86 THE LIFE OF RICHARD JEFFERIES 



is the labourer to do ? What is he to do in the evenings 

 now that village life is dull or dead ? Some of his criticism 

 and suggestion is humane and bold ; he proposes ' some 

 system of village self-government.' His realism varies 

 from plain statement, such as this description of the 

 milker's winter morning : 



' To put on coarse nailed boots, weighing fully seven 

 pounds, gaiters up to the knee, a short great-coat of 

 some heavy material, and to step out into the driving 

 rain and trudge wearily over field after field of wet grass, 

 with the furrows full of water ; then to sit on a three-legged 

 stool, with mud and manure half-way up to the ankles, 

 and milk cows with one's head leaning against their 

 damp, smoking hides for two hours, with the rain coming 

 steadily, drip, drip, drip. . . .'* 

 to this : 



' He [John Smith] minded when that sharp old Miss 



was always coming round with tracts and blankets, 



like taking some straw to a lot of pigs, and lecturing his 

 " missis " about economy. What a fuss she made, and 

 scolded his wife as if she was a thief for having her fifteenth 

 boy ! His " missis " turned on her at last, and said, 

 " Lor', miss, that's all the pleasure me an' mv old man 

 got." 't 



It is to be noticed that he says now that, whatever the 

 virtues of the class, * the immorality,' which is short for 

 * sexual immorality,' cannot be gainsaid. 'John Smith's 

 Shanty ' is an advance upon ' The True Tale.' From 

 beginning to end it is a piece of lively truth, exact in 

 detail, and with a brave human spirit over the description 

 and comment that is far more uncommon. In the best 

 of the book the writing might be called masterly for its 

 precision and flow, if it were not outclassed by the best 

 of his maturity. 



In ' The Size of Farms ' he condemns the small farmer, 

 who is little above the labourer and can do nothing to 

 improve his children's position, cannot afford a steam- 



* Toiler!! of the Field, f Ibid. 



