[ xv ] 



produce of hujbandry, muft have upon its 

 progrefs, will be ever proportioned to the 

 wifdom or imperfe&ion of the fyftem fo 

 eftablifhed. And in general, though the 

 body of farmers fhould be allowed to be per- 

 fonally interejied in fhifting the burden which 

 lies immediately upon them, it may be alfo 

 fairly allowed that they are the beft judges of 

 the irkfomcnefs of the mode whereby they 

 are taxed in their labour. 



In the prefent age of liberal enquiry, which 

 has reached the minds of intelligent farmers, 

 as well as other citizens of the realm, there 

 are not wanting many among them, who fully 

 difcriminate between the prefent legal rights 

 of the clergy, and the erroneous ideas of re- 

 ligion and policy which gave rife to the pecu- 

 liarities of thofe rights. They are convinced, 

 in common with all men of fenfe and reflec- 

 tion, that while it is their prefent duty to pay 

 the clergy their due, according to the legal 

 eftablifhment, and to give them as little trou- 

 ble as poflible in the payment; yet that th^y 



arc 



