Тесс з роду д’Ербервілей

Chapter 51

           Thevillagehadformerlycontained,sidebysidewiththeargiculturallabourers,aninterestingandbetter-informedclass,rankingdistinctlyabovetheformertheclasstowhichTess’sfatherandmotherhadbelongedandincludingthecarpenter,thesmith,theshoemaker,thehuckster,togetherwithnondescriptworkersotherthanfarm-labourers;asetofpeoplewhoowedacertainstabilityofaimandconducttothefactoftheirbeinglifeholderslikeTess’sfather,orcopyholders,oroccasionally,smallfreeholders.Butasthelongholdingsfellintheywereseldomagainlettosimilartenants,andweremostlypulleddown,ifnotabsolutelyrequiredbythefarmerforhishands.Cottagerswhowerenotdirectlyemployedonthelandwerelookeduponwithdisfavour,andthebanishmentofsomestarvedthetradeofothers,whowerethusobligedtofollow.Thesefamilies,whohadformedthebackboneofthevillagelifeinthepastwhowerethedepositariesofthevillagetraditions,hadtoseekrefugeinthelargecentres;theprocess,humorouslydesignatedbystatisticiansas“thetendencyoftheruralpopulationtowardsthelargetowns”,beingreallythetendencyofwatertoflowuphillwhenforcedbymachinery.

           ThecottageaccommodationatMarlotthavingbeeninthismannerconsiderablycurtailedbydemolitions,everyhousewhichremainedstandingwasrequiredbytheagriculturistforhiswork-people.

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