188 State of Agriculture in Nortlmmherland. 



vour and ambition. He cannot marry and establish himself in life 

 without one : at least he knows that he ought not to marry till he can 

 purchase one — and this is the first step towards independence that is 

 generally aimed at ; salutary alike as a check and a stimulus. This 

 point gained — a cottage respectably furnished, and a situation obtained 

 under a good master — he brings home his bride; feeling that he is a 

 useful and, comparatively, an independent man. The situation of a 

 hind living upon the premises, and hired for the year, possesses 

 this decided advantage — that in seasons when employment is scarce — 

 when day-labourers are turned adrift — however unproductive his ser- 

 vices may be to his master, his wages go on — even months of con- 

 finement from ill health produce no diminution in his income ; — and 

 thus it is, that though his wages per day may seem but small, yet, 

 at the end of the year, he is found in better circumstances than those 

 artisans or labourers by the piece, who, though obtaining nominally 

 higher wages, are liable to much loss of time and uncertainty of employ - 

 ment. It may seem hard, at first sight, that the farmer, whose servant, 

 after having entered upon his service for a year, has fallen ill and become 

 unable to work, should still have to make good his bargain ; but such is 

 the custom ; and were it otherwise, the family would soon, in many 

 cases, be thrown on the parish funds. The farmer may as well then 

 take the chance of supporting his own for a while as be compelled to 

 contribute to the support of all who might fall into similar circumstances 

 throughout the parish. But by far the best reason for the custom is, 

 that it gives rise to a feeling of gratitude to a master for having aff'orded 

 gratuitous relief, and a desire, which I have often heard expressed by 

 servants, to make up for the loss he had sustained by the best services 

 they could bestow ; and surely the sacrifice is not too great, if it saves 

 an honest man from the feeling of degradation, which ought, and still 

 sometimes does attend the application for parochial support. 



" This mode of engaging and paying farm-servants is not only more 

 conducive to their welfare and social comfort than the weekly payment 

 of money-wages, which go but a little way in purchasing the necessaries 

 for a family — are injudiciously laid out, and sometimes wastefully squan- 

 dered — but it has besides a strong and apparent influence upon their 

 habits and moral character ; it possesses the advantage of giving to the 

 peasant the use of a garden and a cow, with the certainty of employ- 

 ment ; it gives him a personal interest in the produce of his master's 

 farm, and a desire to secure it in good condition ; it produces a set of 

 local attachments which often lead to connexions between master and 

 servant of long continuance. It is not a comfortable or convenient 

 thing for a man to move from place to place with his furniture and 

 family ; and, when he finds himself well situated, he has a strong in- 

 ducement to conduct himself respectably, and give satisfaction to his 

 employer. While, on the other hand, such removals being attended 

 with expense and loss of time to the farmer, who always sends his carts 

 to bring the family and furniture of a new comer, it is his interest to 

 encourage and retain a respectable servant ; and thus mutual accommo- 

 dation and respect are produced. Orderly habits and respectable con- 

 duct on the part of the servants produce consideration a,n,d kind treat- 



