[ ^78 ] 



eoe of its principal promoters. By commerce, the 

 various produdions of different parts of the earth 

 hfive been brought into this kingdom, and in- 

 truded to the care of the fkilful botanift and gar- 

 dener; who, having naturalized them to this cU- 

 mate, commit them to the care of the hufbandman. 

 In return, Agriculture has ever fince been afllfting 

 commerce in the increafe of corn, hemp, flax, 

 madder, &c. &c.j and in proportion as both have 

 been attended to, it is evident they have mutually 

 affifled each other. 



But as improvements prevailed, the importance 

 of hufbandry, in a national viev/, became daily more 

 and more confpicuous j — the difad vantages and im- 

 pediments it met with, under the management of 

 common farmers, began likewife to appear. The 

 weeds fprang up with the wheat, and fkill was 

 wanting to prevent this evil. 



To check thefe weeds, by enlarging the views 

 of thofe intended for the profeflion of Agriculture, 

 wa? the noble attempt of the great Milton, who 

 not only recommended, but eftablifhed, a fchool, 

 in which rural oeconomics were to bear a princi- 

 pal part in his fyftem of education. His pupils 

 were to read the works of Cato, Varro, Columella, 



&c.' 



