Otheradvocatesofthepolicyofgivingthelabourerslandpleadedonly
　　forgardensinarabledistricts；’agarden，’wroteLordWinchilsea，’may
　　beallottedtotheminalmosteverysituation，andwillbefoundofinfinite
　　usetothem。Incountries，whereithasneverbeenthecustomforlabourers
　　tokeepcows，itmaybedifficulttointroduceit；butwherenogardenshave
　　beenannexedtothecottages，itissufficienttogivetheground，andthe
　　labourerissuretoknowwhattodowithit，andwillreapanimmediatebenefit
　　fromit。OfthisIhavehadexperienceinseveralplaces，particularlyin
　　twoparishesnearNewportPagnell，Bucks，wherethereneverhavebeenany
　　gardensannexedtothelabourers’houses，andwhere，uponlandbeingallotted
　　tothem，theyall，withoutasingleexception，havecultivatedtheirgardens
　　extremelywell，andprofessreceivingthegreatestbenefitsfromthem。’99*
　　’Afewroodsofland，atafairrent，’wroteacorrespondentintheAnnals
　　ofAgriculturein1796，100*’woulddoalabourerasmuchgoodaswages
　　almostdoubled：therewouldnot，then，beanidlehandinhisfamily，and
　　themanhimselfwouldoftengotoworkinhisrootyardinsteadofgoing
　　tothealehouse。’101*Theinterestingreportonthe’Inquiryintothe
　　GeneralStateofthePoor’presentedattheEpiphanyGeneralQuarterSessions
　　forHampshireandpublishedintheAnnalsofAgriculture，102*a
　　documentwhichdoesnotdisplaytoomuchindulgencetotheshortcomingsof
　　labourers，recommendsthemultiplicationofcottageswithsmallpiecesof
　　groundannexed，sothatlabourersmightlivenearertheirwork，andspend
　　thetimeoftenwastedingoingtoandfromtheirwork，incultivatingtheir
　　plotofgroundathome。’Asitischieflythispracticewhichrenderseven
　　thestateofslaveryintheWestIndiestolerable，whatanadvantagewould
　　itbetothestateoffreeservicehere！’103*
　　Theexperimentsintheprovisionofallotmentsofanykindwerefew，and
　　theyarechieflyinterestingforthelighttheyreflectonthecharacter
　　ofthelaboureroftheperiod。Theyshowofwhatthosemenandwomenwere
　　capablewhosedegradationinthemorassoftheSpeenhamlandsystemisthe
　　lastandblackestpageinthehistoryoftheeighteenthcentury。Theirrulers
　　putastoneroundtheirnecks，anditwasnottheircharacterbuttheircircumstances
　　thatdraggedthemintothemire。Invillageswhereallotmentsweretried
　　theagriculturallabourerisanuprightandself-respectingfigure。Theimmediate
　　moraleffectswerevisibleenoughatthetime。SirThomasBernard’saccount
　　ofthecottagersonLordWinchilsea’sestatecontainsthefollowingreflections：
　　’IdonotmeantoassertthattheEnglishcottager，narrowedashenowis
　　inthemeansandhabitsoflife，maybeimmediatelycapableoftakingthat
　　activeandusefulstationinsociety，thatisfilledbythosewhoarethe
　　subjectofthispaper。Toproducesogreatanimprovementincharacterand
　　circumstancesoflife，willrequiretimeandattention。Thecottager，however，
　　ofthispartofthecountyofRutland，isnotofadifferentspeciesfrom
　　otherEnglishcottagers；andifhehadnotbeenprotectedandencouraged
　　byhislandlord，hewouldhavebeenthesamehopelessandcomfortlesscreature
　　thatweseeinsomeotherpartsofEngland。Thefarmerwiththeassistance
　　ofthestewardwouldhavetakenhisland；thecreditor，hiscowandpig；
　　andtheworkhouse，hisfamily。’104*
　　Wehaveseen，indiscussingenclosures，thatthepolicyofsecuringallotments
　　tothelabourersinenclosureActswasdefeatedbytheclassinterestsof
　　thelandlords。Why，itmaybeasked，wereschemessuchasthoseofLordWinchilsea’s
　　adoptedsorarelyinvillagesalreadyenclosed？Thesearrangementsbenefited
　　allparties。Therewasnodoubtaboutthedemand；’inthegreatestpartof
　　thiskingdom，’wroteonecorrespondent，’thecottagerwouldrejoiceatbeing
　　permittedtopaytheutmostvaluegivenbythefarmers，forasmuchland
　　aswouldkeepacow，ifhecouldobtainitatthatprice。’105*Thesteadiness
　　andindustryofthelabourers，stimulatedbythisincentive，wereanadvantage
　　bothtothelandlordsandtothefarmers。Further。itwaswellknownthat
　　inthevillageswherethelabourershadland，poorrateswerelight。106*
　　Whywasitthatapolicywithsomanyrecommendationsnevertookroot？Perhaps
