society，carefulofitspleasuresandcomforts，livingwiththemoralideas
　　andasfaraspossibleinthemanneroftherich。TherivalryoftheMethodist
　　movementhadgivenacertainstimulustozeal，andtheVicarofCorsleyin
　　Wilts，17*forexample，addedasecondservicetothedutiesoftheSunday，
　　thoughguardinghimselfexpresslyagainsttheadmissionofanyobligation
　　tomakeitpermanent。Butitwasfoundimpossibletoeradicatefromthesystem
　　certainofthevicesthatbelongtoasocietywhichisprimarilyaclass。
　　Someofthebishopssetthemselvestoreducethepracticeofnon-residence。
　　Porteus，BishopofLondon，devotedagreatpartofhischargetohisclergy
　　in1790tothissubject，andthoughhepleadedpassionatelyforreformhe
　　cannotbesaidtohaveshuthiseyestothedifficultiesoftheclergy。’There
　　are，indeed，twoimpedimentstoconstantresidencewhichcannoteasilybe
　　surmounted；thefirstiswhatfortunatelyprevailsinsomepartsofthis
　　dioceseunwholesomenessofsituation；theotheristhepossessionofasecond
　　benefice。Yeteventhesewillnotjustifyatotalandperpetualabsencefrom
　　yourcures。Theunhealthinessofmanyplacesisoflateyearsbyvarious
　　improvementsgreatlyabated，andtherearenowfewsocircumstancedasnot
　　toadmitofresidencethereinsomepartoftheyearwithoutanydangerto
　　theconstitution。’ThusevenBishopPorteus，whointhisverychargereminded
　　theclergythattheywerecalledbythetitlesofstewards，watchmen，shepherds，
　　andlabourers，neverwentthelengthofthinkingthattheChurchwastobe
　　expectedtoministertothepoorinallweathersandinallclimates。
　　Theexertionsofthereformingbishopsdidnotachieveaconspicuoussuccess，
　　forthesecondofthedifficultiestouchedonbyPorteuswasinsurmountable。
　　InhisLegacytoParsons，Cobbett，quotingfromtheClericalGuide，showed
　　that332parsonssharedtherevenuesof1496parishes，and500moreshared
　　thoseof1524。AmongthepluralistswereLordWalsingham，whobesidesenjoying
　　apensionof£；700ayear，wasArchdeaconofSurrey，PrebendaryofWinchester，
　　RectorofCalbourne，RectorofFawley，perpetualCurateofExbury，andRector
　　ofMerton；theEarlofGuildford，RectorofOldAlresford，RectorofNew
　　Alresford，perpetualCurateofMedsted，RectorofSt。Mary，Southampton，
　　includingthegreatparishofSouthStoneham，MasterofSt。CrossHospital，
　　withtherevenueoftheparishofSt。Faithalongwithit。Therewerethree
　　Pretymansdividingfifteenbenefices，andWellington’sbrotherwasPrebendary
　　ofDurham，RectorofBishopwearmouth，RectorofChelsea，andRectorofTherfield。
　　Thismethodoftreatingtheparson’sprofessionasacomfortablecareerwas
　　socloselyentangledinthesystemofaristocracy，thatnoGovernmentwhich
　　representedthoseinterestswouldeverdreamoftouchingit。Parliamentintervened
　　indeed，butintervenedtoprotectthosewholivedontheseabuses。Forbefore
　　1801therewereActsofParliamentontheStatuteBook21HenryVIII。c。
　　13，and13Elizabethc。20，whichprovidedcertainpenaltiesfornon-residence。
　　In1799acertainMr。Williamslaidinformationsagainsthundredsofthe
　　clergyforoffencesagainsttheseActs。Parliamentrepliedbypassingaseries
　　ofActstostayproceedings，andfinallyin1803SirWilliamScott，member
　　fortheUniversityofOxford，passedanActwhichallowedthebishopsto
　　authoriseparsonstoresideoutoftheirparishes。Itisnotsurprisingto
　　findthatin1812，outoftenthousandincumbents，nearlysixthousandwere
　　non-resident。
　　Intheparisheswheretheincumbentwasnon-resident，iftherewasaclergyman
　　atallintheplace，itwasgenerallyacurateonamiserablepittance。Bishop
　　Porteus，inthechargealreadymentioned，givessomeinterestinginformation
　　aboutthesalariesofcurates：’Itisalsohighlytothehonourofthisdiocese
　　thatingeneralthestipendsallowedtothecuratesaremoreliberalthan
　　inmanyotherpartsofthekingdom。InseveralinstancesIfindthatthe
