London to John O? Groat's. 221 



ments, especially when I could not replace it with a 

 substitute which they would accept and which would 

 yield them an equal amount of satisfaction. 



A personal habit becomes a " second nature " to 

 the individual, even if he stands alone in its indul- 

 gence. But when it is an almost universal habit, 

 coming down from generation to generation, throwing 

 its creepers and clingers around the social customs 

 and industrial economies of a great nation, it is 

 almost like re-creating a world to change that second 

 nature thus strengthened. This change is slowly 

 working its way in Great Britain slowly, but percep- 

 tibly here and there thanks to the faithful and 

 persevering efforts put forth by good and true men, 

 to enlighten the subjects of this impoverishing and 

 demoralising custom, which has ruled with such 

 despotism over the laborers of the land. Little by 

 little the proper balance between the Four Great 

 Powers of human necessity, Food, Drink, Raiment 

 and Housing, so long disturbed by this habit, is 

 being restored. Still, the preponderance of Drink, 

 especially among the agricultural laborers in England, 

 is very striking and sad. As a whole, Beer must 

 still stand before Bread even before Meat, and before 

 both in many cases, in their expenditures. The man 

 who sat next me, in muddy leggings, and smoking 



