Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Or The Causes Of The Decay Of Our National Morality, And On Some Modern Schemes For Its Renovation.
have a system of habits or a fashion for itself . The manners of the master influenced the man . The latter could indulge in intemperance of any species only as far as the former and his family encouraged him . Thus , the hired became an honest , industrious , and tolerably sober man ; and , as the labour was of value , he in many instances looked forward to a farm for himself , and married one of his employer ' s
daughters , who was , in fact , ivhen the farm was small , his equal . On his removal to a new home , the influence retained over him by his father and mother-in-law , and by his wife ' s brothers , remained still as far as might conduce to his moral character . And thus was formed the respectable character of the English yeoman . This is no imaginary picture . Every one who has lived in the country knows that it is an
exact description of the state of the agricultural population all over England about forty years ago ; slightly varying as farms happened to be larger or smaller , or where local peculiarities modified the ordinary customs . Formerly , the male and female agriculturists lived in the houses of their employers , under their immediate superintendence . The example and the authority of the master and the housewife were insensibly exerted in forming a domestic society not refined , not pure and Arcadian certainly , but at all events competent to create honest labourers
and cleanly , industrious wives . But all this has changed . A time came ( we enquire not how produced ) in which the value of capital rose prodigiously , and the . value of labour declined . The consequence was , the farmer ' s family and the farmer ' s servant ' s were separated , The separation was manifest , and it drew down upon him the ridicule of Ms superiors , but very unjustly . Why , when he had acquired money enough
to send his son to college , should he send him to plough ? And who but a clod in reality would stick himself down in a corner to smoke and drink ale , when he could mount a hunter , and ride to the races , and bet with my lord ? Nor coidd any thing else be reasonably expected than , that with the female part of the family , French and music should supersede milking and churning . To blame this were absurd . To imitate
our superiors when in our power is natural , and it is within certain limits perfectly proper—conducing in every state of life to exalt the character . However , by this alteration the hind and the maid became strictly servants , and were severed from all sympathy with their superiors , and from any hope of materially bettering their condition . The consequences to the latter may be learnt in the records of the poor law
commission . ? The former came to live out of the farm-house in a dirty hovel , married , careless of consequences , was not ashamed to accept parish relief , and became a drunkard , a poacher , or a rick-burner . The ^ same change took place , from the same cause , with the townspeople ; namely , the value of capital and the cheapness of labour sepe-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Or The Causes Of The Decay Of Our National Morality, And On Some Modern Schemes For Its Renovation.
have a system of habits or a fashion for itself . The manners of the master influenced the man . The latter could indulge in intemperance of any species only as far as the former and his family encouraged him . Thus , the hired became an honest , industrious , and tolerably sober man ; and , as the labour was of value , he in many instances looked forward to a farm for himself , and married one of his employer ' s
daughters , who was , in fact , ivhen the farm was small , his equal . On his removal to a new home , the influence retained over him by his father and mother-in-law , and by his wife ' s brothers , remained still as far as might conduce to his moral character . And thus was formed the respectable character of the English yeoman . This is no imaginary picture . Every one who has lived in the country knows that it is an
exact description of the state of the agricultural population all over England about forty years ago ; slightly varying as farms happened to be larger or smaller , or where local peculiarities modified the ordinary customs . Formerly , the male and female agriculturists lived in the houses of their employers , under their immediate superintendence . The example and the authority of the master and the housewife were insensibly exerted in forming a domestic society not refined , not pure and Arcadian certainly , but at all events competent to create honest labourers
and cleanly , industrious wives . But all this has changed . A time came ( we enquire not how produced ) in which the value of capital rose prodigiously , and the . value of labour declined . The consequence was , the farmer ' s family and the farmer ' s servant ' s were separated , The separation was manifest , and it drew down upon him the ridicule of Ms superiors , but very unjustly . Why , when he had acquired money enough
to send his son to college , should he send him to plough ? And who but a clod in reality would stick himself down in a corner to smoke and drink ale , when he could mount a hunter , and ride to the races , and bet with my lord ? Nor coidd any thing else be reasonably expected than , that with the female part of the family , French and music should supersede milking and churning . To blame this were absurd . To imitate
our superiors when in our power is natural , and it is within certain limits perfectly proper—conducing in every state of life to exalt the character . However , by this alteration the hind and the maid became strictly servants , and were severed from all sympathy with their superiors , and from any hope of materially bettering their condition . The consequences to the latter may be learnt in the records of the poor law
commission . ? The former came to live out of the farm-house in a dirty hovel , married , careless of consequences , was not ashamed to accept parish relief , and became a drunkard , a poacher , or a rick-burner . The ^ same change took place , from the same cause , with the townspeople ; namely , the value of capital and the cheapness of labour sepe-