Great Britain -- Description and travel; Great Britain -- Rural conditions
again require a united effort to remedy the general grievances." As to
the mercantile and manufacturing people, what is the land to expect from
them? But I agree with the _Chronicle_ that the landlords deserve ruin.
They abandoned the public cause the moment they thought that they saw a
prospect of getting rents. That prospect will soon disappear, unless
they pray hard to St. Swithin to insist upon forty days wet _after_ his
birth-day. I do not see what the farmers can do about the price of oats.
They have no power to do anything, unless they come with their cavalry
horses and storm the "King's lock." In short, it is all confusion in
men's minds as well as in their pockets. There must be something
completely out of joint when the Government are afraid of the effects of
a good crop. I intend to set off to-morrow for Botley, and go thence to
Easton; and then to Alton and Crondall and Farnham, to see how the
_hops_ are there. By the time that I get back to the Wen I shall know
nearly the real state of the case as to crops; and that, at this time,
is a great matter.
THROUGH THE SOUTH-EAST OF HAMPSHIRE, BACK THROUGH THE SOUTH-WEST OF
SURREY, ALONG THE WEALD OF SURREY, AND THEN OVER THE SURREY HILLS DOWN
TO THE WEN.
_Batley (Hampshire), 5th August, 1823._
I got to Fareham on Saturday night, after having got a soaking on the
South Downs on the morning of that day. On the Sunday morning, intending
to go and spend the day at Titchfield (about three miles and a half from
Fareham), and perceiving, upon looking out of the window, about 5
o'clock in the morning, that it was likely to rain, I got up, struck a
bustle, got up the ostler, set off and got to my destined point before 7
o'clock in the morning. And here I experienced the benefits of early
rising; for I had scarcely got well and safely under cover, when St.
Swithin began to pour down again, and he continued to pour during the
whole of the day. From Fareham to Titchfield village a large part of the
ground is a common enclosed some years ago. It is therefore amongst the
worst of the land in the country. Yet I did not see a bad field of corn
along here, and the Swedish turnips were, I think, full as fine as any
that I saw upon the South Downs. But it is to be observed that this land
is in the hands of dead-weight people, and is conveniently situated for
the receiving of manure from Portsmouth. Before I got to my friend's
house, I passed by a farm where I expected to find a wheat-rick
standing. I did not, however; and this is the strongest possible proof
that the stock of corn is gone out of the hands of the farmers. I set
out from Titchfield at 7 o'clock in the evening, and had seven miles to
go to reach Botley. It rained, but I got myself well furnished forth as
a defence against the rain. I had not gone two hundred yards before the
rain ceased; so that I was singularly fortunate as to rain this day; and
I had now to congratulate myself on the success of the remedy for the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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