18 THE NEW FOREST 



no compensation whatever for the loss of their 

 pleasure ground. So the agitation against the 

 recommendations of the Lords' Committee grew 

 until it might almost be said to be unanimous 

 locally, at any rate. 



But the agitation of a number of private indi- 

 viduals, on behalf of their own profit or pleasure, 

 might not have availed against the arguments in 

 favour of the more profitable use of the public 

 property had not a far more powerful ally come 

 to their assistance in the shape of the public 

 itself, in whose interests it was supposed dis- 

 afforestation was necessary. 



The Office of Woods and the Committee of 

 the House of Lords had overlooked the great 

 and growing craving for open spaces free to the 

 public. They quite forgot the increasing love of 

 beauty and of fine scenery which was becoming 

 implanted in the minds of the general public. 

 They altogether overlooked the force of the aes- 

 thetic movement, which may be said to have 

 started with the Great Exhibition of 1851 a 

 force which would induce the majority of the 

 public gladly to waive some thousands of pounds 

 of additional income rather than lose this mag- 

 nificent park to take their pleasure in. Last of 

 all, they forgot that at about even date with the 

 passing of the Deer Removal Act, the London 



