LEASING. 361 



lings, is very reasonable, and far from being any 

 great accession of profit less perhaps than is gene- 

 rally supposed to be the emolument of the gleaner ; 

 and this may have been acquired by the active 

 labour of eight or nine hours. Yet such is the 

 ardour for this occupation, the enjoyment of this 

 full association, with their neighbours, the prattle, 

 the gossip, the glee, the excitement it occasions, 

 that I am sure the allowance of fourteen pence a 

 day, certain and constant, would hardly be ac- 

 cepted by my leasing neighbours in place of it. 

 Indeed I would not offer it, believing that this 

 gleaning season is looked forward to with anxiety 

 and satisfaction ; and is a season too, in which the 

 children of the family can contribute to its support 

 without pain or undue exertion ; and viewing with 

 much approbation and pleasure this long-established 

 custom as a relaxation from domestic refinement, 

 when every cottage is locked up and abandoned by 

 its inmates, to pursue this innocent, healthful, 

 laudable employ, where every grain that is collected 

 is saved from waste, and converted to the benefit 

 of a needy and laborious community. From the 

 result of the pauper leasing, no bad criterion may 

 be obtained of the general product of the season ; 

 for, as the collection is made from many stations, 

 and variety of culture, these samples of all afford a 

 reasonable average of the quality. It has been 

 thought, but I trust and believe only in the appre- 



