THE RURAL EXODUS 81 



recreation of this kind. In organizing village 

 games, indoor or outdoor, I have always found 

 two main obstacles : the men are too tired 

 after their long hours of work 1 to indulge in 

 further exercise, physical or mental, and they 

 are usually too poor to pay even a small 

 subscription with regularity. Cricket teams 

 flourish in a fair number of our larger villages, 

 but they are usually supported and " run," 

 both as regards money and men, by well-to-do 

 residents, and when matches are arranged, 

 leave to take part must, in many cases, be 

 secured either by the sacrifice of pay or by the 

 indulgence of a kindly master. A striking 

 feature of all outdoor sport and pastimes in the 

 normal English village to-day is the lack of 

 spontaneity amongst the poor themselves in 

 the way of organized effort. 



The same difficulty besets the organization 

 of indoor amusements. It is, as a rule, 

 far easier to initiate " reading-rooms " or 

 " institutes " than to secure their continuance. 

 The underpaid and tired labourers may be 

 stirred into some show of interest and enthusi- 

 asm at first, but, without the constant stimulus 



1 In the reign of Elizabeth the hours of an agricultural 

 labourer were fixed at 12, with 2 allowed off for rest and 

 food, i.e., 9 in all. The hours to-day are usually longer 

 than they were three centuries ago ! 



