cynicismofthisagewillnote——recollectingthattheupperclassesrefused
　　toraisewagesin1795tomeettheextracostofliving，onthegroundthat
　　itwouldbedifficultafterwardstoreducethem——thatalltheupper-class
　　officials，whosesalarieswereincreasedbecauselivingwasmoreexpensive，
　　werelefttothepermanentenjoymentofthatincrease。Thelivesofthejudges，
　　thelandlords，theparsons，andtherestofthegoverningclasswerenot
　　becomemoremeagrebutmorespaciousinthelastfiftyyears。Duringthat
　　periodmanyofthegreatpalacesoftheEnglishnobilityhadbeenbuilt，
　　noblelibrarieshadbeencollected，andfamousgallerieshadgrownup，wing
　　uponwing。Theagriculturallabourerswhosefathershadeatenmeat，bacon，
　　cheese，andvegetableswerelivingonbreadandpotatoes。Theyhadlosttheir
　　gardens，theyhadceasedtobrewtheirbeerintheircottages。Intheirwork
　　theyhadnosenseofownershiporinterest。Theynolonger’saunteredafter
　　cattle’ontheopencommon，andattwilighttheynolonger’playeddownthe
　　settingsun；’thegameshadalmostdisappearedfromtheEnglishtillage，
　　theirwivesandchildrenwerestartingbeforetheireyes，theirhomeswere
　　moresqualid，andthephilosophyofthehourtaughttheupperclassesthat
　　tomendawindowortoputinabricktoshieldthecottagefromdampor
　　windwastoincreasetheultimatemiseriesofthepoor。Thesenseofsympathy
　　andcomradeship，whichhadbeenmixedwithrudeandunskilfulgovernment，
　　intheoldvillagehadbeendestroyedinthebitterdaysofwantanddistress。
　　Degradingandrepulsiveworkwasinventedforthosewhomthefarmerwould
　　notorcouldnotemploy。DeQuincey，wishingtoillustratethemannersof
　　eighteenth-centuryFrance，usedtoquoteM。Simond’sstoryofhowhehad
　　seen，notverylongbeforetheRevolution，apeasantploughingwithateam
　　consistingofadonkeyandawoman。TheEnglishpoorcouldhavetoldhim
　　thathalfacenturylatertherewereEnglishtillagesinwhichitwasthe
　　practiceoftheoverseertoharnessmenandwomentotheparishcart，and
　　thatthesightofanidiotwomanbetweentheshaftswasnotunknownwithin
　　ahundredmilesofLondon。1*Menandwomenwerelivingonrootsandsorrel；
　　inthesummeroftheyear1830fourharvestlabourerswerefoundundera
　　hedgedeadofstarvation，andLordWinchilsea，whomentionedthefactin
　　theHouseofLords，saidthatthiswasnotanexceptionalcase。Thelabourer
　　wasworsefedandworsehousedthantheprisoner，andhewouldnothavebeen
　　abletokeepbodyandsoultogetherifhehadnotfoundinpoachingorin
　　thievingorinsmugglingthemeansofekingouthisdolesandwages。
　　Thefeelingsofthissinkingclass，theanger，dismay，anddespairwith
　　whichitwatchedthegoingoutofallthewarmcomfortandlightoflife，
　　scarcelystirthesurfaceofhistory。Theupperclasseshavetolduswhat
　　thepooroughttohavethoughtofthesevicissitudes；religion，philosophy，
　　andpoliticaleconomywerereadywithalleviationsandexplanationswhich
　　seemedsingularlyhelpfulandconvincingtotherich。Thevoiceofthepoor
　　themselvesdoesnotcometoourears。Thisgreatpopulationseemstoresemble
　　nature，andtobearallthestormsthatbeatuponitwithastrangesilence
　　andresignation。Butjustasnaturehasherpowerofprotestinsomesudden
　　upheaval，sothisworldofmenandwomen——anundergroundworldaswetrace
　　thedistancethatitsvoiceshavetotraveltoreachus——hasavolcanic
　　characterofitsown，anditisonlybysomevolcanicsurprisethatitcan
