derwent no material change. Corn was grown in these vales
(through which no carriage-road had yet been made) sufficient upon each
estate to furnish bread for each family, and no more: notwithstanding
the union of several tenements, the possessions of each inhabitant still
being small, in the same field was seen an intermixture of different
crops; and the plough was interrupted by little rocks, mostly overgrown
with wood, or by spongy places, which the tillers of the soil had
neither leisure nor capital to convert into firm land. The storms and
moisture of the climate induced them to sprinkle their upland property
with outhouses of native stone, as places of shelter for their sheep,
where, in tempestuous weather, food was distributed to them. Every
family spun from its own flock the wool with which it was clothed; a
weaver was here and there found among them; and the rest of their wants
was supplied by the produce of the yarn, which they carded and spun in
their own houses, and carried to market, either under their arms, or
more frequently on pack-horses, a small train taking their way weekly
down the valley or over the mountains to the most commodious town. They
had, as I have said, their rural chapel, and of course their minister,
in clothing or in manner of life, in no respect differing from
themselves, except on the Sabbath-day; this was the sole distinguished
individual among them; every thing else, person and possession,
exhibited a perfect equality, a community of shepherds and
agriculturists, proprietors, for the most part, of the lands which they
occupied and cultivated.

While the process above detailed was going on, the native forest must
have been every where receding; but trees were planted for the
sustenance of the flocks in winter,--such was then the rude state of
agriculture; and, for the same cause, it was necessary that care should
be taken of some part of the growth of the native woods. Accordingly, in
Queen Elizabeth's time, this was so strongly felt, that a petition was
made to the Crown, praying, 'that the Blomaries in High Furness might be
abolished, on account of the quantity of wood which was consumed in them
for the use of the mines, to the great detriment of the cattle.' But
this same cause, about a hundred years after, produced effects directly
contrary to those which had been deprecated. The re-establishment, at
that period, of furnaces upon a large scale, made it the interest of the
people t