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 CHAPTER IV. The Bondage System of the North of England -- Manner in which it strikes a Stranger from the South -- Bands of Women working in the Fields -- Mode of Maintaining the Hinds -- Description of their Cottages -- Cottage of the Herd of Middleton -- Cobbett’s Surprise on discovering the Bondage System -- his View of its Effects on the Population and Productiveness of the Country -- Curious Coach Scene near Morpeth -- Cobbett’s Address to the Chopsticks of the South on the State of the Bondage District -- Bondage Farms and Farm-yards -- Lodgings of the Hinds -- their Allowance of Corn and Pease -- the Schoolmaster paid in Meal -- Precarious Nature of the Tenure of their Houses -- Enormous Rent of the Land -- the Farm-yards, Corn Factories -- Scantiness of the Population compared with the Agricultural Districts of the South -- Hardships of the System on the Hinds -- a Certificate required from the last Master -- the same Custom in the Collieries of the Midland Counties -- Statements of Mr. and Mrs. Grey, Mr. Dodds, etc. -- Concluding Remarks 119 CHAPTER V.