New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-19
THE SQUIRE RETIRES.
wANE OF COUNTRY HOUSE LIFE IN ENG
LAND.

LAND.
AN ENGIIsnMAN NOTES THE GROWTH OF RE
PUBTICANIsM IN Observation-Disclosures
LIFE HAS CHANGED.
1t Is n peculiar fact that at the very moment whfi
the rich New Workers, BOsonians and Phiadelphahs
are commencing TO abandon the city their principal
residence In favor OF country seats. just tn" reverse
SHOULD be taking place In Great lNitan, where III.
rural magnate. the manor house the squire ana al
that country house life which constituted Inc mV'' AZ
tachvc and healthy feature OF existence In fheflnd
are disappearing. While around New-ioik Phi'adr'
pia and Boston beautiful country residences are being
put up on every side, those in the old mother country
which In many date from the time OF Queen
Elizabeth and of King Charles, are either ciosed UP
and empty or else tumbling into decay.
There are many circumstances which have cOntilD
nted TO this state of things. among the principal OF
which is the fact that country house HE has been
slIorn Of many of the attractions which II formerly
Possessed. The various new laws and measures en-
acted by legislators for what they believe TO be the
benefit OF Hodge. as the British peasant Is called.
have served to entirely alter the kindly relations that
formerly existed between the Hall or Manor House
on the one hand and the villagers and farmers on the
other. There was something patiiarchal In the OLD
times In the feeling that prevailed between the squire
and the peasant. Tbs latter used to regard the squire
rs his father his guide, his philosopher and friend
and not only him but also his sons and his dausf-
ters the people at the Hall regarding themselves to
a certain extent responsible for the welfare oil the
villagers. The squire was practically omnipoeh' III
the village. BY virtue OF his blrhrght he was the
principal and generally the only magistrate OF the I'M
mediate locality. and such he had II In his power
10 make or mar the existence Of every one In the
district. As rule he was very lenient, hhdns IL
difficult TO impose heavy criminal punishment upon
people whom he had known from his Childhood ana
whose fathers had known his fathers before hni ior
many generations. There was only one offence upon
which the souIre. nacisi atcs were most intOcran
namely that Of pOachng. I'm their eyes misdeed al
most rs serious 5 vupicide-and Heaven KNOWS 'ha'
In England a had better kill bis father or mother
than a fox. far popular sentiment ana resent
ment concerned.
NOWADAYS oil this has changed. {" Hodge Is be-
ginning TO assert equality with his master, and is
completely losing the awe with which In Olden days
iic regarded the Lord of the Manor who has become
IN many cases not only an object OF dlSTespec'' Du'
OF downright hatred. II Sir Roger de Covcrley coud
speud saturday evening III the barroom Vi MI
English village inn he would shudder at The treat
ment received by his successor in the old house al
The hands of the descendants OF men who would have
given their hearts blood for that old house, ana Who
not fifty years ago. were accustomed 10 r'e"r'i ''
squire as their best and kndcst friend. Sir Roger
would rage ut their calm appropriation OF c0ncesSot'
as rights at the frank dissection of matter when IN
his day was deemed of too sacred character 10 be
themes of common banter on common tongues III
the shreddng ard scattering OF the character OF the
squIres wife and daughters; and sadly WORLD ne Sh""e
his bewigged head at the dcgeneracy OF an age III
which the commander has become the suppiian'' ana
In which he who formerly loved 10 opcS mas pF0o"o
possessed OF the reins of power.
II Is no longer the squire who Is the big man ol
the village, but Hodge," who does less work ana
gets more pay than ever before; whose chldrch are
educated free of cost by the state his daughters ~"S
taught the piano Just Us are the young lau's III INV
Hall: and who hencefOTth will control the Affairs
of the village In lieu Of the squire. The new PARISH
councils are elective and every aboring man not only
has a vote but Is eligible to membership, having
identicaly the same rights In every way as the squire
From this time forth the domination OF the squire wi"
OF his lieutenant, the parson, is over Inc nooreI"
will in future meet in the evening, when taer asss
work is over and elect the men who IRE TO govern
their little community and when elected these men
will be allie 70 compel the squire to sell pieces OF his
nor,. and farm lands for village a!otmera TO close
up his footpals here and there ana 10 snoJec' i''
10 the same kind OF subserviency 10 Their g"oi
pleasure in which they formerly existed Win regard
TO him. II is the squire nor yet his hrin any
The parson who is any longer TO control the school,
The sanitary affairs, the poor laws, nor even the
administration Of the common law Of the village bu
the parish council; and the power OF the landlord ara
OF the squire in the land Is gone forever. All this
no republican Will regret
The saure and his family should have become tired
of country life and that they should prefer London
or the Continent 10 the perpetual irritation TO "hch
they are subjected when at the old manor mousse
where they longer have anything TO Interest them
They have longer any occupation 2r local an"iE
lions and there is nothing for them TO do. The
villagers who formerly accepted their patronage with
q spirit of espect gratitude and even reverence,
now spurn it as impertinence. Moreover lhe squire
and his family have become themselves, prmaps IN,
g1x-
in days Of yore. They are 80 longer content or
satisfied with their former Sa .nSrc nnS his
BOYS In days gone by had no mind for anything save
The day with eating, and especially drinking. good
deal more than good for them Their womci,ioR'
their duties with regard to looking after the welfare
OF the villagers, used to go IN Tor croquet WOOL
enormous Quantity of more or less mediocre and
homemade tapestry TO be found In every OLD English
adays. when the daily newspaper brings then, within
immediate reach Of the happenings OF London ana
topic OF discussion at table Is longer Hodge or
the 'parsonaee but the last new Play at the theatre
every one OF them yearns for town and talks Of
country life something very much akin to burial;
or the climate Of the locality does not s agree YIN
good ladies who constructed the tapestry and who
nnss in pIs ON er wl Hl %
variegated the conclusion Is conspicuous for
It's samencss-the result being That, instead or ten
months in the country and two In town. 1t Is two
months and sometimes only half that In the country
whilr the remainder OF the year Is whled away In
London the Continent
1t would seem. therefore. that the person IN need
OF relief at the present day-that Is to say II lie Is
TO he preserved from becoming an extinct species
l., from his point Of view. the squire and the
rural msgnaie II Is not Hodge" Relief Act that
tue situation demands. but Squire SusentatOn
bil and unless Parinmen, soon intereres on behalf
T.Sllsh country house existence will have become
thing entirely Of the past. II is difficult to suggest
project Of relief for this situation. and the |
only thing that might possibly be done would be for
the State to provide the country houses OF England
with am,Isements. much In the that il |
nrovides pIanofortcs for INDECENT schoolchildren In
London.