6 



INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 



employment afforded by flax. This he repeated, and 

 begged to observe that, instead of a quarterly collection, 

 three quarters had been put together, and 3d. in the 

 pound only had been required for the maintenance of the 

 infirm, and for the defrayment of union charges. Circum- 

 stances might arise to render those rates a little higher ; 

 but so long as flax was cultivated they could not exceed 

 6d. or 9c/. in the pound for the year. Now it was im- 

 possible but that any other parish in the kingdom might 

 be similarly circumstanced, provided the same means were 

 resorted to ; and he should be glad to see the experiment 

 tried in the worst and most distressed parishes in Wilt- 

 shire, the more populous the better. He challenged the 

 authorities to the trial ; and he should consider it his 

 duty to aid them in so laudable an undertaking, and 

 hoped that the proposition would not be thrown away." 



Such are the glorious consequences accruing from the 

 culture of flax ! Such the benefits conferred upon the poor 

 at seasons when no other work can be found ! And such 

 the advantages of a crop alike available to all populous 

 districts. I cannot adequately describe those advantages ; 

 but my countrymen will bear with my attempt to impress 

 them with the fact that no gratitude surpasses that of the 

 industrious poor who receive employment at our hands ; 

 who crave, not charity, but work ; and who consider 

 themselves most degraded when eating the bread of idle- 

 ness. Nor can I mention with less satisfaction that class 

 of young persons of both sexes, for whom but little sym- 

 pathy is felt, and still less eflbrt made to reclaim. The 

 habits of several have been reformed by the labour afforded 

 upon my premises through the inestimable flax- plant, who 



