Condition of the Labouring Classes. 711 



of importance which it induces, more frugal and economical when in full 

 employment. The first step to the improvement of a man is, to let him have 

 something which he can call his own ; something which he can add to and 

 improve, with the feeling that he is doing good to his familj', and acting in 

 such a way as to be generally approved of. Poverty is the parent of im- 

 morality and crime. No improvement in the condition, either of individuals 

 or of nations, takes place till property exists ; and of all the different kinds of 

 property known to civilised society, none exercises so important an influence 

 on the individual, as a portion of the earth's surface, however small ; a dwell- 

 ing surrounded by land ; a small house and a large garden. This taste 

 is implanted in human nature for the wisest purposes ; since it is only in 

 such dwellings that healthy children can be produced and matured. 

 Under these impressions we do not hesitate, with the reviewer, most ar- 

 dently to desire, that every labourer had a cottage, and land more or less. 

 We desire it even without the establishment of national schools, for the 

 immediate good it Vv'ould produce, and because we anticipate that, before 

 the production of much evil, schools of some sort will, by some means or 

 other, be established every where, and emigration has become as common 

 as the exportation of manufactures. 



To realise such a state of things is the difficulty. Land-agents and rent- 

 collectors of every kind are said to be against multiplying cottages and gar- 

 dens; because " it is much less troublesome to collect 100/. from one farmer 

 than 10/. apiece from 10 cottagers." It is, therefore, for the independent 

 and benevolent proprietor to make a commencement, however opposed by 

 his agents; and it will be " policy no less than humanity and philosophy to 

 do so." 



" No alteration which the legislature can make in the poor laws — no 

 improvement which can be introduced into their administration — nothing 

 short of giving the labourer a field for the application of his industry, can 

 prove available. Except, perhaps, by an enactment enabling the landowner 

 to detach small cottage allotments from farms now under lease, we are not 

 aware that the interference of the legislature could much assist in carrying 

 this mode of ameliorating the condition of the peasantry into effect, If the 

 landowners do not utterly forget the obligations and duties which their 

 situation imposes upon them — nay, if they take a correct view of their own 

 true interests, they will not hesitate. They are not called upon to give 

 any thing ; it is not suggested that they should parcel out their land among 

 a host of small occupiers : all that is required of them is, that the labourers 

 actually wanted for the cultivation of their property should be allowed the 

 privilege of hiring, at a fair rent, a small allotment of land, to be cultivated 

 at their leisure hours ; and of establishing, by that means, at their own doors, 

 a savi7igs' bank, in which every hour that can be spared, either by themselves 

 or their families, from more profitable employment, may be saved and laid 

 out in a productive manner." 



Neither the interference of the legislature between the employer and 

 the employed, nor the giving of any thing by the former to the latter, will 

 be productive of any other than a momentary and partial good. What- 

 ever is done must be effected on the general principles of free agency 

 and self-interest. If any thing be attempted on other principles, it will 

 neither become general nor be of lasting duration. A correct view of a 

 landlord's, or even a farmer's, true interest will, we agree with the re- 

 viewer, lead to rendering the labourers and servants of every description, 

 actually wanted for the cultivation of his property, as comfortable as pos- 

 sible ; and the most effectual mode of accomplishing this, with the married 

 servants, is that of allowing them a comfortable cottage, and as much land 

 as will completely occupy their leisure hours, at a moderate rent. This is 

 so obvious to common sense, that it may be safely recommended to all land- 

 lords and farmers: many have all along acted on it; and, of those who had 



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