134 Memoirs of John Cochhttniy Efq. April 



he, as an encouragement to his brethren, got the above leafe 

 cancelled in 1734, when a new one was granted for 19 years, 

 and renewable for every 19 years, in all time coming, upon 

 payment of a grafTum equal to one year's rent of the premifes. 

 This was a leading example to all Scotifli landlords, and held 

 out, to other tenants of the eft.ite, the noblefl: encourai^ement 

 to undertake the amelioration of the lands under their occupa- 

 tion. Both the farms mentioned were naturally of fuch mear* 

 foil, that their improvement would have been a hopelefs ta(k 

 under different circumi\ances. 



Thus we liave feen, that the foundation of Scotifh im- 

 provements was laid by granting long Icafcs. Many people 

 may now think that fuch a length of leafe was unneceiTary, 

 and that this diftlnguillied perfonv^ge might have accompliih- 

 ed the like ufeful purpofes by bellowing tenures of a fliort- 

 er duration. If fuch there are, let them reflc£l upon the 

 condition of the country, and the actual ftate of the tenantry 

 at the time, and they mud acknowledge, that extraordinary 

 examples, and extraordinary encouragement, were neceiTary to 

 flimulate a people fo circumflanced. Wc are not to judge of 

 the propriety of the meafures then em.ployed, by rules adapted to 

 the prefent day, when tenants, in moft cafes, poffefs knowledge 

 and capital fufficient for the moft arduous and difficult under- 

 takings. Let it alfo be remembered, that both knowledge and 

 capital were the legitimate children of the ameliorated fyftem 

 then introduced. Mr Cockl^urn laid the iirft ftone of this fyf- 

 tem ; his brethren in different quarters afliited in rearing up the 

 fabric — though perhaps their fupport was not, in one inflance, 

 fo munificent; and the fuccefs which accompanied it, ferved to 

 convince almoll the whole landholders of Scotland, that the fureft 

 way of extending improvements, was to give the tenantry an 

 interell In their accompliOimcnt. Hence, the bond of connexion 

 betwixt proprietors and occupiers is formed upon more liberal 

 principles than are adopted in any country with which we are 

 acquainted. 



As Mr Cockburn, in confequence o.f his official fjtuation, 

 ncccflarily refided much in London, he maintained a regular 

 correfpondence with feveral of his tenants, efpecially with Mr 

 Wight of the Houfe of Muir, who feems to have enjoyed his 

 confidence in a particular manner. In the courfe of this cor- 

 refpondence, he judiciouily points out excellent rules and hint- 

 for the management of all foils, and the way in which improve- 

 ments ought to be executed ; fuch as planting and enclofing, 

 making public roads, fowing wheat upon fallow, cultivating 



