204 A FARMER'S YEAR 



Moreover, in the opinion of many of us benighted farmers and 

 squires, the plan under which the young are taught in rural dis- 

 tricts is wrong fundamentally, being indeed a plan devised by 

 dwellers in cities for the advantage and use of cities. What we 

 seek is a system whereby boys and girls will be instructed in those 

 arts and things which are likely to be serviceable to tillers of the 

 soil and their helpmeets. We desire and ask for a course of edu- 

 cation intended to make the pursuit of agriculture payable and 

 attractive to those who are born to follow it, in the place of teach- 

 ing which, either with or without design, does, in effect, turn their 

 thoughts and feet from the country to the town. 



Sir J. Gorst tells us that in that educational Utopia, the Upper 

 Engadine, where the distances are great, the climate is inclement, 

 and the difficulties of getting to school are enormous, such a 

 thing as the unnecessary absence of a child is almost unknown, 

 because of the very heavy and progressive fines which in that 

 event are inflicted upon its parents. If I follow his meaning 

 rightly, he seems to suggest that the regulations of the Upper 

 Engadine might with advantage be introduced into England, 

 together with the progressive fines, which apparently, after three 

 days' absence, would amount to about ten shillings, and after a 

 week to I know not how much. 



Well, they may be a patient folk in the Upper I^lngadine, but 

 the public would never stand it here. Indeed, many will think 

 that such fines would be monstrous in this country, where the 

 goods of numbers of the people prosecuted do not amount to a 

 total value of five pounds. 



May 13. — To-day the wages of all labourers on the farm were 

 raised is. a week — 'heigh'ned' is the local term. This improve- 

 ment in the value of labour is consequent on the rise in the price 

 of corn. Probably corn will br down again after harvest, and 

 wages with it. 



J/(rj'3i. After polling on the 12th I came here to Kessing- 



