[ 28' ] 



" bilUy, gentry, and clergy/' and were many of 

 them originally in very inferior ftations. 



At that period, the maxinns of the celebrated 

 Bacon, the example of Milton, the efforts of 

 the Royal Society, the propofal of Cowley, the 

 complaint of Evelyn, and his juft obfervations on 

 the neceflity of an enlarged education, in order 

 to improve the lands of England, were exhibited 

 in vain. 



It was to little purpofe that the miniftry, after 

 the Reftoration, permitted the exportation of 

 wheat ;♦ it increafed tillagey but did not improve 

 the mode of cullure, or reconcile the nobility and 

 gentry «^ to what had been the objedt and care of 

 ^' mean and defpifed perfons." 



Thus Agriculture ftll into difrepute, and was 

 driven back again to the mountains and vales, 

 where Fitzherbert firft found her; with this dif- 

 ference only in her circumftances, that fhe might 

 be more eafily recalled by the writings which were 

 extant, whenever the nation fhould be reftored to 

 its charadcriftical fedatenefs. 



f Combrunc*8 Hillory of the Prices of Corr^ Ann. ^6^j and 1^70. 



T ^ Whenever 



