第28章

’Truepriests，hesaid，andpreachersoftheWordWereonlystewardsoftheirsovereignLord：

Nothingwastheirsbutallthepublicstore，Intrustedrichestorelievethepoor，’

Itwasrecognised，aslateasthereignofHenryIV，thattitheswere

designedamongotherobjectsforthereliefofthepoor。AnActofthatreign

confirmedanearlierActofRichardII。(15Rich。II。c。6)，whichlaiddown

thatontheappropriationofanyparishchurch，moneywastobepaidyearly

ofthefruitsandprofitsofthesaidchurchtothepoorparishioners。After

thistimetheclaimsofthepoorfadefromview。Ofcourse，greatmasses

oftithepropertyhadpassed，bythetimeweareconsidering，intosecular

hands。ThemonasteriesappropriatedaboutathirdofthelivingsofEngland，

andthetithesintheseparishespassedattheReformationtotheCrown，

whencetheypassedingrantstoprivatepersons。Noresponsibilityforthe

poortroubledeitherthelayorspiritualownersoftithes，andthoughthey

usedthenameofGodfreelyindefendingtheirclaims，theywerestewards

ofGodinmuchthesamesenseasGeorgeIVwasthedefenderofthefaith。

Thelandownersandtithe-ownershadtheirdifferenceswhenitcametoan

EnclosureBill，buttheseclasseshadthesameinterestsinthedisposal

ofthesurplusprofitsofagriculture；andbothalikewereinavulnerable

positioniftheoriginandhistoryoftheirpropertycameundertoofierce

adiscussion。

Therewasaspecialreasonwhytheclassesthathadsuddenlybecomevery

muchrichershoulddreadtoosearchingadiscontentatthismoment。They

hadseentithes，andallseignorialduesabolishedalmostatasinglestroke

acrosstheChannel，andtheywereatthistimeassociatingconstantlywith

theemigrantnobilityofFrance，whoseprospectofrecoveringtheirestates

seemedtofadeintoamoredoubtfuldistancewitheverybattlethatwasfought

betweentheFrancewhohadgiventhepoorpeasantsuchapositionasthe

peasantenjoyednowhereelse，andherpowerfulneighbourwhohadmadeher

landlordstherichestandproudestclassinEurope。TheFrenchConvention

hadpassedadecree(November1792)，declaringthat’whereverFrencharmies

shallcome，alltaxes，tithes，andprivilegesofrankaretobeabolished，

allexistingauthoritiescancelled，andprovisionaladministrationselected

byuniversalsuffrage。ThepropertyofthefallenGovernment，oftheprivileged

classesandtheiradherentstobeplacedunderFrenchprotection。’Thislast

sentencehadanunpleasantringaboutit；itsoundedlikeaterseparaphrase

ofnonquasisuissedquasicomemndatis。Inpointoffacttherewasnotyet

anyviolentcriticismofthebasisofthesocialpositionoftheprivileged

classesinEngland。EvenPaine，whenhesuggestedaschemeofOldAgePensions

foralloverfifty，andadowryforeveryoneonreachingtheageoftwenty-one，

hadproposedtofinanceitbydeathduties。Thelwall，whowrotewithanot

unnaturalbitternessaboutthegreatgrowthofostentatiouswealthatatime

whenthepoorwerebecomingsteadilypoorer，toldastorywhichillustrated

verywellthesignificanceofthephilanthropyoftherich。’IrememberI

wasoncetalkingtoafriendofthecharityandbenevolenceexhibitedin

thiscountry，whenstoppingmewithasarcasticsneer，“Yes。”says

he，“westealthegoose，andwegivebackthegiblets。”“No。”

saidath

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