1804. On the H'uuundry oj Ayvslni^e, 8l 



incurretljit is evident that many years must elapse before he can 

 reap aiiy profit. He must toil tliro' the course of ordinary 

 tacks, and hardly be able, at the end, to ballance ac- 

 counts ; " He bears the burden and heat of the day, and sows," 

 and it is' a tliousand to one but another reaps. There can be 

 notljing more discouraging- than this, and nothing more preju- 

 dicial to good and perfect cultivation. It must be a long time 

 indeed before a county that is but half cultivated, or not cul- 

 tivated at all, ca!i be brought to its best state under the com- 

 mon term of a 19 years lease. Wherever, therefore, the titles 

 of a gentleman's estiite will permit, it is their own interest, ei- 

 ther to give two or three 19 years, or a terni of years certain, 

 and one or more lives as they judge convenient : Tlien, if they 

 choose their tenants with judgment, they will be sure of hav- 

 ing their estates well improven ; and those, on the other 

 hand, will naturally feel that weight and consequence in 

 society which they are entitled to, and be spurred on to 

 the utmost vigour and exertion b}'- tlie strongest of all motives, 

 a sense of interest and security, and the certain prospect of 

 providing for those who are dearest to them in the world. And 

 least gentlemen should imagine that by this proposal I do not 

 consult their interest ;' that I deprive them of reaping any be- 

 nefit from the change of circumstances that may occur in the 

 progress of Society ; to obviate this, let them either take their 

 rent in kind, according to a stipulated standard ; or, whicli is 

 still better, let the rent be progressive, according to the term, 

 of yea"rs for which the lease is granted ; let the rent advance 

 at the beginning of every 1 9 years, or the beginning of any 

 other period that may be agreed upon. This is doing com- 

 plete justice to all parties, and gives the best security, I can 

 conceive, for the improvement of any country. 



5. I would beg leave to mention another particular, 

 which I think is not unequitable ; that is, in every in- 

 stance where circumstances will admit of it, all substan- 

 tial improvements, such as farmstead, inclosures, subdivi- 

 sions, drainage, should be done at the expence of the landlord ; 

 he should lay out the . money, and either take an addi- 

 tional rent, or a certain per centage upon the sum expend- 

 ed. By this means these improvements have not only 

 a chance of being better executed, but what is of high 

 importance in the view of improvement, they do not cramp 

 the tenant's future exertions. There are, no doubt, ma- 

 ny wealthy and respectable farmers, who, at the outset of tlieir 

 leases, are able perfectly to do all these themselves, but it is 

 certainly more for their advantage, and it is impossible that 

 it can injure their landlords, that they should rather keep their 

 money and lay it out on othjpr improvements, than by baring 



VOL. v. NO. XV ii, F thttlr 



