them start 

 in life with all possible advantages, and give them the 

 best chance of leading happy lives. And is it not much 

 more rational for parents to be employed in teaching 

 their children how to cultivate a garden, to feed and rear 

 animals, to make bread, beer, bacon, butter and cheese, 

 and to be able to do these things for themselves, or for 

 others, than to leave them to prowl about the lanes and 

 commons, or to mope at the heels of some crafty, sleek- 

 headed pretended saint, who while he extracts the 

 last penny from their pockets, bids them be contented 

 with their misery, and promises them, in exchange 

 for their pence, everlasting glory in the world to come ? 

 It is upon the hungry and the wretched that the fana- 

 tic works. The dejected and forlorn are his prey. 

 As an ailing carcass engenders vermin, a pauperized 

 community engenders teachers of fanaticism, the very 

 foundation of whose doctrines is, that we are to care 

 nothing about this world, and that all our labours and 

 exertions are in vain. 



17. The man, who is doing well, who is in good 

 health, who has a blooming and dutiful and cheerful 

 and happy family about him, and who passes his day 

 of rest amongst them, is not to be made to believe, 

 that he was born to be miserable, and that poverty, 

 the natural and just reward of laziness, is to secure 

 him a crown of glory. Far be it from me to recom- 

 mend a disregard of even outward observances as to 

 matters of religion ; but, can it be religion to believe 

 that God hath made us to be wretched and dejected ? 