　　thebestanswerisgiveninthefollowingstory。Cobbettproposedtothe
　　vestryofBishopsWalthamsthattheyshould’asktheBishopofWinchester
　　tograntanacreofwastelandtoeverymarriedlabourer。All，however，but
　　thevillageschoolmastervotedagainstit，ontheground……thatitwould
　　makethemen“toosaucy。”thattheywould“breedmorechildren“
　　and“wanthigherwages。”’107*
　　Thetruthisthatenclosuresandthenewsystemoffarminghadsetup
　　twoclassesinantagonismtoallotments，thelargefarmer，whodislikedsaucy
　　labourers，andtheshopkeeper，whoknewthatthemorefoodthelabourerraised
　　onhislittleestatethelesswouldhebuyatthevillagestore。Ithadbeen
　　totheinterestofasmallfarmerintheoldcommon-fieldvillagetohave
　　anumberofsemi-labourers，semi-ownerswhocouldhelpattheharvest：the
　　largefarmerwantedapermanentsupplyoflabourwhichwasabsolutelyat
　　hiscommand。Moreover，theroundsmansystemmaintainedhislabourersfor
　　himwhenhedidnotwantthem。Thestrengthofthehostilityofthefarmers
　　toallotmentsisseeninthelanguageofthosefewlandlordswhowereinterested
　　inthispolicy。LordWinchilseaandhisfriendswerealwaysurgingphilanthropists
　　toproceedwithcaution，andtotrytoreasonthefarmersoutoftheirprejudices。
　　TheReportofthePoorLawCommissionin1834showedthattheseprejudices
　　wereasstrongasever。’Wecandolittleornothingtopreventpauperism；
　　thefarmerswillhaveit：theypreferthatthelabourersshouldbeslaves；
　　theyobjecttotheirhavinggardens，saying’Themoretheyworkforthemselves，
　　thelesstheyworkforus。’108*ThiswastheviewofBoys，thewriterin
　　agriculturalsubjects，who，criticisingKent’sdeclarationinfavourofallotments，
　　remarks：’Iffarmersingeneralweretoaccommodatetheirlabourerswith
　　twoacresofland，acowandtwoorthreepigs，theywouldprobablyhave
　　moredifficultyingettingtheirhardworkdone——asthecow，land，etc。，
　　wouldenablethemtolivewithlessearnings。’109*ArthurYoungandNathaniel
　　Kentmadeagreatappealtolandlordsandtolandlords’wivestointerest
　　themselvesintheirestatesandthepeoplewholivedonthem，butlandlords’
　　bailiffsdidnotlikethetroubleofcollectinganumberofsmallrents，
　　andmostlandlordspreferredtoleavetheirlabourerstothemercyofthe
　　farmers。Therewas，however，oneformofallotmentthatthefarmersthemselves
　　liked：theywouldletstripsofpotatogroundtolabourers，sometimesat
　　fourtimestherenttheypaidthemselves，gettingthelandmanuredanddug
　　intothebargain。
　　TheSelectVestryActofempoweredparishestobuyorlease
　　twentyacresofland，andtosettheindigentpoortoworkonit，ortolease
　　itouttoanypoorandindustriousinhabitant。AlaterActof1831112*
　　raisedthelimitfromtwentytofiftyacres，andempoweredparishestoenclose
　　fiftyacresofwastewiththeconsentofthosewhohadrightsonitand
　　toleaseitoutforthesamepurposes。LittleusewasmadeoftheseActs，
　　andperhapstheclearestlightisthrownontheextentoftheallotmentmovement
　　byasignificantsentencethatoccursintheReportoftheSelectCommittee
　　onAllotmentsin1843。’Itwasnotuntil1830，whendiscontenthadbeenso
　　painfullyexhibitedamongstthepeasantryofthesoutherncountiesthatthis
　　methodofalleviatingtheirsituationwasmuchresortedto。’Inotherwords，
　　littlewasdonetilllabourersdesperatewithhungerhadsetthefarmers’
　　ricksblazing。
　　Thehistoryhasnowbeengivenoftheseveralproposalsmadeatthistime
　　thatforonereasonoranotherfelltotheground。Aminimumwagewasnot
　　fixed，allotmentswereonlysprinkledwithasparinghandonanestatehere
　　andthere，therewasnorevolutionindiet，theproblemsoflocalsupply
　　anddistributionwereleftuntouched，thereconstructionofthePoorLaw
　　wasabandoned。Whatmeansthendidthegoverningclasstaketotranquillise
　　apopulationmadedangerousbyhunger？Theansweris，ofcourse，theSpeenhamland
　　Act。TheBcrkshireJ。P。’sandsomediscreetpersonsmetatthePelicanInn
　　atSpeenhamland113*on6thMay1795，andthereresolvedonamomentous
　　policywhichwasgraduallyadoptedinalmosteverypartofEngland。
　　Thereisastrangeironyinthestoryofthismeetingwhichgavesuch
