ENCLOSURES, 1770-1820 67 



Formerly lie liad no need for money ; home production 

 satisfied liis domestic wants : exchange or mutual accom- 

 modation supplied whatever he could not fashion for him- 

 self. Wealth only existed in its simplest forms ; natural 

 divisions of employment were not made, because only the 

 rudest implements of production were used. The rapid 

 development of manuflvcture caused its complete separation 

 from agriculture ; the application of machinery to manual 

 industries completed the revolution in social arrangements ; 

 a division of labour became an economic necessity. The 

 farmer and the artisan became mutually dependent ; barter 

 no longer sufficed, but money was absolutely necessary. 

 Hitherto the rude implements required for the cultivation 

 of the soil, or the household utensils needed for the com- 

 fort of daily life, had been made at home. The farmer, 

 his sons, and his servants, in the long winter evenings 

 carved the wooden spoons, the platters, and the beechen 

 bowls ; plaited wicker baskets ; fitted handles to the tools ; 

 cut willow teeth for rakes and harrows, and hardened 

 them in the fire ; fashioned ox-yokes and forks ; twisted 

 willows into the traces and other harness gear. Travelling 

 carpenters visited farmhouses at rare intervals to perform 

 those parts of work which needed their professional skill. 

 The women plaited the straw for the neck-collars, stitched 

 and stuffed sheepskin bags for the cart saddle, wove the 

 straw or hempen stirrups and halters, peeled the rushes for 

 and made the candles. The spinning-wheel, the distaff, 

 and the needle were never idle ; coarse home-made cloth 

 and linen supplied all wants ; every farmhouse had its 

 brass brewing kettle. The very names of spinster, brewster, 

 baxter, webster, showed that the women spun, brewed, 

 baked, and wove for the household. All the domestic 

 industries by which cultivators of the soil increased their 



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