32
The particulars of this statement may be seen
in an excellent pamphlet, entitled, Spade Hus-
bandry, by a Magistrate for the Counties of
Hants and Wilts. Mr. Demainbray, on men-
tioning that several parishes have engaged to
pay their labourers a rate of wages, which it will
be extremely difficult for them to continue,
appears to see their incapacity in the same point
of view as I have expressed myself, and asks
how are they to extricate themselves from this
difficulty ? The only method is, to offer to the
poor man a portion of land, at a moderate rate,
to cultivate for his own benefit. Labour must
be found for the poor man, and it must not be
of that degrading kind which, from its inutility,
is felt as an insult; it must be useful labour, and
if it is for himself, it will be cheerful and con-
tented labour. He then asks, how is the poor
man to support himself, especially in winter,
whilst cultivating his half acre ? At the outset,
some aid must be given him,* but this will cost
less, and be much more effectual than the pay-
ment of supernumary gangs of discontented men
in scraping roads, dragging carts and waggons,
fetching bricks from a distance, or any of those
ill-judged and irritating expedients for creating
artificial labour. It may be asked, how can
each parish find land for the poor to occupy in
* See Appendix, No. 6.—Advice to Parish Officers.