8o On the Hushandi-y of Ayr shire » Feb, 



tion of tlieir farms may point out. Where a man's interest is 

 deeply concerned, if he is a man of sense, you may safely trust 

 him with the manairement of it : And in farming, particular* 

 I7, I think it may be nearly laid down as an axiom. That if 

 a tenant manages well for himself, he can scarcely manage ill 

 for liis master. 



3. Tlia't farms sliould in every case become as much a mer- 

 cantile conunodit)'- r.s imy thing else. In other words, assig- 

 nees and sub-te!iaiit:5 sliould be allowed ; justice and equity iin- 

 mediately suiv'csts the propriety of granting this, and a hun- 

 dred cases might be supposed to shew the cruelty, injustice, 

 and inhumanity of refusing it. It may be asked, Wliut good 

 can it do to a proprietor to refuse it ? The common answer is, 

 that he is thereby deprived of the choice.of his tenant : Let him 

 ]a.y down just and reasonable stipulations in the tack, and bind 

 the^ original tenant, if he pleases, to be forthcoming to him foi" 

 the rent, and it is a matter of very little moment who is tenant. 

 The stipulations must be performed, and the rent must be 

 paid, whoever is tenant ; and he cannot get sixpence more rent 

 ■rinring the currency of the tack, wdiethcr he allows of assignees 

 and sub-tenants, or not. During the rigour of the feudal sys- 

 ten'i, there was a good and necessary reason for tlic choice of 

 a tenant, v/hen he was liable to be called out to fight the bat- 

 tles of his lord : The strongest man was then the best tenant. 

 Thank God these days are past, and it is now of very little 

 consequence, whether a tenant be hvQ feet high, or six ; whe- 

 ther ho be a black man or a white ; whether hio name be Pe- 

 ter or Paul : If he is a good tenant, if lie manages his farm well, 

 and pays his rent pointedly, this i> all that is necessary, and all 

 that a landlord should in justice require: And it may be as- 

 serted, without much danger of contradiction, that proprietors 

 do not consult their own interest most effectually by refusing 

 it. For I believe it is generally observed, that farms are ma- 

 naged and brought to the best rotate of perfection where assig- 

 nees and sub-tenants are allowed ; especially if, 



4. A sufficient duration of lease is granted, according to the 

 nature and state of the farm. If a farm has been properly cul- 

 tivated, brought to its highest perfection, and is in good condi- 

 tion wlien the tenant enters to it, it is ready meat for him ; he 

 has little more to do than set to work, and reap immediate 

 profit. Whenever this happens to be the case, it is of less 

 -onsecTUcnce what the duration of his lease may be, because he 

 is sure of being as much, or nearly as much indemnified fer his 

 labour thefirstyearof itas he can be in the last. But when a te- 

 nant enters upon a farm that is in a state of nature, or what is 

 ^vnrse, in an exhausted and unproductive state ; ^vhen great 

 labour, great c.vpciice, and great risque of e:^crimeiits must be 



incurrc«t 



