THE MALIGNED LANDOWNERS 



help his tenantry over their difficulties. Had 

 it been otherwise the counties would never have 

 stood, as they have in so many instances, by the 

 landed interest, subjected as it was to an un- 

 paralleled storm of abuse, and sent to Parliament 

 the very men whom, they were told, were their 

 worst enemies. Happily, country-side folk have 

 not yet accepted as gospel the doctrine that every 

 rich man is an idler and every idler is a rich man, 

 for Hodge is not such a fool as some political 

 leaders appear to fancy him. I have seen enough 

 of landowners during the best part of fifty years 

 to be able to say this much on their behalf with 

 a clear conscience. 



93 



