OF SELBORNE. 23 



contemplates how nearly this pest is eradi- 

 cated, and observes that a leper now is a 

 rare sight. He will, moreover, when en- 

 gaged in such a train of thought, naturally 

 inquire for the reason. This happy change 

 perhaps may have originated and been con- 

 tinued from the much smaller quantity of 

 salted meat and fish now eaten in these 

 kingdoms ; from the use of linen next the 

 skin: from the plenty of better bread ; and 

 from the profusion of fruits, roots, legumes, 

 and greens, so common in every family. 

 Three or four centuries ago, before there 

 were any enclosures, sown-grasses, field- 

 turnips, or field-carrots, or hay, all the cat- 

 tle which had grown fat in Summer, and 

 were not killed for Winter-use, were turned 

 out soon after Michaelmas to shift as they 

 could through the dead months ; so that no 

 fresh meat could be had in Winterer Spring. 

 Hence the marvellous account of the vast 

 stores of salted flesh found in the larder of 

 the eldest Spencer* in the days of Edward 



* Viz, Six hundred bacons, eighty carcasses of beef, 

 and six hundred muttons. 