　　speakthelanguageofremonstranceormenaceorprayer，orplaceonrecord
　　itsconsciousnessofwrong。ThisworldhasnomemberofParliament，nopress，
　　itdoesnotmakeliteratureorwritehistory；nodiaryormemoirshavekept
　　aliveforusthethoughtsandcaresofthepassingday。Itisforthisreason
　　thattheeventsofthewinterof1830havesoprofoundaninterest，forin
　　thescenesnowtobedescribedwehavethemindofthisclasshiddenfrom
　　usthroughallthisperiodofpain，burstingthesilencebytheonlypower
　　atitscommand。Thedemandspresentedtothefarmer，theparson，andthe
　　squirethiswintertellusasmuchabouttheSouthofEnglandlabourerin
　　1830asthecahierstellusoftheFrenchpeasantsin1789。
　　Wehaveseenthatin1795andin1816therehadbeenseriousdisturbances
　　indifferentpartsofEngland。Thesehadbeensuppressedwithafirmhand，
　　butduringhardwinterssporadicviolenceandblazinghay-stackshowedfrom
　　timetotimethatthefirewasstillaliveundertheashes。Therisingof
　　1830wasfarmoregeneralandmoreserious；severalcountiesinthesouth
　　ofEnglandwereinstateborderingoninsurrection；Londonwasinapanic，
　　andtosomeatleastofthosewhohadtriedtoforgetthepricethathad
　　beenpaidforthesplendouroftherich，themessageofredskiesandbroken
　　millsandmobdiplomacyandvillagesinarmssoundedlikethesummonsthat
　　cametoHernani。Theterrorofthelandownersduringthoseweeksisreflected
　　insuchlanguageasthatoftheDukeofBuckingham，whotalkedofthecountry
　　beinginthehandsoftherebels，orofoneoftheBarings，whosaidinthe
　　HouseofCommonsthatifthedisorderswentonforthreeorfourdayslonger
　　theywouldbebeyondthereachofalmostanypowertocontrolthem。This
　　chapterofsocialhistoryhasbeenovershadowedbytheriotsthatfollowed
　　therejectionoftheReformBill。Everyoneknowsaboutthedestructionof
　　theMansionHouseatBristol，andtheburningofNottinghamCastle；fewknow
　　ofthedestructionofthehatedworkhousesatSelborneandHeadley。Theriots
　　atNottinghamandBristolwereapreludetovictory；theywerethewildshout
　　ofpower。Iftherisingof1830hadsucceeded，andwonbackforthelabourer
　　hislostlivelihood，thedaywhentheHeadleyworkhousewasthrowndownwould
　　berememberedbythepoorasthedayofthetakingoftheBastille。Butthis
　　rebellionfailed，andthemenwholedthatlaststruggleforthelabourer
　　passedintotheforgetfulnessofdeathandexile。
　　Kentwasthesceneofthefirstdisturbances。Therehadbeensomealarming
　　firesinthewestofthecountyduringthesummer，atOrpingtonandnear
　　Sevenoaks。Inonecasethevictimhadmadehimselfunpopularbypullingdown
　　acottagebuiltonacommonadjoininghisproperty，andturningouttheoccupants。
　　Howfarthesefireswereconnectedwithlatereventsitisimpossibleto
　　say：theauthorswereneverdiscovered。ThefirstriotoccurredatHardres
　　onSundaythe29thofAugust，whenfourhundredlabourersdestroyedsome
　　threshingmachines。2*Nextdaytwomagistrateswithahundredspecialconstables
　　andsomesoldierswenttoHardresCourt，andnomorewasheardoftherioters。
　　TheSpectatorearlynextyearannouncedthatithadfoundasaresult
　　ofinquiriesthattheriotsbeganwithadisputebetweenfarmersoverathreshing
　　machine，inthecourseofwhichamagistratehadexpressedstrongviewsagainst
　　theintroductionofthesemachines。Thelabourersproceededtodestroythe
　　machine，whereupon，totheirsurprise，themagistrateturnedonthemand
