The Cottager's Own Book will be found a very useful
little pam- phlet; and had but cottagers land, and could they read and buy books, we think they might get good from it. But generally speak- ing, cottagers are fully competent to manage all matters discussed in this book—the grand want is a little land and a little capital. Something. is to be done by instruction, and we should be glad to see this book on every cottage plate-rack. But, through the me- dium of books alone, we fear little is to be effected. We wish there were such things as parish instructors. We have slave protectors —persons highly paid and well employed—in the West Indies : it were greatly to be wished that, under the poor-laws, there was a provision for a poor-protector—the poor man's friend, adviser, ad- vocate, and instructor—the overseer's check. The clergyman ought to be this ; but we all know he is not, and cannot 'be : tithes, dues, and fees, make him, in spite of himself, the parish—enemy ! An institution, such as we have mentioned, might be the means of advancing this country in civilization in the most wonderful man- ner, and he that established it would in future times be held as the greatest benefactor society ever had. I
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