By now it should seem clear to the reader that the vision of a tranquilly rustic and traditional national way of life permeated English life, and that any understanding of British economic development must take account of that fact. Nonetheless, the other facts could not be denied; the vision was not secure. Industrialism had of course been born in England; there was no wishing that fact away. But the legitimacy of that birth could be denied: Industrialism and the industrial spirit could be seen as not truly English, and, indeed, as a profound menace to the survival of “Englishness.” A cultural polarity gradually emerged between Englishness, identified with the pastoral vision (the “green and pleasant land”), and industrialism (the “dark satanic mills”). The vision was felt to be precarious, being eroded bit by bit by the advance of industry. The power of the Machine was invading and blighting the Shire.