The Ro77tan, British, ajid Teutonic Systems. 47 



miinity both in the purely Slavonic nationality of Little Russia 

 and the mixed Finnish and Slavonic nationality of Great 

 Russia. Sir George Campbell ^ has admitted and Mr. Gomme- 

 has insisted that a village communal system with private rights 

 in cattle and public rights in pasturage existed in primitive 

 India. And the latter author has extended his quest with 

 successful results to many other parts of the globe. Even 

 in so old a writer as Thucydides ^ we may perhaps find trace 

 of a Mark, with its peculiar characteristics of sanctity hav- 

 ing existed between Megara and Athens. Such evidences as 

 these then entirely upset the earlier supposition that the 

 village community, with its various methods of cultivation 

 and pasturage of the Mark, is a Teutonic peculiarity or 

 innovation. When we come to the evidences of its presence 

 on English soil, the controversy waxes warm. Men divide 

 into schools over its origin and period of existence. They 

 debate whether it be a primitive or historical institution. 

 They produce proofs of its early adoption by aboriginal 

 husbandmen of this Island. Still further has research carried 

 them until they have discovered a subtle but quite pos- 

 sible distinction between a village and a tribal community.'* 



Closely connected with this subject is the origin of the 

 Manor. And here again the theories of modern authors are 

 most conflicting. 



Let us, then, who have already prepared ourselves for an 

 impartial attention by a careful examination of early history, 

 now devote a short space to the study of these various opinions, 

 and then form our own conclusions. 



And, first, let us turn to Mr. Seebohm, whose profound study 

 of early English Land Tenure must earn from the author of 

 such a history as this the deepest respect."'' 



He and his following seek to trace two pre-historic rural 

 polities with regard to the soil of this island. Both the 



* In Systems of Land Tenure (Cobden Club Essays). 

 ^ Gomme, English Village Community. 



3 Thucydides, Hist., i. 139. 



■* Seebohm, English Village Community^ chap. vi. 



* Seebohm's Engli.sJi Village Cornmunity. 



