Chapter II: Preface: To the Second Edition

The kind and most cordial greeting which this work has received from the public, and by which a very large impression has been speedily exhausted, demands a prompt and grateful acknowledgement. After all, the highest gratification which an author can derive from his writings, next to the persuasion that he has effected some good to his fellow-creatures, is felt in the generous echo of his own sentiments, which reaches him from the amiable and intelligent of his countrymen and countrywomen, on all sides and of every class, and in the nearer sympathy and communication into which he is brought with such minds. With respect to the opinions of the Press, there is one fact connected with this work which I state with peculiar gratification, because it does honour to human nature,--and that is, that the very warmest approbation has been, in the greater number of instances, bestowed upon it by those critics to whom the author is most decidedly opposed in political opinion. I cannot, either, refrain from observing, that though I did hope to find a quick response in the hearts of Englishmen on a subject in which both the author and his countrymen are alike so deeply interested, I could not anticipate the delight which Americans have manifested in it; and I must take this opportunity, as it is the only one afforded me, to express my sense of the interesting letter of “An American Lady--a stranger in this country,” with a copy of Bryant’s Poems.

Many evidences of the interest felt in this work by my English readers, known and unknown, and of the benefit thence derived to the work by most valuable corrections and novel information, will become apparent in the progress of perusal.

I have only to add, chiefly from the preface to the former edition, that my object in this volume has been to present to the reader a view of the Rural Life of England at the present period, as seen in all classes and all parts of the country. For this purpose I have not merely depended upon my acquaintance with rural life, which has been that of a great portion of my own life from boyhood, but I have literally travelled, and a great deal of it on foot, from the Land’s-End to the Tweed, penetrating into the retirements, and witnessing the domestic life of the country in primitive seclusions and under rustic roofs. If the mountains and valleys, the fair plains and sea-coasts, the halls and farm-houses, the granges, and cottages of shepherds, miners, peasants, or fishermen, be visited in this volume with a tenth part of the enjoyment with which I have visited them in their reality, it must be a delightful book indeed; for no moments of my existence have been more deliciously spent, than those in which I have wandered from spot to spot of this happy and beautiful island, surveying its ancient monuments, and its present living men and manners.

The embellishments of this volume are both designed and engraved by Samuel Williams: the only exceptions being, that I am indebted to our accomplished friend the late Miss Twamley of Birmingham, now Mrs. Meredith, of Australia, for the sketch on the title-page; for those of the Charcoal-burner’s Hut, and Morgan Lewis’s last View of the Fairies, to our excellent young friend Miss Tregellis, of Neath Abbey; that of Purkiss’s Hut, New Forest, to Mrs. Southey; and to the amiable family of the late FATHER OF MODERN WOOD-ENGRAVING--the unrivalled THOMAS BEWICK, for the Otter-Hunt, at page 302, and the Street-Scene at page 324 of this work, left at his death by that eminent artist unpublished. Both pieces will be found characteristic of the hand from which they come; and the Street-Scene, in particular, is full of those happy satirical sallies which give such piquancy to many of his productions.

W. H.

_West-end Cottage, Esher, Surrey,
April 16th, 1840._

LIST OF EMBELLISHMENTS.

Page
1. Vignette: Summer-house, near Claremont Title
2. Old English Hall 1
3. Grouse-Shooting in the Highlands 29
4. Oxen Ploughing 58
5. A Garden Scene 67
6. The Solitary House 139
7. Cattle in the Shade 164
8. Sir Roger de Coverley and the Gipsies 165
9. Ladies personating Gipsies 195
10. Daleswomen going to a Shout 221
11. Old Dalesman and Traveller 248
12. Figures on a Screen in Annesley Hall 286
13. The Otter Hunt, by Bewick 302
14. Classical Rural Scenes 305
15. Scene in a Town Street, by Bewick 324
16. Wild Horses in New Forest 366
17. Purkiss’s Cottage, New Forest 376
18. Charcoal-burners’ Hut 379
19. Wild English Cattle in Chillingham Park 395
20. Woman driving Geese 431
21. Procession of Village Maidens at Whitsuntide 444
22. Morgan Lewis shewing the last haunt of the Fairies 479
23. The Village Inn 480
24. A Sea Scene 502
25. A Donkey Race 515
26. Bird-catching 573
27. Tickling Trout 615

CONTENTS.

