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ing of the writings of Xenophen, fays, "How fully "and excellently does he, in that book called his "Oeconomicks, fet out the advantages of husbandry, "and a country life?"

When Britain was fubject to the Romans, fhe annually fupplied them with great quantities of corn; and the Isle of Anglefea was then looked upon as the granary for the western provinces: but the Britons, both under the Romans and Saxens, were employed like flaves at the plough. On the intermixture of the Danes and Normans, poffeffions were better regulated, and the state of vaffalage gradually declined, till it was entirely wore off under the reigns of Henry VII. and Edward VI. for they hurt the old nobility by favouring the commons, who grew rich by trade, and purchafed eftates.

The wines of France, Portugal, and Spain, are now the beft; while Italy can only boast of the wine made in Tuscany. The breeding of cattle is now chiefly confined to Denmark and Ireland. The corn of Sicily is ftill in great efteem, as well as what is produced in the northern countries: but England is the happieft fpot in the univerfe for all the principal kinds of Agriculture, and especially its great produce of corn.

The improvement of our landed eftates, is the enrichment of the kingdom: for, without this, how could we carry on our manufactures, or profecute our commerce? We fhould look upon the English Farmer as the moft ufeful member of fociety. His arable grounds not only fupply his fellow-fubjects with all kinds of the belt grain, but his industry enables him to export great quantities

to other kingdoms, which might otherwise starve; particularly Spain and Portugal: for, in one year, there have been exported 51,520 quarters of barley, 219,781 of malt, 1920 of oatmeal, 1329 of rye, and 153,343 of wheat; the bounty on which amounted to 72,433 pounds. What a fund of treasure arises from his pasture lands, which breed fuch innumerable flocks of fheep, and afford fuch fine herds of cattle, to feed Britons, and cloath mankind? He rears flax and hemp for the making of linen; while his plantations of apples and hops fupply him with generous kinds of liquors.

The land-tax, when at four fhillings in the pound, produces 2,000,000 pounds a year. This arifes from the labour of the husbandman: it is a great fum: but how greatly is it increased by the means it furnishes for trade? Without the industry. of the Farmer, the manufacturer could have no goods to fupply the merchant, nor the merchant find any employment for the mariners: trade would be ftagnated; riches would be of no advantage to the great; and labour of no fervice to the poor.

The Romans, as hiftorians all allow,
Sought, in extreme diftrefs, the rural plough;
Io triumphe! for the village swain

Retir'd to be a nobleman * again.

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FURTHER

THOUGHTS

ΟΝ

AGRICULTURE *.

Ationing

T my last visit, I took the liberty of mentioning a fubject, which, I think, is not confidered with attention proportionate to its importance. Nothing can more fully prove the ingratitude of mankind, a crime often charged upon them, and often denied, than the little regard which the difpofers of honorary rewards have paid to Agriculture; which is treated as a fubject fo remote from common life, by all thofe who do not immediately hold the plough, or give fodder to the ox, that I think there is room to queftion, whether a great part of mankind has yet been informed that life is sustained by the fruits of the earth. I was once indeed provoked to afk a lady of great eminence for genius, Whether he knew of what bread is made?

I have already obferved, how differently Agriculture was confidered by the heroes and wife men of the Roman commonwealth, and fhall now only add, that even after the emperors had made great alteration in the fyftem of life, and taught men to portion out their efteem to other qualities than usefulness, Agriculture ftill maintained its reputation,

* From the Vifiter, for March 1756, p. 111.

and

and was taught by the polite and elegant Celfus among the other arts.

The usefulness of Agriculture I have already fhewn; I fhall now, therefore, prove its neceffity: and having before declared, that it produces the chief riches of a nation, I fhall proceed to fhew, that it gives its only riches, the only riches which we can call our own, and of which we need not fear either deprivation or diminution.

There is

Of nations, as of individuals, the firft bleffing is independence. Neither the man nor the people. can be happy to whom any human power can deny the neceffaries or conveniencies of life. no way of living without need of foreign affiftance, but by the product of our own land, improved by our own labour. Every other fource of plenty is perishable or cafual.

Trade and manufactures must be confeffed often to enrich countries; and we ourselves are indebted to them for those ships by which we now command the fea, from the equator to the poles, and for thofe fums with which we have fhewn ourselves able to arm the nations of the north in defence of regions in the western hemifphere. But trade and manufactures, however profitable, muft yield to the cultivation of lands in usefulness and dignity.

Commerce, however we may please ourselves with the contrary opinion, is one of the daughters of fortune, inconftant and deceitful as her mother; she chufes her refidence where fhe is leaft expected, and shifts her abode, when her continuance is in appearance moft firmly fettled. Who can read of the prefent diftreffes of the Genoefe, whofe only

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choice now remaining is, from what monarch they fhall folicit protection? Who can fee the Hanfeatick towns in ruins, where perhaps the inhabitants do not always equal the number of the houses; but he will fay to himself, Thefe are the cities, whofe trade enabled them once to give laws to the world, to whofe merchants princes fent their jewels in pawn, from whofe treafuries armies were paid, and navies fupplied! And who can then forbear to confider trade as a weak and uncertain bafis of power, and wish to his own country greatnefs more folid, and felicity more durable?

It is apparent, that every trading nation flourifhes, while it can be faid to flourish, by the courtefy of others. We cannot compel any people to buy from us, or to fell to us. A thousand accidents may prejudice them in favour of our rivals; the workmen of another nation may labour for lefs price, or fome accidental improvement, or natural advantage, may procure a juft preference to their commodities; as experience has fhewn, that there is no work of the hands, which, at different times, is not beft performed in different places.

Traffick, even while it continues in its ftate of profperity, muft owe its fuccefs to Agriculture; the materials of manufacture are the produce of the earth. The wool which we weave into cloth, the wood which is formed into cabinets, the metals which are forged into weapons, are fupplied by nature with the help of art. Manufactures, indeed, and profitable manufactures, are fometimes raised from imported materials, but then we are fubjected a fecond time to the caprice of our neighbours.

The

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