Retrospective Criticism, 709 



up to his knees in dung, in which he had nearly buried the cabbage thrown 

 in upon it in the morning ; a small patch of cabbages was the only portion 

 of his garden under cultivation. 1 saw a wife, son, and two grown-up 

 daughters at home. You will think this hardly credible ; but it is a com- 

 mon case : and therefore I assert that very little good will be accomplished, 

 unless judicious and constant superintendence be enforced as a very essential 

 part of the system. 



I must now say a few words on your cottage architecture; and here, 

 again, I fear you will accomplish no practical good, by aiming at too much. 

 You must remember you are addressing those who have hitherto con- 

 sidered the ordinary repau's of wretched cottages, for which they had some 

 difficulty in collecting rents, an intolerable burden, and who have very 

 generally, therefore, let them en masse with theii- farms ; thus indirectly 

 securing a rent from the farmer. He has taken care to deduct a good rent 

 from the wages of those labourers in his employ who were placed in them, 

 and the rest he has let to the parish for paupers. Regular repair was out 

 of the question ; serious dilapidation in time was a necessary consequence ; 

 and it being part of "the system" to have as few domiciles as possible in 

 the parish, with reference to the constantly increasing poor's rate, dilapi- 

 dation past repair was no source of disquiet to landlord or tenant. That 

 this was a most impolitic and unjustifiable system is, I believe, generally 

 felt ; and I cannot doubt that the landowners are now convinced of the 

 propriety and policy of providing warm, comfortable, and convenient 

 habitations for those on whose exertions, health, and strength their means 

 depend. Some gentlemen possessing ample fortunes will, as a matter of 

 taste, erect cottages near their demesnes upon a superior scale, without 

 reference to any return ; but, as a general measure, it is worse than useless, 

 to furnish plans for cottages from which any reasonable return in the shape 

 of interest for the money expended is not to be anticipated; for this will 

 discourage building at all, particularly when a considerable reduction in the 

 rent is required. The laboui'er ought not, nor could he afford, to pay more 

 than a shilling a week for rent. I presume the estimates you have given 

 are for building the cottages and for materials only, and do not include the 

 well, tanks, and other external contrivances suggested by you, which are 

 very expensive. We can build as cheaply in this part of the country as in 

 any ; having abundance of excellent stone and stone tile close to the sur- 

 face of the earth, and a cheap market for timber : but T very much doubt 

 whether the most economical of the plans you have given, together with 

 the conveniences suggested, could be completed for so little as 300^. But, 

 supposing the cost to be 50/. less, who can be induced to build cottages to 

 pay one per cent ? If this should meet the eye of any reader of the 

 Magazine who has had practical experience in the buUding of laboiurers' 

 cottages, who is thoroughly acquainted with the prices of work and mate- 

 rials, and who would fui'nish two or three plans of cottages which heknows 

 have been built at the cost of from 70/. to 100/., he would be rendering a 

 really practical service at this moment. There are two or three other 

 points, connected with the condition of the agricultural labourer, on which 

 I intended to offer some suggestions, but I feel that I have already tres- 

 passed too far on your valuable space. I remain, &c. — Charles Laurence. 

 Cirencester, Dec. 1830. 



Certain Plants alleged to be hardy, which are much less so than tvas ex- 

 pected. — Sir, Allow me a small space to point out to Mr. Sweet the im- 

 propriety of describing plants in The Flower-Garden as hardy, which he 

 must be aware will not survive one winter in five in the open border, even 

 with the protection which he in some cases recommends. Many persons 

 will not hesitate, on such an authority, to risk perhaps scarce and ex- 

 pensive plants, and will, in many instances, find them destroyed. It does 

 not follow that because some of the plants in question may have survived 



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