London to John O Groat's. 217 



home comforts of the house, and I always make for 

 it mechanically. As the darkness drew on, several 

 agricultural laborers drifted in, one after the other, 

 until the broad, deep pavement of the hearth was lined 

 by a row of them, quite fresh from their work. They 

 were quiet, sober-looking men, and they spoke with 

 subdued voices, without animation or excitement, as 

 if the fatigue of the day and the general battle of 

 life had softened them to a serious, pensive mood 

 and movement. As they sat drying their jackets 

 around the fire, passing successive mugs of the land- 

 lord's ale from one to the other, they grew more and 

 more conversational ; and, as I put in a question here 

 and there, they gave me an insight into the general 

 condition, aspects and prospects of their class which 

 I had not obtained before. They were quite free 

 to answer any questions relating to their domestic 

 economy, their earnings, spendings, food, drink, cloth- 

 ing, housing and fuel, also in reference to their edu- 

 cational and religious privileges and habits. 



It was now the first week of harvest ; and harvest 

 in England, in any one locality, covers the space of 

 a full month, in ordinary weather. Then, as the 

 season varies remarkably, so that one county is fre- 

 quently a week earlier in harvesting than that adjoining 

 it on the north, the work for the sickle is often pro- 



