[ ^74 ] 



A country will be cultivated only in proportiort 

 as its inhabitants advance in civilization. Nations 

 will not begin to civilize themfelves, till they ceafe 

 migrating from place to place ; neither will a man 

 attempt to cultivate any fpot, 'till he can fay 

 THIS IS MINE. But when men unite together for 

 mutual proteAion and advantage, and fettle in one 

 place, the cultivation of that Ipot immediately be- 

 comes neceflary, that it may fupply them with 

 the conveniences of life. Property, therefore, muft 

 be gained and defined^ fettled and fecured. Thefe 

 are circumftances on which the advancement, if 

 not the very exiftcnce, of Agriculture depends. 



But thefe are not all. There are two others of 

 equal importance to its improvement and profpe- 

 rity: the one is, the fruh of a man's labour muft 

 be fecured to him : the other, that as the wants 

 of men increafe in confcquence of civilization, the 

 earth muft be encouraged to yield proportionable 

 fupplies. 



This, however, can be effefled only fo far as 

 the powers of the human mind are enlarged in 

 confequence of civilization. Huft)andry can rife 

 no higher than the knowledge of thofe who are 

 engaged in it will permit. It hath been indebted 



for 



