THE STATE AS FARMER 123 



State is more in accord with the old feudal 

 holding than is the present usage. We might 

 keep, if it were desired, some of the ancient 

 tenures — a pair of spurs yearly, or a good fat 

 hen, and my favourite among them, a rose 

 yearly at the time of roses, as the romantic 

 rents, in addition to £3 an acre cash. But the 

 essential in it all is that every tenure — duke, 

 marquis, and yeoman — is of the King, and 

 no single tenure to be held by one citizen of 

 another. I want to make it plain before 

 speaking of the matter further that no real 

 ill is intended to anyone in the new arrange- 

 ments which the State must have. 



