ible, the bottom laid down with gravel or small stones, making
the pond shallow at the edges, and for some distance in. Nothing is
more valuable upon a country road than ponds of this character, into
which a jaded horse can walk over his fetlock, and cool his feet at
the same time that he refreshes his thirst. They are most welcome to
cattle driven along the road.

The moral nuisances of drunkenness, gambling, and bad language at
the corners of the streets and cross-roads had best be left to the
law to deal with, though the influence of a local council in reproof
and caution would undoubtedly be considerable. But if a
bathing-place, an out-of-doors gymnasium, and such things, were
established, these evils would almost disappear, because the younger
inhabitants would have something to amuse themselves with; at
present they have nothing whatever.

A local authority of this kind would confer a great boon upon the
agricultural poor if they could renovate the old idea of a common.
Allotment grounds are most useful, but they do not meet every want.
The better class of cottagers, who have contrived to save a little
money, often try to keep a cow, and before the road surveyors grew
so strict, they had little difficulty in doing so. But now the roads
are so jealously and properly preserved purely for traffic, the
cottager has no opportunity of grazing a cow or a donkey. It would
not be possible in places where land is chiefly arable, nor in
others where the meadow-land is let at a high rent, but still there
are places where a common could be provided. It need not be the best
land. The poorest would do. Those who graze should pay a small
fee--so much per head per week. Such a field would be a great
benefit, and an encouragement to those who were inclined to save.

In almost every parish there are a number of public charities. Many
of these are unfortunately expressly devised for certain purposes,
from which they cannot be diverted without much trouble and
resorting to high authorities. But there are others left in a loose
manner for the good of the poor, and the very origin of which is
doubtful. Such are many of the pieces of land scattered about the
country, the rent of which is paid to the churchwardens for the time
being, in trust for the poor. At present these charities are
dissipated in petty almsgiving, such as so much bread and a
fourpenny-piece on a certain day of the year, a blanket or cloak at
Christmas, and so on,