　　punishedthem；inrevengetheyfiredhisricks。’Afarmerinanothervillage，
　　talkingofthedistressofthelabourers，said，“Ah，Ishouldbewell
　　pleasedifaplagueweretobreakoutamongthem，andthenIshouldhave
　　theircarcasesasmanure，andrightgoodstuffitwouldmakeformyhops。”
　　Thisspeech，whichwasperhapsonlyintendedasabrutaljest，wasreported；
　　itexcitedrageinsteadofmirth，andthestacksofthejesterweresoon
　　inablaze。Thisactofincendiarismwasopenanddeliberate。Theincendiary
　　isknown，andnotonlyhashenotbeentried，hehasnotevenbeencharged。’3*
　　Cobbett，ontheotherhand，maintainedthattheoccasionofthefirstriots
　　wastheimportationofIrishlabourers，apracticenowsomeyearsold，that
　　mightwellinflameresentment，atatimewhenthegoverningclasswascontinually
　　contendingthatthesolecauseofdistresswasexcessivepopulation，and
　　thatthetruesolutionwastheremovalofsurpluslabourerstothecolonies。
　　Whatevertheactualoriginofthefirstoutbreakmayhavebeen，thedestruction
　　ofmachinerywastobeaprominentfeatureofthissocialwar。Thiswasnot
　　merelyaninstinctofviolence，therewasmethodandreasoninit。Threshing
　　wasoneofthefewkindsofworkleftthatprovidedthelabourerwithameans
　　ofexistenceabovestarvationlevel。AlandownerandoccupiernearCanterbury
　　wrotetotheKentHerald，4*thatinhisparish，wherenomachines
　　hadbeenintroduced，thereweretwenty-threebarns。Hecalculatedthatin
　　thesebarnsfifteenmenatleastwouldfindemploymentthreshingcornup
　　tillMay。Ifwesupposethateachmanhadawifeandthreechildren，this
　　employmentwouldaffectseventy-fivepersons。’Anindustriousmanwhohas
　　abarnneverrequirespoorrelief；hecanearnfrom15s。to20s。perweek；
　　heconsidersitalmostashislittlefreehold，andthatineffectitcertainly
　　is。’Itiseasytoimaginewhatthesightofoneofthesehatedenginesmeant
　　tosuchaparish；thefifteenmen，theirwivesandfamilieswouldhavefound
　　coldcomfort，whentheyhadbecomesubmergedinthemorassofparishrelief，
　　inthereflectionthatthenewmachineextractedfortheirmaster’sandthe
　　publicbenefittenpercent。morecornthantheycouldhammeroutbytheir
　　freearms。Thedestructionofthreshingmachinesbybandsofmeninthedistrict
　　roundCanterburycontinuedthroughSeptemberpracticallyunchecked。Bythe
　　endofthemonththreeofthemostactiverioterswereincustody，andthe
　　magistrateswereunderthepleasantillusionthattherewouldbevoluntary
　　surrenders。Inthistheyweredisappointed，andthedisturbancesspreadover
　　awiderarea，whichembracedthedoverdistrict。EarlyinOctobertherewas
　　ariotatLyminge，atwhichSirEdwardKnatchbullandtheRev。Mr。Price
　　succeededinarrestingtheringleaders，andboundoveraboutfiftyother
　　persons。SirEdwardKnatchbull，inwritingtotheHomeOffice，statedthat
　　thelabourerssaid’theywouldratherdoanythingthanencountersuchawinter
　　asthelast。’Mr。Pricehadtopaythepenaltyforhisactivepartinthis
　　affair，andhisrickswerefired。
　　Largerewardswerepromisedfromthefirsttoinformers，theserewards
　　includingawiseofferofestablishmentelsewhere，buttheprizewasrefused，
　　andrick-burningspreadsteadilythroughasecondmonth。Threateningletters
　　signed’Swing，’amysteriousnamethatforthenextfewweeksspreadterror
　　overEngland，werereceivedbymanyfarmersandlandowners。Themachine-breakers
　　werereportednottotakemoneyorplunder，andtorefuseitifoffered。
