NEW MEN AND OLD ACRES.
[T0 THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] SIE,—It seems to be generally taken for granted that free transfer of land and the breaking up of large estates will somehow benefit the agricultural labourers. It is assumed that the purchasers of small holdings will be commonly those who have by thrift and perseverance risen from this class. I believe, however, that a very different class would get hold of the land. The small attorney and sharp tradesman or dealer, who has two or three hundred pounds in the bank, will pounce upon bits of land that come into the market, and the labour- ing class will find their faces ground, the rents of their cottages raised, the hundred charities of rural life cut short. The new class of proprietors will be without the traditions of generosity of the ancien regime, even if they be able to afford to be generous. The part of England where I live has already had its estates much subdivided, and large landed proprietors are rare. Both clergy and labourers are heard lamenting the non-existence of squires in their villages. The parish from which I write is owned as follows. The old family has been bought out, and their estate divided. One portion, with the hall, has been purchased by a retired busi- ness man, a skinflint and a hard man in all his dealings. A second portion belongs to a non-resident member of the old family. The largest part of the parish was bought by a farmer who raised a very large sum of money on mortgage, and has since been crippled with disaster and debt. Other small parcels of land, with cottages, were bought as a specula- tion by petty tradesmen, who let allotments at £8 the acre to Door. One freeholder is a lawyer in a neighbouring town. cottages which are let are rented very high, and are ‘,:id order. The feeling between master and man, -.tient, is far from good in this place. I do not unfair example of the results which would qtitution of small freeholders for landed 4e, it has been a curse to the labourer, ed Radical.—I am, Sir, &c.,
RUSTICDS.
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