370 Br Davy's Agricultural Discourse. 



properly conducted, cannot fail of success ; and with its success, de- 

 pending on judicious and intelligent exertion and enterprise, may it 

 not be anticipated that other exertions will be made in the same spi- 

 rit, conducive, directly or indirectly, to the improvement of agricul- 

 ture, and to an increase of prosperity ; for, allow me to ask, what 

 branch of it, or of the manufacturing processes connected with it, 

 whether the making of sugar or of rum, can be considered perfect, or 

 even a near approach to perfection. 



Regarding the present time, which is called, and perhaps justly, 

 a critical time, I would observe, that this is remarkable in the his- 

 tory of mankind, to wit, that periods of difficulty have always pre- 

 ceded, or have always accompanied, those of improvement and ad- 

 vance ; and, I apprehend, for the simple reason, that it is commonly 

 only by difficulties that the mind is roused to exertion, and that no 

 great changes and advances can be made without exertion of mind. 

 The West Indies, I am very sanguine, with this island taking the 

 lead, will afford another example of such success, in a flourishing 

 and prosperous future, the result and reward of such exertion ; and 

 a bright and most encouraging example it will be, taking a view of 

 slave and free labour, viz., that what is right morally is right — that 

 is, advantageous, politically. And let this be proved, and I am very 

 confident it will be proved here, — not that free labour considered by 

 itself is cheaper than slave labour ; but that the system of free la- 

 bour, the system of freedom, of that system which calls into action 

 the energies of man, is more productive, is more profitable, than the 

 opposite degrading and torpifying system of slavery. Let this be 

 clearly proved within the tropics, as it has already been proved so 

 triumphantly at home, comparing the past condition of our country 

 with its present, comparing free England with other countries of 

 Europe hardly yet free, that have not yet constitutions — (a most 

 significant term) — will not the argument be almost irresistible against 

 slavery and slave labour 1 My own belief is that it will be so ; and 

 that the monstrous evils of slavery (monstrous either in act or ten- 

 dency), will ere long be entirely got rid of; an aspiration, I am 

 confident, which if not received with the same strong faith in its 

 completion, will be met with as strong a feeling by all here assem- 

 bled in favour of it, and perhaps even with a feeling stronger and 

 more lively than I can have, many of you having witnessed the bless- 

 ings of the change of the one system to the other ; and are thankful 

 for it, even with the impression of having sustained hitherto a pecu- 

 niary loss, a diminished annual income, but for which you have been 

 more than repaid by the various benefits, moral and social, the re- 

 sults of emancipation. 



Gentlemen, I must now hasten to conclude. There are many 

 points of inquiry connected with your soils, that I have not even 

 touched on, and those of no little importance, — such as the effect of 

 burning, where there is an apparent excess of vegetable matter, as 