　　Theirprogrammewasextensiveandformidable。WhentheHighSheriffattended
　　oneoftheirmeetingstoremonstratewiththem，theylistenedtohishomily
　　withattention，butbeforedispersingoneofthemsaid，’Wewilldestroy
　　thecornstacksandthreshingmachinesthisyear，nextyearwewillhavea
　　turnwiththeparsons，andthethirdwewillmakewaruponthestatesmen。’5*
　　On24thOctobersevenprisonersweretriedattheEastKentQuarterSessions，
　　formachine-breaking。Theypleadedguilty，andwereletoffwithalenient
　　sentenceofthreedays’imprisonmentandanharanguefromSirEdwardKnatchbull，
　　Hithertoallattemptstodiscovertheincendiarieshadbeenbaffled，but
　　on21stOctoberazealousmagistratewrotetotheHomeOfficetosaythat
　　hehadfoundaclue。HehadapprehendedamancalledCharlesBlow，andsince
　　theevidencewasnotsufficienttowarrantcommittalforarson，hehadsent
　　himtoLewesJailasavagrantforthreemonths。’IncompanywithBlowwas
　　agirlofabouttenyearsofageofthenameofMaryAnnJohnson，butof
　　intelligenceandcunningfarbeyondherage。Ithavingbeenstatedtome
　　thatshehadletfallsomeexpressionswhichwenttoshowthatshecould
　　ifshepleasedcommunicateimportantinformation，Icommittedheralsofor
　　thesameperiodasBlow。’NowthefiresinquestionhadtakenplaceinKent，
　　andthevagrantswereapprehendedinSussex，consequentlytheofficialsof
　　bothcountiesmeddledwiththematterandbetweenthemspoiltthewholeplan，
　　forMaryAnnandhercompanionwerequestionedbysomanydifferentpersons
　　thattheywereputontheirguard，andfailedtogivetheinformationthat
　　wasexpected。Thusatanyrate，LordCamden，theLord-Lieutenant，explained
　　theirsilence，buthedidnotdespair，’ifthePartiescannotevenbeconvicted
　　IamapttothinktheirCommittalnowwilldogood，thoughtheymaybeto
　　beliberatedafterwards，butnothingissolikelytoproducealarmandproduce
　　evidenceasaCommittalforaCapitalCrime。’However，asnomoreisheard
　　ofMaryAnn，itmaybeassumedthatwhenshehadservedherthreemonths
　　sheleftLewesJailasadderandawiserchild。
　　TowardstheendofOctober，aftersomethingofalullinthemiddleof
　　themonth，thesituationbecamemoreserious。Dissatisfaction，or，assome
　　calledit，’frightfulanarchy，’spreadtotheMaidstoneandSittingbourne
　　districts。SirRobertPeelwasanxioustotakestrongmeasures。’Ibegto
　　repeattoyouthatIwilladoptanymeasure-willincuranyexpenseatthe
　　publiccharge-thatcanpromotethesuppressionoftheoutragesinKentand
　　thedetectionoftheoffenders。’AtroopofcavalrywassenttoSittingbourne。
　　InthelastdaysofOctober，mobsscouredthecountryroundMaidstone，demanding
　　halfacrownadaywagesandconstantemployment，forcingalllabourersto
　　jointhem，andlevyingmoney，beer，andprovisions。AtStockbury，between
　　MaidstoneandSittingbourne，oneofthesemobsparadedatricolouranda
　　blackflag。On30thOctobertheMaidstonemagistrateswentoutwithabody
　　ofthirty-foursoldierstomeetamoboffourhundredpeople，aboutfour
　　milesfromMaidstone，andlaidholdofthethreeringleaders。Thearrests
　　weremadewithoutdifficultyorresistance，fromwhichitlooksasifthese
　　bandsofmenwerenotveryformidable，buttheofficerincommandofthe
　　soldierslaidstressinhisconfidentialreportonthedangersofthesituation
　　andthenecessityforfieldpieces，andPeelpromptlyorderedtwopiecesof
　　artillerytobedispatched。