34 MEMOIR OF THOMAS BEWICK. 



a Kyloe cow, perhaps a flock of geese, and mostly 

 a stock of bee-hives, it was with infinite pleasure 

 that I long beheld the beautiful wild scenery which 

 was there exhibited, and it is with the opposite 

 feelings of regret that I now find all swept 

 away.* Here and there on this common were to be 

 seen the cottage, or rather hovel, of some labouring 

 man, built at his own expense, and mostly with 

 his own hands ; and to this he always added a 

 garth and a garden, upon which great pains and 

 labour were bestowed to make both productive ; 

 and for this purpose not a bit of manure was 

 suffered to be wasted away on the "lonnings" or 

 public roads. These various concerns excited the 

 attention and industry of the hardy occupants, 

 which enabled, them to prosper, and made them 

 despise being ever numbered with the parish poor. 

 These men, whose children were neither pampered 

 nor spoiled, might truly be called 



"A bold peasantry, their country's pride;" 



and to this day I think I see their broad shoulders 

 and their hardy sun-burnt looks, which altogether 

 bespoke the vigour of their constitutions. 



These cottagers (at least those of them I knew) 

 were of an honest and independent character, while 

 at the same time they held the neighbouring 

 gentry in the greatest estimation and respect; 



* This fell, or common, containing about 1852 acres, was divided 

 in 1812. By this division, the poor man was rooted out, and the 

 various mechanics of the villages deprived of all benefit of it. The 

 neighbouring farmers who reared their young cattle, and kept as 

 many sheep upon it as they pleased, must now pay rent for the allot- 

 ments laid to their; farms. The wisdom which dictated this change 

 is questionable, but the selfish greediness of it is quite apparent. 



