Bills，weretoreceivecompensation；buttherewasnotalkofcompensation
　　forthestolenlivelihoodofapinderorachimneypeeper，astherehadbeen
　　forthelostpickingsoftheofficialsofParliament，orastherewaswhenever
　　anunhappyaristocratwasmadetosurrenderoneofhissinecures。George
　　Selwyn，whohadbeenPaymasteroftheWorksfortwenty-sevenyearsatthe
　　timethatBurke’sActof1782deprivedhimofthatprofitabletitle，was
　　notallowedtolanguishverylongonthetwosinecuresthatwereleftto
　　him。In1784PittconsoledhimwiththelucrativenameofSurveyor-General
　　ofCrownLands。Thepinderandtheviewerreceivedadifferentkindofjustice。
　　Fortherichthereiscompensation，astheweaversaidinDisraeli’sSybil，
　　but’sympathyisthesolaceofthepoor。’Inthiscase，ifthetruthbetold，
　　eventhissolacewasnotadministeredwithtooliberalahand。
　　Alltheseclassesandinterestswerescatteredbyenclosure，butitwas
　　notonegenerationalonethatwasstruckdownbytheblow。Forthecommons
　　werethepatrimonyofthepoor。Thecommoner’schild，howeverneedy，was
　　bornwithaspooninhismouth。Hecameintoaworldinwhichhehadashare
　　andaplace。Thecivilisationwhichwasnowsubmergedhadspeltasortof
　　independencefortheobscurelineageofthevillage。Ithadrepresented，
　　too，theimportanceoftheinterestofthecommunityinitssoil，andin
　　thisaspectalsotherobberyofthepresentwaslessimportantthantherobbery
　　ofthefuture。Foroneactofconfiscationblottedoutaprincipleofpermanent
　　valuetotheState。
　　Theimmediateconsequencesofthispolicywereonlypartiallyvisible
　　tothegoverningorthecultivatedclasses。TherulersofEnglandtookit
　　forgrantedthatthelossesofindividualswerethegainsoftheState，and
　　thatthedistressesofthepoorweretheconditionofpermanentadvance。
　　Modernapologistshaveadoptedthesameview；andthepopularresistance
　　toenclosureisoftencomparedtothewildandpassionatefurythatbroke
　　againstthespinningandweavingmachines，thesymbolsandenginesofthe
　　IndustrialRevolution。Historyhasdrawnacurtainoverthosedaysofexile
　　andsuffering，whencottageswerepulleddownasifbyaninvader’shand，
　　andfamiliesthathadlivedforcenturiesintheirdalesorontheirsmall
　　farmsandcommonsweredrivenbeforethetorrent，losing
　　’Estateandhouseandalltheirsheep，Aprettyflock，andwhichforaughtIknowHadclothedtheEwbanksforathousandyears。’
　　Ancientpossessionsandancientfamiliesdisappeared。Butthefirstconsequence
　　wasnottheworstconsequence：sofarfromcompensatingforthismisery，
　　theultimateresultwasstillmoredisastrous。Thegoverningclasskilled
　　bythispolicythespiritofarace。Thepetitionsthatareburiedwiththeir
　　briefandunavailingpathosintheJournalsoftheHouseofCommons
　　arethelastvoiceofvillageindependence，andtheunnamedcommonerswho
　　bravedthedangersofresistancetosendtheirdoomedproteststotheHouse
　　ofCommonsthatobeyedtheirlords，werethelastoftheEnglishpeasants。
　　Thesewerethemen，itisnotunreasonabletobelieve，whomGrayhadinmind
　　whenhewrote：——
　　’SomevillageHampdenthatwithdauntlessbreastThelittletyrantofhisfieldswithstood，’
　　AswereadthedescriptionsofthestateofFrancebeforetheRevolution，
　　thereisonefactthatcomfortstheimaginationandbracestheheart。We
　　readoftheintolerableservicesofthepeasant，ofhisforcedlabour，his
　　confiscatedharvests，hiscrushingburdens，hispainfulandhumiliatingtasks，
　　includinginsomecaseseventhedutyofprotectingthesleepoftheseigneur
　　fromthecroakingoftheneighboringmarshes。ThemindofArthurYoungwas
　　filledwiththisimpressionofunsupportableservitude。Butamorediscerning
　　eyemighthaveperceivedatruththatescapedtheEnglishtraveller。Itis
　　containedinanentrythatoftengreetsusintheofficialreportsonthe
　　stateoftheprovinces：ceseigneurlitigeavecsesvaissaux。Thosefewwords
　　flashlikeagleamofthedawnacrossthissombreandmelancholypage。The
　　peasantmaybeoverwhelmedbythedî；me，thetaille，thecorvé；e，
