THE ENGLISH PEASANTRY. 



Daily Telegraph, February 22, 1875. 



" Information as to the state of agricultural labour, and the life of the labourer, 

 his wages, his domesticity, the truck system, allotments, migration and emigra- 

 tion, with other less conspicuous but still important matters connected with 

 modern husbandry, was wanted in a less cumbrous and more accessible form 

 than that of Parliamentary Blue Books ; and as the bulky reports of the Royal 

 Commission on the employment of women and children in field work, besides 

 being arranged with little consideration for popular requirement, bring down the 

 statistics of the question only as late as 1869, an intelligent work on the subject 

 seemed s > greatly in demand, that the public might be thankful for much smaller 

 benefits than Mr. Francis George Heath's chapters on ' The English Peasantry ' 

 supply. ... A chapter of great interest is given to the history of Canon Girdle- 

 stone's efforts in establishing the system of peasant migration with which this 

 philanthropic Churchman's name is associated. . . . Another very readable and 

 instructive chapter is devoted to a biographical sketch of the remarkable founder 

 of the National Agricultural Labourers' Union, Joseph Arch. But the value of 

 the book is not in its merely personal references, or in its graphic style. Ques- 

 tions of practical import are passed ably in review, such as the farmers' griev- 

 ances ; the serious depopulation of West of England districts ; agricultural 

 children and their education ; the attitude of the Church ; and the future of the 

 English peasantry. Every chapter in the work may be read with profit by all 

 who have the national well-being at heart." 



Pall Mall Gazette. 



" A volume which is likely to command attention. Mr. Heath has accumu- 

 lated a large amount of serviceable information ; so that his boo which is read- 

 able throughout, will be found also useful for reference. . . . The noble work 

 done by Canon Girdlestone is described with many interesting details. . . ." 



Standard 

 "... The author brings together much that it is well to be reminded of." 



Hour. 

 " It L in every way most readable." 



Daily News. 

 " The author's conclusions deserve serious consideration. 



Examiner. 



" The author is fearless in his facts and eloquent in his description of them. . . 

 A book more deeply interesting to any one with a moderate share of sympathy 

 for the less fortunate of their fellow creatures has not been issued from the press 

 for many a day. . . . Mr. Heath is just such a writer as the subject requires 

 cairn, sensible, fully informed." 



Guardian. 



" Mr. Heath is always outspoken, candid, and thoroughly honest. He invari- 

 ably endeavours to state his case fairly and truly, and never willingly perverts 

 his facts even in the apparent interest of the cause for which he is so pleasantly 

 enthusiastic." 



Academy. 

 " Mr. Heath's narrative well deserves attention. 1 * 



Observer. 



"... A most valuable and timely addition to the literature of the Agricul- 

 tural Labourers' movement." 



JoJm BulL 

 " It is cleverly written. . . .** 



