MARLBOROUGH COLLEGE. 113 



farming, and can satisfy my men, and capital fellows they all are, 

 that they receive at least their share, which I acknowledge is not 

 much, of the spoils which my land produces. " But in hope we 

 plough, in hope we sow, in hope we are all led," and I also hojje in 

 time, as my land improves, to get a fair return for capital expended. 



It would be a happy thing for England if those capitalists who 

 lend money to foreign nations would sink it in land at home, and 

 raise eight or ten quarters to the acre, where now thistles alone are 

 rampant. 



But in order thoroughly to appreciate and enjoy a country life 

 and farming, the landlord should be his own bailiff, and work 

 occasionally with his men, for there is no better exercise than to 

 lead half-a-dozen mowers, and listen to the snoring of the scythes 

 as they follow up behind. He must not expect, however, to stick 

 to the work as the labourers do, and I always congratulate myself 

 in being able to leave off when I have had enough hard work. By 

 taking a part in the work myself, I get behind the scenes, and 

 acquire useful knowledge. 



Not long ago I took a fancy to dig a well, through eighteen feet 

 of gravel, till I came to a spring of water, clear and pure as crystal. 

 I learnt a fact that time, which sanitary officers would do well to 

 note. I left the mouth of the well open for some days, and when I 

 descended then, I found the water, so pure at first, had become 

 quite putrid, and unfit to drink. But the reason was not far to 

 seek; for during the time it remained open, mice, frogs, beetles 

 and other small deer had tumbled into it, and all except the frogs 

 were drowned. Hence I came to the conclusion that wells, if not 

 properly secured above, are always liable to be polluted. Whereas, 

 although I dug a well on another occasion, close to an old farm yard, 

 I could not find the slightest trace of pollution through the soil itself, 

 a foot below the surface. 



I trust I shall never see England divided into small holdings 

 such as I have seen in France. For to say nothing of other evils, 

 the small holders missing their cash on Saturday night would cut 



I 