PART I.

LIFE OF THE ARISTOCRACY.

CHAPTER I.
Page

Pre-eminence of England as a Place of Country Residence -- Its
Political and Moral Position -- the Conveniences conferred by the
Perfection of the Arts on Social Life -- Its Literature, Spirit of
Freedom, Religious Feeling, and Philanthropic Institutions -- the
Delightfulness of its Country Residences; with its Parks, Lawns,
Woods, Gardens, etc. -- the Variety of Scenery in a small compass
-- Advantages of its Climate, notwithstanding all just cause of
complaint -- Its Soil sanctified by Noble Deeds, and Intellectual
Renown -- Real Superiority of England as a Place of Residence;
shewn by its Effects on Foreigners -- Willis’s Description of its
Effect on him 1

CHAPTER II.

Enviable Position of the English Country Gentleman as regards all
the Pleasures and Advantages of Life -- every Art and Energy
exerted in his Favour -- by them his House surrounded with
Delights -- the News and the Luxuries of the World brought to his
Table -- Books, Music, Paintings at his command -- Farming,
Gardening, Planting, Field-sports all within his grasp -- Scenes
which offer themselves to extend his Pleasures -- the Service of
his Country open to him -- Facilities for Travel -- Pursuits and
Pleasures afforded by Country Life to Ladies 10

CHAPTER III.

Life of the Gentry in the Country -- Effect of the Annual Visit of
the Aristocracy to Town -- Pleasure of re-assembling at their
Country Houses -- Impressions of our Country Houses and Country
Life on Foreigners -- the German Prince’s Description of the Dairy
at Woburn Abbey -- Willis’s Description of the Mode of Life at
Gordon Castle -- The peculiar Charms of this kind of Life 18

CHAPTER IV.

Routine of Country Sports -- Hunting, Shooting, Coursing, pursued
in a different Style to that of our Ancestors -- each its own
Season, Apparatus, and Appointments -- English Sportsmen
communicate their Knowledge through the Press -- the Extinction
of Falconry -- the Perfection of Fox-hunting in this Country --
Manner in which some Old Sportsmen amuse themselves during the
Summer -- Favour into which Angling has risen of late years -- our
Tourist-Anglers -- Grouse-Shooting: its exciting Nature --
Symptoms of the approach of 12th of August in England, the same as
exhibited in Scotland -- Sportsmen on their way to the Highlands
by the Packet -- the Contrast between them and Pedestrianizing
Students -- Tom Oakleigh’s Description of the Commencement of
Grouse-Shooting on the Moors -- other Features of it, both there
and in Scotland -- Return from Partridge-Shooting -- a Word with
the Too-Sensitive 29

CHAPTER V.

Scientific Farming: Its State, Implements, and Admirers, Ancient
and Modern -- Agricultural Pursuits delighted in by the greatest
Men of all Ages -- Attachment of the Roman Nobility to them --
Cicero’s enthusiastic Encomiums on Country Affairs -- Farming now
practised as a Science -- Vast Improvements during the last
Century -- Multiplicity of its Modern Implements -- Benefits
derived from Chemistry and Mechanics -- Progressive Improvements
in Tillage, Breed of Cattle, Wool, Machinery, etc. by Tull,
Menzies, Bakewell, Lord Somerville, Coke, Duke of Bedford, the
Culleys, etc. -- by Periodicals and Associations -- Men to whom
Agricultural Interests are peculiarly Indebted -- Characters of
the Duke of Buccleugh and Lord Somerville, by Sir Walter Scott --
Anecdote of the Duke of Portland 49

CHAPTER VI.

