APPENDIX III. 381 



liquor to which she is unaccustomed overcomes her. 

 Yet it seems cruel to take from them the one day or 

 two of the year on which they can enjoy themselves 

 fairly in their own fashion. The spread of friendly 

 societies, patronized by the gentry and clergy, with 

 their annual festivities, is a remedy which is gradu- 

 ally supplying them with safer, and yet congenial, 

 amusement. In what may be termed lesser morals I 

 cannot accord either them or the men the same praise. 

 They are too ungrateful for the many great benefits 

 which are bountifully supplied them the brandy, the 

 soup, and fresh meat readily extended without stint 

 from the farmer's home in sickness to the cottage are 

 too quickly forgotten. They who were most benefited 

 are often the first to most loudly complain and to 

 backbite. Never once in all my observation have I 

 heard a labouring man or woman make a grateful re- 

 mark ; and yet I can confidently say that there is no 

 class of persons in England who receive so many 

 attentions and benefits from their superiors as the 

 agricultural labourers. Stories are rife of their even 

 refusing to work at disastrous fires because beer was 

 not immediately forthcoming. I trust this is not true ; 

 but it is too much in character. No term is too strong 

 in condemnation for those persons who endeavour to 

 arouse an agitation among a class of people so short- 

 sighted and so ready to turn against their own bene- 

 factors and their own interest. I am credibly informed 

 that one of these agitators, immediately after the 

 Bishop of Gloucester's unfortunate but harmlessly in- 

 tended speech at the Gloucester Agricultural Society's 

 dinner one of these agitators mounted a platform at 

 a village meeting and in plain language incited and. ad- 