　　stipendforonechurchonlyis£；50ayear；fortwo£；60andthe
　　useofaparsonage；andintheunwholesomepartsofthediocese£；70
　　andeven£；80thatis£；40foreachchurch，withthesameindulgence
　　ofahousetoresidein。’Manyoftheparishesdidnotseemuchofthecurate
　　assignedtothem。’Amanmusthavetravelledverylittleinthekingdom，’
　　saidArthurYoungin1798，’whodoesnotknowthatcountrytownsaboundwith
　　curateswhoneverseetheparishestheyserve，butwhentheyareabsolutely
　　forcedtoitbyduty。’18*Buttheill-paidcurate，evenwhenhewasresident
　　andconscientious，asheoftenwas，movedlikethepluralistrectorinthe
　　orbitoftherich。Hewasinthatworldthoughnotofit。Allhishopeshung
　　onthesquire。Tohavetakenthesideofthepooragainsthimwouldhave
　　meantruin，andtheEnglishChurchwasnotanurseryofthiskindofheroism。
　　Itissignificantthatalmosteveryeighteenth-centurynovelistputsatleast
　　onesycophanticparsoninhisorhergalleryofportraits。19*
　　Inadditiontothesocialtiesthatdrewtheclergytothearistocracy，
　　therewasapowerfuleconomichindrancetotheirfriendshipwiththepoor。
　　DeTocquevillethoughtthatthetithesystembroughttheFrenchpriestinto
　　interestingandtouchingrelationswiththepeasant：aviewthathasseemed
　　fancifultolaterhistorians，whoaremoreimpressedbythequarrelsthat
　　resulted。ButdeTocquevillehimselfcouldscarcelyarguethatthetithe
　　systemhelpedtowarmtheheartofthelabourertotheChurchofEngland
　　incasessuchasthoserecordedintheParliamentaryPaperissuedin1833，
　　inwhichparsonmagistratessentworkingmentoprisonforrefusingtopay
　　tithestotheirrector。Daylabouringmenhadoriginallybeenexemptedfrom
　　liabilitytopaytithes，butjustastheFrenchChurchbroughtmoreandmore
　　ofthepropertyandindustryoftheStatewithinherconfiscatinggrasp，
　　sotheEnglishParliament，fromthereignofWilliamIII，hadbeendrawing
　　theparson’snetmorecloselyroundthelabourer。Moreover，asweshallsee
　　inalaterchapter，thequestionoftitheswasintheverycentreofthe
　　socialagitationsthatendedintherisingof1830anditsterriblepunishment。
　　Inthisparticularquarrelthefarmersandlabourerswereonthesameside，
　　andtheparsonsasabodystoodoutfortheirownpropertywithasmuchdetermination
　　asthelandlords。
　　InonerespecttheChurchtookanactivepartinoppressingthevillage
　　poor，forWilberforceandhisfriendsstarted，justbeforetheFrenchRevolution，
　　aSocietyfortheReformationofManners，whichaimedatenforcingtheobservance
　　ofSunday，forbiddinganykindofsocialdissipation，andrepressingfreedom
　　ofspeechandofthoughtwhenevertheyrefusedtoconformtothesuperstitions
　　ofthemorosereligionthatwastheninfashion。Thiscampaignwasdirected
　　againstthelicenseofthepooralone。TherewerenostocksfortheSabbath-breakers
　　ofBrooks’s：aGibbonmighttakewhatlibertieshepleasedwithreligion：
　　thewildestMethodistnevertriedtoshackletheloosetonguesortheloose
　　livesofthegayrich。TheattitudeoftheChurchtotheexcessesofthis
　　classiswelldepictedinFielding’saccountofParsonSupple，whonever
　　remonstratedwithSquireWesternforswearing，butpreachedsovigorously
　　inthepulpitagainstthehabitthattheauthoritiesputthelawsveryseverely
　　inexecutionagainstothers，’andthemagistratewastheonlypersoninthe
　　parishwhocouldswearwithimpunity。’Thisdescriptionmightseemtoborder
　　onburlesque，butthereisanentryinWilberforce’sdiarythatrevealsa
　　stateofmindwhichevenFieldingwouldhavefounditimpossibletocaricature。
　　WilberforcewasstayingatBrighton，andthisishisdescriptionofanevening
　　hespentatthePavilionwiththefirstgentlemanofEurope：’ThePrince
　　andDukeofClarencetooverycivil。PrinceshowedhehadreadCobbett。Spoke
　　stronglyoftheblasphemyofhislatepapersandmostjustly。’20*Wecan
　　onlyhopethatSheridanwastheretoenjoythescene，andthatthePrince
　　wasableforoncetodojusticetohisstrongfeelingsinlanguagethatwould
