A WORTHY PEASANT. 17 



solely contributive to the welfare of the labourer. 

 When I first knew A. B., he was in a state of po- 

 verty, possessing, it is true, a cottage of his own, 

 with a very small garden; but his constitution being 

 delicate, and health precarious, so that he was not 

 a profitable labourer, the farmers were unwilling to 

 employ him. In this condition he came into my 

 service : his wife at that time having a young child 

 contributed very little to the general maintenance 

 of the family : his wages were ten shillings per week, 

 dieting himself, and with little besides that could 

 be considered as profitable. We soon perceived 

 that the clothing of the family became more neat 

 and improved ; certain gradations of bodily health 

 appeared ; the cottage was white-washed, and en- 

 closed with a rough wall and gate ; the rose and 

 the corchorus began to blossom about it ; the pig 

 became two ; and a few sheep marked A. B. were 

 running about the lanes : then his wife had a little 

 cow, which it was " hoped his honour would let 

 eat some of the rough grass in the upper field ; " but 

 this was not entirely given : this cow, in spring, was 

 joined by a better ; but finding such cattle difficult 

 to maintain through the winter, they were disposed 

 of, and the sheep augmented. After about six 

 years 1 service, my honest, quiet, sober labourer 

 died, leaving his wife and two children surviving : a 

 third had recently died. We found him possessed 

 of some money, though I know not the amount $ 



c 



