Great Estates 



certain amount of land, deeming large estates bad 

 for the people. Also they endeavour to split up 

 estates by land taxation and by laws for " closer 

 settlement." Probably the absence of the feudal 

 system of great estates and their environment 

 marks the greatest difference between the English- 

 man and his Colonial cousin. Which is the better 

 the future will show. The old system is dying hard, 

 but it has received its death-blow, and the end is 

 hastened by the numbers of newly rich people, 

 Jews and financiers, who buy out impoverished 

 aristocratic families, and replace them. This pro- 

 cess strengthens our upper families, recruiting 

 them with vigorous blood and shrewd brains, but 

 where it touches on land-owning it is another 

 matter. This new stock cannot in a few years ac- 

 quire manners that have taken centuries to ripen; 

 they cannot " sit " with these old customs, and 

 they no more suit the feudal system than they 

 would the armour of its ancient knights. This 

 feudal system, with its great estates, its hereditary 

 lords, tenants, and unchanging customs, is vanish- 

 ing, and all hopes to the contrary are doomed to 

 disappointment. 



At its best it was one of the finest ever seen, and 

 it lasted longer in England than one would have 

 imagined possible, but its day is done, and our 

 grandchildren will know it no more. 



73 