　　afatalimpetustothereductionofwages。Itwassummonedinordertoraise
　　wages，andsomakethelabourerindependentofparishrelief。AttheGeneral
　　QuarterSessionsforBerkshireheldatNewburyonthe14thApril，Charles
　　Dundas，M。P。，114*inhischargetotheGrandJury115*dweltonthemiserable
　　stateofthelabourersandthenecessityofincreasingtheirwagestosubsistence
　　level，insteadofleavingthemtoresorttotheparishofficersforsupport
　　fortheirfamilies，aswasthecasewhentheyworkedforashillingaday。
　　HequotedtheActsofElizabethandJameswithreferencetothefixingof
　　wages。TheCourt，impressedbyhisspeech，decidedtoconveneameetingfor
　　theratingofwages。Theadvertisementofthemeetingshowsthatthiswas
　　theonlyobjectinview。’AttheGeneralQuarterSessionsofthePeacefor
　　thiscountyheldatNewbury，onTuesday，the14thinstant，theCourt，having
　　takenintoconsiderationthegreatInequalityofLabourers’Wages，andthe
　　insufficiencyofthesameforthenecessarysupportofanindustriousman
　　andhisfamily；anditbeingtheopinionoftheGentlemenassembledonthe
　　GrandJury，thatmanyparisheshavenotadvancedtheirlabourers’weekly
　　payinproportiontothehighpriceofcornandprovisions，doinpursuance
　　oftheActsofParliament，enablingandrequiringthemsotodo，eitherat
　　theEasterSessions，yearly，orwithinsixweeksnextafterearnestlyrequest
　　theattendanceoftheSheriff，andalltheMagistratesofthisCounty，at
　　aMeetingintendedtobeheldatthePelicanInninSpeenhamland，onWednesday，
　　thesixthdayofMaynext，atteno’clockintheforenoon，forthepurpose
　　ofconsultingtogetherwithsuchdiscreetpersonsastheyshallthinkmeet，
　　andtheywillthen，havingrespecttotheplentyandscarcityofthetime，
　　andothercircumstancesifapprovedofproceedtolimit，direct，andappoint
　　thewagesofdaylabourers。’116*
　　Themeetingwasdulyheldon6thMay。117*Mr。CharlesDundaswasin
　　thechair，andtherewereseventeenothermagistratesanddiscreetpersons
　　present，ofwhomsevenwereclergymen。Itwasresolvedunanimously’that
　　thepresentstateofthepoordoesrequirefurtherassistancethanhasbeen
　　generallygiventhem。’Ofthedetailsofthediscussionnorecordshavecome
　　downtous，nordoweknowbywhatmajoritythesecondandfatalresolution
　　rejectingtheratingofwagesandsubstitutinganallowancepolicywasadopted。
　　AccordingtoEden，theargumentsinfavourofadoptingtheratingofwages
　　were’thatbyenforcingapaymentforlabour，fromtheemployers，inproportion
　　tothepriceofbread，someencouragementwouldhavebeenheldouttothe
　　labourer，aswhathewouldhavereceived，wouldhavebeenpaymentforlabour。
　　Hewouldhaveconsidereditashisright，andnotascharity。’118*But
　　theseargumentswererejected，andapiousrecommendationtoemployersto
　　raisewages，coupledwithdetaileddirectionsforsupplementingthosewages
　　fromparishfunds，adoptedinstead。119*Thetextofthesecondresolution
　　runsthus：’Resolved，thatitisnotexpedientfortheMagistratestogrant
　　thatassistancebyregulatingthewagesofdayLabourersaccordingtothe
　　directionsoftheStatutesofthe5thElizabethand1stJames：ButtheMagistrates
　　veryearnestlyrecommendtotheFarmersandothersthroughoutthecounty
　　toincreasethePayoftheirLabourersinproportiontothepresentPrice
　　ofProvisions；andagreeabletheretotheMagistratesnowpresenthaveunanimously
　　Resolved，Thattheywillintheirseveraldivisions，makethefollowingcalculations
　　andallowancesforthereliefofallpoorandindustriousmenandtheirfamilies，
　　who，tothesatisfactionoftheJusticesoftheirparish，shallendeavour
　　asfarastheycan，fortheirownsupportandmaintenance，thatistosay，
　　whenthegallonloafofsecondflour，weighing8lbs。11oz。shallcostone
　　shilling，theneverypoorandindustriousmanshillhaveforhisownsupport
　　3s。weekly，eitherproducedbyhisownorhisfamily’slabouroranallowance
　　fromthepoorrates，andforthesupportofhiswifeandeveryotherofhis
　　family1s。6d。Whenthegallonloafshallcostls。4d。，theneverypoorand
　　industriousmanshallhave4s。weeklyforhisown，and1s。10d：forthesupport
　　ofeveryotherofhisfamily。