FACTORIES AND COTTAGE INDUSTRIES 617 
So long as cottage industry lasted, the workmen had some- Ap. 177s 
thing to fall back upon when times were bad ; but under the —!8%0- 
new conditions the fluctuations were much more violent aohite his 
than they had ever been before, and the workman had no Huctuating 
means of improving his position. The prosperity of the mass’ 
of the population no longer rested on the solid basis of land, 
but upon the fluctuating basis of trade’, 
The age of invention then was not merely concerned, as There was 
might at first sight appear, with the improvement of particular [7 , 
arts, it effected an entire revolution in the economic life of progress 
the country; for this reason it is not quite easy to weigh 
against one another the loss and gain involved in such a 
fundamental change. We see on the one hand the signs of 
marvellous economic progress; an immensely increased com- 
mand over material resources of all sorts and an extraordinary 
development of trade and wealth, with the consequent ability 
to cope with the schemes by which Napoleon endeavoured 
to compass our ruin, On the other hand we see a loss of this ta- 
stability of every kind ; England as a nation forfeited her self- ony oe 
sufficing character and became dependent on an imported *****- 
food supply; and a large proportion of the population, who 
had been fairly secure in the prospect of shelter and employ- 
ment and subsistence for their lives, were reduced to a 
condition of the greatest uncertainty as to their lot from year 
bo year or from week to week. Over against the rapid 
advance of material prosperity must be set the terrible suffer- 
ing which was endured in the period of transition; and while 
we congratulate ourselves on the progress that has taken 
place, we should not forget the cost at which it has been ob- 
;ained, or the elements of well-being that have been sacrificed. 
246. There were, however, certain sections of the com- Machinery 
munity which were able to take advantage of the period of {unis For 
change, and to adapt themselves rapidly to the new conditions ; #¢ 7% 
a class of capitalist manufacturers came into great prominence, 
and they were soon able to exercise considerable influence in 
Parliament. There had of course been wealthy employers in 
certain districts®, especially in the iron trade, and in the 
1 Massie, Plan, p. 69. See above, p. 577. 
t Compare the iron, glass and brass works mentioned by Rudder, Gloucester- 
shire. 601.