　　thehundredandoneservicesthatknithistenuretothecapriceofalord：
　　hemaybewretched，brutal，ignorant，ill-clothed，ill-fed，andill-housed：
　　buthehasnotlosthisstatus：heisnotacasualfigureinadriftingproletariat：
　　hebelongstoacommunitythatcanwithstandtheseigneur，disputehisclaims
　　atlaw，resumeitsrights，recoveritspossessions，andestablish，oneday，
　　itsindependence。
　　InEnglandthearistocracydestroyedthepromiseofsuchadevelopment
　　whenitbrokethebackofthepeasantcommunity。Theenclosurescreateda
　　neworganisationofclasses。Thepeasantwithrightsandastatus，witha
　　shareinthefortunesandgovernmentofhisvillage，standinginrags，but
　　standingonhisfeet，makeswayforthelabourerwithnocorporaterights
　　todefend，nocorporatepowertoinvoke，nopropertytocherish，noambition
　　topursue，bentbeneaththefearofhismasters，andtheweightofafuture
　　withouthope。Noclassintheworldhassobeatenandcrouchingahistory，
　　andiftheblazingricksin1830oncethreatenedhisrulerswiththeanguish
　　ofhisdespair，innochapterofthathistorycouldithavebeenwritten，
　　’Thisparishisatlawwithitssquire。’Fortheparishwasnolongerthe
　　communitythatofferedthelabourerfriendshipandshelteredhisfreedom：
　　itwasmerelytheshadowofhispoverty，hishelplessness，andhisshame。
　　’Gotoanale-housekitchenofanoldenclosedcountry，andthereyouwill
　　seetheoriginofpovertyandPoor-rates。Forwhomaretheytobesober？
　　Forwhomaretheytosave？Fortheparish？IfIamdiligent，shallIhave
　　leavetobuildacottage？IfIamsober，shallIhavelandforacow？If
　　Iamfrugal，shallIhavehalfanacreofpotatoes？Youoffernomotives；
　　youhavenothingbutaparishofficerandaworkhouse！——Bringmeanother
　　pot。’16*
　　1。SeetheEvidenceofWitnessesbeforetheCommitteeonCommonsInclosure
　　of1844。Baily，land-agent：’GeneralcustomtogivetheLordofManor1/16th
　　ascompensationforhisrightsexclusiveofthevalueofmineralsandof
　　hisrightsasacommonrightowner。’AnotherwitnessCoulson，asolicitor
　　definedthesurfacerightsas’gameandstockage，’andsaidthattheproportion
　　determinedupontheresultofabargainbeforehand。
　　2。’Manysmallproprietorshavebeenseriouslyinjuredbybeingobliged
　　inpursuanceofill-framedprivatebillstoenclosurelandswhichnewerrepaid
　　theexpense。’Marshall，TheAppropriationandEnclosuresofCommonable
　　andIntermixedLands，1801，p。52。
　　3。CostofEnclosure——TheexpensesofparticularActsvariedverymuch。
　　BillingsleyinhisReportonSomersetp。57gives£；3anacre
　　asthecostofenclosingalowlandparish，£；2，10s。foranuplandparish。
　　Theenclosureofthe12，000acreKing’sSedgmoorIbid。，p。196camewith
　　thesubdivisionstonolessthan£；59，624，4s。8d。，ornearly£；5
　　anacre。StanwellEnclosure，ontheotherhand，cametoabout23s。anacre，
　　andvariousinstancegivenintheReportforBedfordshireworkout
　　ataboutthesamefigure。Whentheallotmentstothetithe-ownersandthe
　　lordofthemanorwereexempted，thesumperacrewouldofcoursefallmore
　　heavilyontheotherallottees，e。g。，ofLouth，wheremorethanathirdof
　　the1701acresenclosedwereexempt。Inmanycases，ofcourse，landwassold
　　tocoverexpenses。Thecostoffencingallotmentswouldalsovaryindifferent
　　localities。InSomerset，from7s。7d。to8s。7d。for20feetofquickset
　　hedgewascalculated，inBedfordshire，10s。6d。perpole。Seealsoforexpense
　　Hasbach，pp。64，65，andGeneralReportonEnclosures，Appendix，xvii。
　　MainItems：——
　　Countrysolictor’sfeesfordrawingupBillandattendingintown；
　　AttendanceofwitnessesatHouseofCommonsandHouseofLordstoprove
　　thatStandingOrdershadbeencompliedwith；
　　Expensesofpersonstogetsignaturesofconsentsandafterwardstoattend
　　togetconsentofprincipalproprietors；
　　ExpenseofParliamentarysolicitor，20gs。，butmoreifopposition；
　　Expenseofcounseliftherewasopposition；
　　Parliamentfees，seep。76。
　　InquiryintotheAdvantagesandDisadvantagesresultingfromBills
　　ofEnclosure，1789，p。14。
　　Cf。Ashelworth，Cheshunt，Knaresborough。