　　notshockWilberforce’sears。
　　MenlikeWilberforceandthemagistrateswhomheinspireddidnotpunish
　　therichfortheirdissolutebehaviour；theyonlyfoundinthatbehaviour
　　anotherargumentforcoercingthepoor。Astheywatchedthedishevelledlives
　　ofmenlikeGeorgeSelwyntheironeideaofactionwastopunishavillage
　　labourer，forneglectingchurchonSundaymorning。Wehaveseenhowthecottagers
　　paidinEnclosureBillsfortheirlords’adventuresatplay。Theypaidalso
　　fortheirlords’dissipationsinthelossofinnocentpleasuresthatmight
　　havebroughtsomecolourintotheirgreylives。Themoreboisterousthefun
　　atAlmack’s，thedeeperthegloomthrownoverthevillage。TheSelectCommittee
　　onAllotmentsthatreportedin1843foundoneofthechiefcausesofcrime
　　inthelackofrecreations。SheridanatonetimeandCobbettatanothertried
　　torevivevillagesports，butsocialcircumstancesweretoostrongforthem。
　　InthisrespecttheFrenchpeasanthadtheadvantage。Babeau’spictureof
　　hisgayandsociableSundaymaybeoverdrawn，butacomparisonofCrabbe’s
　　descriptionoftheEnglishSundaywithcontemporarydescriptionsofSunday
　　asitwasspentinaFrenchvillage，showsthatthespiritofcommongaiety，
　　killedinEnglandbyPuritanismandbythedestructionofthenaturaland
　　easy-goingrelationsofthevillagecommunity，survivedinFrancethrough
　　allthetribulationsofpovertyandfamine。Theeighteenth-centuryFrench
　　villagestillborearesemblanceinfacttothemedievalEnglishvillage，
　　andGoldsmithhasrecordedinTheTravellerhisimpressionsof’mirth
　　andsocialease。’Babeaugivesanaccountofagreatvarietyofvillagegames，
　　fromtheviolentcontestsinBrittanyforthe’choule，’inoneofwhichfourteen
　　playersweredrowned，tothegentlerdancesandthechildren’srompsthat
　　weregeneralinotherpartsofFrance，andArthurYoungwasverymuchstruck
　　bytheagilityandthegracethattheheavypeasantsdisplayedindancing
　　onthevillagegreen。Windham，speakinginabadcause，thedefenceofbull-baiting
　　in1800，laidstressonthecontrast：’InthesouthofFianceandinSpain，
　　attheendoftheday’slabour，andinthecooloftheevening’sshade，the
　　poordanceinmirthfulfestivityonthegreen，tothesoundoftheguitar。
　　Butinthiscountrynosuchsourceofamusementpresentsitself。Ifthey
　　dance，itmustbeofteninamarsh，orintherain，forthepleasureofcatching
　　cold。Butthereisasubstituteinthiscountrywellknownbythenameof
　　Hops。Weallknowthealarmwhichtheverywordinspires，andthesoundof
　　thefiddlecallsforththemagistratetodissolvethemeeting。Menbredin
　　ignoranceoftheworld，andhavingnoopportunityofmixinginitsscenes
　　orobservingitsmanners，maybemuchworseemployedthaninlearningsomething
　　ofitscustomsfromtheatricalrepresentations；butifacompanyofstrolling
　　playersmaketheirappearanceinavillage，theyarehuntedimmediatelyfrom
　　itasanuisance，except，perhaps，therebeafewpeopleofgreaterwealth
　　intheneighbourhood，whosewivesanddaughterspatronizethem。’21*Thus
　　alltheinfluencesofthetimeconspiredtoisolatethepoor，andthechanges，
　　destructiveoftheirfreedomandhappiness，thatweretakingplaceintheir
　　socialandeconomicsurroundings，wereaggravatedbyarevivalofPuritanism
　　whichhelpedtorobvillagelifeofallitsnaturalmelodyandcolour。
　　Cf。caseofapprentice，AnnualRegister，1819，p。195。
　　PoorLawReport，1817；insomecasestherewereamicablearrangements
　　tokeepdownlegalexpenses；e。g。，atHalifaxEden，theoverseerformed
　　asocietyoftheofficersofadjoiningparishes。Caseswerereferredtothem，
　　andthedecisionofthemajoritywasaccepted。
　　WealthofNations，vol。iii，p。234。
　　LifeinanEnglishVillage，byMaudeF。Davies，p。58。InquiryintotheStateofthePublicMindamongtheLowerClasses，
　　TheparsonsunderSquireAllworthy’sroof，theparsontowhomPamela
　　appealedinvain，and，moststrikingofall，MrCollinsinPrideandPrejudice。