Planting: Its Pleasures -- Vast Effect of the Writings of Evelyn
in England, and Dr. Johnson in Scotland -- Evidences of the Growth
of the Planting Spirit in all Parts of the Kingdom -- Wordsworth’s
Complaint of the Larch in the Lake Country -- Larch Plantations of
the Duke of Athol -- His calculated Profits -- Monteith of
Stirling’s Calculations of the Profits of 100 Acres of Oak
Planting in seventy years -- Anecdote of an extensive Planter 59

CHAPTER VII.

Gardens -- Pleasures of them -- Retrospective View of English
Gardens -- Influence of our Imaginative Writers on their Character
-- Writers before the Reign of Elizabeth -- the Roman Style of
Gardens under the name of Italian, French and Dutch Gardens,
prevalent till the 18th Century, overturned by the Writings of
Addison, Pope, and Walpole, and by the Works of Bridgman, Kent,
and Brown -- Gardens of Hampton Court, Nonsuch, Theobalds, etc.,
as described by Hentzner in 1598 -- the Old Style of Gardens
appropriate to the Old Houses and the Character of the Times --
Advantages of the Prevalence of different Tastes at different
Periods pointed out -- Laborious Lives and Travels of our earlier
Gardeners and Botanists -- our Old Gardens interesting objects in
different parts of the Kingdom -- their Classical Antiquity
pleaded in their favour 67

CHAPTER VIII.

Country Excitements -- Diminution of the Enjoyment of Country Life
by Petty Rivalries and Jealousies; and by the Neglect of Walking
-- Racing a great cause of excitement to the Gentry in the Country
-- the Present State of the Turf, as shewn by Nimrod -- Variety
afforded by Race and Country Balls, Musical Festivals, etc. --
Confirmation -- Parade of Assize Time -- the Sheriff’s Pageant 77

PART II.

LIFE OF THE AGRICULTURAL POPULATION.

CHAPTER I.

The English Farmer: his Character, and Mode of Life -- Picture of
the approach to a Market-Town on a Market-Day -- Farmers going in
and coming out -- Contrast between the Space occupied by the
Concerns of the Farmer and the City Trader -- Enviable Aspect of
the Farmer’s Abode -- his Life and Soul in his Profession -- his
Conversation -- a great Charm in Nature working with him --
Delight which Poets and Great Men have found in Farming -- the
Intellectual Grade of the Farmer -- Pressing Hospitalities of
Farmers and their Wives -- a Sketch of one Day’s Feasting at a
Farm-House -- Dinner, and its chaos of Good Things -- Tea, and the
arrival of Fresh Guests -- who they are -- Traits of Character
both of Men and Women of this Class -- the Dance, and the
Departure 87

CHAPTER II.

The English Farmer as operated upon by Modern Circumstances --
Complaint of Cobbett that the Farmer is spoiled by Modern
Refinement -- In what Degree this is true -- Men of all Ranks to
be found amongst Farmers -- the Old Farmer in retired Parts of
England as Rustic as ever -- Effects of Political Economy -- Evils
of the Large Farm System -- the Farmer in a Healthy State of the
Country -- Drawbacks on the Pleasantness of Farm Houses -- the
Remedy easy -- Advantages and Disadvantages of Large Farms stated
-- Instance of the Success of a Small Farmer, and its obvious
Causes -- Just Equilibrium of Interests, an open field for
Enterprise necessary to National Prosperity 99

CHAPTER III.

Farm-Servants, and their Mode of Life -- a Peak-of-Derbyshireman’s
Address to his Guest -- the Plodding Farmer and his Wife -- the
Journal of a Farmer’s Day, by Mr. Robinson of Cambridge -- Mode in
which Farm-Servants, both Men and Women, are brought up --
Ordinary Course of the Farmer-Man’s Life -- the same in Harvest --
Sketch of him as preparing for Plough, or for the Team -- Custom
of going out with the Wagon to deliver Corn, etc. -- Anecdote of a
“Statesman’s” Wife in Cumberland 107