156 THE AGRICULTURAL CLUB. 



And however fairly history be read it remains true that 

 during the last century, in which national wealth increased 

 so enormously and British Agriculture, in spite of ups and 

 downs, made great progress the agricultural labourer did 

 not fairly share in the well-being of the community. Indeed 

 in some respects his position was worsened. 



" The peasant, under the old system, had a definite inde- 

 pendent place in the community. He commanded respect 

 for his skill, judgment and experience in his own industries. 

 He was not cut off by any distinctions in ideas, tastes, or 

 habits from the classes above. On the contrary, each 

 grade shaded almost imperceptibly into the next. To- 

 day the intermediate classes have disappeared. Instead 

 of the ascending scale of peasant-labourer, the blacksmith, 

 carpenter, wheelwright, and carrier, the small holder, the 

 village shopkeeper, the small farmer, the larger farmer, 

 the yeoman occupying his own land, and the squire, there 

 are in many villages only two categories employers and 

 employed. The gulf is wide enough. It has been broadened 

 by the progress of a civilisation which is more and more 

 based on the possession of money. All the employing 

 classes have moved on and upwards in wealth, in education, 

 in tastes, in habits, in their standard of living. Except in 

 education, the employed alone have stood comparatively 

 still. The sense of social inferiority which is thus fostered 

 has impressed the labourer with the feeling that he is not 

 regarded as a member of the community but only as its 

 helot. It is from this point of view that he resents, in a 

 half-humorous, half-sullen fashion, the kindly efforts of 

 well-meaning patrons to do him good, the restrictions 

 imposed on his occupation of his cottage, as well as the 

 paraphernalia of policemen, sanitary and medical inspectors, 

 school-attendance officers, who dragoon and shepherd him 

 into being sober, law-abiding, clean, healthy, and considerate 

 of the future of his children. To his mind it is all part of 

 the treatment meted out to a being who is regarded as 

 belonging to an inferior race." l 



Thus wrote, in 1912, an historian who possesses both 



1 English Farming, Past and Present. Rowland E. Prothero. 