　　Previoustoenclosurethereweretwenty-fivefarmers；thelandisnow
　　dividedamongfiveorsixpersonsonly。
　　Itwasthenconfidentlysaidthatseveralpoorpersonsactuallyperished
　　fromwant，andsogreatwastheoutcrythatsomeofthefarmerswerehissed
　　inthepublicmarketatBicester。
　　Dunkin’sOxfordshire，pp。2and3。
　　F。Moore，ConsiderationsontheExorbitantPriceofProprietors，
　　1773，p。22；quotedbyLevy，p。27。
　　EssayontheNatureandMethodofascertainingthespecificShare
　　ofProprietorsupontheInclosureofCommonfields，withobservationson
　　theinconveniencesofcommonfields，etc。，p。22。
　　TheKirton，SuttertonandWigtoftLincsActsprescribedapenalty
　　fortakingturforsodafterthepassingoftheAct，of£；10，andin
　　defaultofpaymentimprisonmentintheHouseofCorrectionwithhardlabour
　　forthreemonths。
　　TheonlyprovisionforthepoorintheMauldenAct，36Geo。III，
　　c。65wasafuelallotmentasacompensationfortheancientusageofcutting
　　peatormoorturf。Thetrusteesrector，churchwardenandoverseerswere
　　todistributetheturftopoorfamilies，andweretopayanysurplusfrom
　　therentoftheherbagetothepoorrates。
　　AtSt。NeotsagentlemancomplainedtoArthurYoungin1791thatin
　　theenclosurewhichtookplacesixteenyearsbefore，’thepoorwereill-treated
　　byhavingabouthalfaroodgiventheminlieuofacowkeep，theinclosure
　　ofwhichlandcostingmorethantheycouldafford，theysoldthelotsat
　　£；5，themoneywasdrankoutattheale-house，andthemen，spoiledby
　　thehabit，came，withtheirfamiliestotheparish。’——AnnualsofAgriculture，
　　ChapterFiveTheLabourerin1795
　　Inanunenclosedvillage，aswehaveseen，thenormallabourerdidnot
　　dependonhiswagesalone。Hislivelihoodwasmadeupfromvarioussources。
　　Hisfiringhetookfromthewaste，hehadacoworapigwanderingonthe
　　commonpasture，perhapsheraisedalittlecroponastripinthecommon
　　fields。Hewasnotmerelyawageearner，receivingsomuchmoneyaweekor
　　adayforhislabour，andbuyingallthenecessariesoflifeatashop：he
　　receivedwagesasalabourer，butinparthemaintainedhimselfasaproducer。
　　Further，theactualmoneyrevenueofthefamilywasnotlimitedtothelabourer’s
　　earnings，forthedomesticindustriesthatflourishedinthevillagegave
　　employmenttohiswifeandchildren。
　　Inanenclosedvillageattheendoftheeighteenthcenturytheposition
　　oftheagriculturallabourerwasverydifferent。Allhisauxiliaryresources
　　hadbeentakenfromhim，andhewasnowawageearnerandnothingmore。Enclosure
　　hadrobbedhimofthestripthathetilled，ofthecowthathekeptonthe
　　villagepasture，ofthefuelthathepickedupinthewoods，andoftheturf
　　thathetorefromthecommon。Andwhileasocialrevolutionhadsweptaway
　　hispossessions，anindustrialrevolutionhadsweptawayhisfamily’searnings。
　　Tofamilieslivingonthescaleofthevillagepoor，eachoftheselosses
　　wasacripplingblow，andthetotaleffectofthechangeswastodestroy
　　theireconomicindependence。
　　Someoftheseauxiliaryresourceswerenotvaluedveryhighlybytheupper
　　classes，andmanychampionsofenclosureprovedtotheirownsatisfaction
　　thattheadvantage，forexample，oftherightofcuttingfuelwasquiteillusory。
　　Suchwritershadaverysuperficialknowledgeofthelotofthecottagers。
　　Theyarguedthatitwouldbemoreeconomicalforthelabourertospendon
　　hisordinaryemploymentthetimehedevotedtocuttingfuelandturf，and
　　tobuyfiringoutofhiswages：anargumentfromthetheoryofthedivision
　　oflabourthatassumedthatemploymentwasconstant。Fortunatelywehave，
　　thankstoDavies，averycarefulcalculationthatenablesustoformrather
　　acloserjudgment。Heestimates1*thatamancouldcutnearlyenoughin
　　aweektoservehisfamilyalltheyear，andasthefarmerswillgivethe
　　carriageofitinreturnfortheashes，heputsthetotalcostat10s。a
　　year，oralittlemorethanaweek’swages。2*Ifwecomparethiswithhis
　　accountsofthecostoffuelelsewhere，wesoonseehowessentialcommon
　　fuelrightsweretoalabourer’seconomy。AsSidleshaminSurrey，forinstance，