BERKHAMSTED COMMON. 63 
handed proceeding aroused a very strong feeling 
throughout the district. There was, however, great 
fear and unwillingness to resist so powerful a magnate. 
Advice was sought of the Commons Society. Inquiry 
into the conditions of the Manor soon convinced them 
that the inclosure was as illegal and indefensible as 
it was arbitrary and without regard to public interests, 
and that it was a case where the rights of Commoners 
might certainly be vindicated, so as to defeat the 
particular inclosure, and to deter other Lords of Manors 
from similar acts in the future. The only dithculty was 
how to find a person possessed of rights over the 
Common, with a sufficiently long purse, and with in- 
dependence and courage, to try conclusions at law 
with Lord Brownlow, who was so deeply interested in 
maintaining his inclosures, and in carrying them to 
the point of extinguishing the Common. 
It was fortunately discovered that among the owners 
of land in the district, with undoubted rights of 
common, was just such a man as could be relied on 
for the purpose—the late Mr. Augustus Smith. This 
gentleman, better and more widely known as the Lord 
of Scilly, had taken a long lease from the Duchy of 
Cornwall of the Scilly Islands, the population of 
which he had found in a most neglected and miserable 
state. By the exercise of a wise paternal despotism, 
rendered possible by his position as landlord of all the 
houses in the islands, he had greatly improved the 
condition of the people, had waged successful war 
against public-houses and drink, had restored prosperity, 
