COTTAGE ACCOAIMODATIOX. 261 



in the instance I have alluded to, they used the 

 beams of the church to make gate-posts, and broke 

 down the walls to repair their gateways. I once made 

 a calculation of the number of miles that a very 

 deserving: and clever herdsman of one of our leading" 

 graziers in this parish had walked in going to and from 

 his work durincr the time he had lived with him, being: 

 nearly fifty years. I proved he had walked three times 

 round the world to do his duty to his master ! I told 

 the man's master of this fact, and he replied, "I can't 

 help it, there are but three cottages in the parish" — a 

 parish of over 2000 acres. I remember that I wrote to 

 T/ie Times detailing these circumstances as an instance 

 of the short-sighted policy of both landlords and tenants 

 in permitting such a state of things. 



The smock-frock farmer has almost ceased to exist, 

 but some still survive and hold small occupations of 

 from fifty to a hundred acres, leading an industrious, 

 hard-faring life, living ofttimes more frugally than 

 their labourers, and going on, as the saying is on the 

 Chiltern Plills, " from cherry-time to cherry-time," and 

 getting " no forrarder." Fresh meat to them is a Sunday 

 and market-day luxury ; but to say that a man cannot 

 rise from the labouring ranks is to state what is con- 

 trary to the fact. I have known myself instances of 

 successful countrymen. One man I recollect had 

 started life as a plough-boy, was a saving lad, began 

 dealing in pigs, then kept a horse and cart, and 

 followed what was called " higgling," buying eggs and 

 poultry, and with a little carrying of goods to various 

 market towns, and an occasional journey to London, 



