THE NINETEENTH CENTURY 153 



ideas of such of the peasantry as remained, and of the 

 labourers who represented the old peasant class. The 

 country parson had none of the char- 

 and ms^ent. acteristics of the village priest of the 

 Middle Ages. He was, indeed, in his social 

 status above even the leaseholding farmers, and, as 

 a rule, squires and parsons ranked together, meeting 

 on terms of social equality. The poorer parsons, and 

 there were many very poor benefices, were tied to their 

 homes, and here they devoted their spare time to some 

 attractive hobby such as archaeology or natural history. 

 But the men with private property or richer benefices 

 took an active part in country life. They attended the 

 social functions of the gentry, often shot and sometimes 

 hunted with them, and took part in other forms of 

 sport. Some sat on the Boards of Guardians, many 

 were magistrates. Such men belonged to the govern- 

 ing class, and many indeed held what was called the 

 ' family living.' Sometimes the parson was himself the 

 squire, and so earned the nickname of ' squarson.' The 

 typical country parson of the XlXth century was above 

 all things a ' gentleman.' In religious matters he kept 

 clear of the controversies of the time, avoiding fervour 

 and adopting the moderate view, whilst in political life 

 he supported, as a rule, the squire's party. Thus inspired, 

 he took a friendly interest in the farmers, their wives 

 and families, and in a kindly if somewhat patronizing 

 spirit did something by the administration of doles to 

 alleviate the miserable condition of the impoverished 

 labourers. But when the labourers showed indepen- 

 dence and made a struggle for better conditions, the 

 parsons rarely actively supported them. 



The influence of the Nonconformists was of a dis- 

 tinctly different character. The chapels of the more 



