of success, and highly impressed with the idea of its importance, 

 he purchased a large number of rights, and having obtained a sig- 

 nature of consents, went to Parliament; but not having interest 

 enough in the House, to stem the torrent of opposition, all his de- 

 lusive prospects of profit vanished, and he found himself left in a 

 small, but respectable minority. Though Mr. Allen met with so 

 warm an opposition, yet there were not wanting many Lords of 

 Manors interested, who exprefled their decided approbation of the 

 measure, in & general point of 'view, but objected to the mode, by 

 which it was conducted, and to the men who were the ostensible 

 movers in the business. After this defeat, nothing was done till 

 the year 1788, when a meeting was held at Wells to take into 

 consideration the propriety of draining the faid moor, and dividing 

 it into parochial allotments. At this meeting Sir Philip Hales pre- 

 sided ; and after much abuse and opposition, from the lower order 

 of commoners, who openly threatened destruction to those who 

 supported such a measure; the meeting was diffolved, without 

 coming to any final determination. 



The leading idea was however afterwards pursued with great assi- 

 duity by Sir Philip, and his agent Mr. Symes of Stowey ; and by 

 their persevering industry, and good management, matters were 

 brought into such a train, that application was made to Parliament 

 in the session of 1790, for leave to bring in a bill for draining and 

 dividing the said moor into parochial allotments, among thirty 

 parishes and hamlets therein stated ; and also among such other 

 parishes, as may prove a right to feeding the same. In the spring 

 of 1791 this bill passed into a law ; and the commissioners, acting 

 under the powers thereof, held their first meeting at Bridgwater, 

 in June 1791. 



I have been thus particular in stating the progress of this business, 

 merely to shew the impropriety of calling public meetings, with a 

 view of gaining signatures of consent ; or taking the sense of the 

 proprietors in that way. At all public meetings of this nature 

 which I ever attended, noise and clamor have silenced sound 

 sense and argument. A party generally attends with a professed 

 design to oppose, and truth and propriety have a host of foes u> 

 combat. 



R Whoever 



