150 Note hy the CofiduBor, - May 



laying them before the public, had not the rcfult of cur inquiries 

 in a great mcafure accorded with the (latcmcnt he has given. 

 Before going farther, it is proper to explain, that the pi<Sture 

 drawn can apply to few of the cultivjted dlftrifls in Scotland ; 

 and it muft excite furprife, that a iingle trait thereof is appli- 

 cable to Forfarfnire, where undoubtedly a fpirited and fuccefsfui 

 hufbandry cxtenfively prevails. 



All fervices impofed upon tenants are lefs or more injurious to 

 them, and, in a proportional degree, unfriendly to the landlord'vS 

 intereft. Services muil however be diflinguiflied under two heads, 

 I. Thofe that can be paid by the ten.ant without fubje^ling him 

 to any material inconveniency, fuch as driving coals for his land- 

 lord's ufe, and paying kain hens. 2. Work performed for the 

 landlord at feed-time and harveft, which necclTarily proves highly 

 pernicious to both parties, becaufe it is cxadlied at perfods when 

 every nerve of the tenant ought to be ftraine^d in cultivating 

 and fecuring his ov/n crop. Services of the hrft defcription may 

 be eafily difcharged : the chief objection we have to them is, 

 that they are generally brought forward after the rent is agreed 

 upon, by way of addenda, or becaufe fuch things have, by con- 

 ftant ufage, been levied upon the tenantry of the eftate. Tiiofc 

 of the fecond clafs are grofsly unjuft *, in faft, they operate a- 

 gainfl the landlord himfelf, by preventing the tenant from fowing 

 and reaping the very crop, from the produce of which the agreed 

 rent is to be furniflied. We prefume it is againft fuch that our 

 correfpondcnt's arguments arc diretled ; and afiurediy he could 

 not have ere£\ed his battery againil any other fortrefs which real- 

 ly and truly called for a more fpeedy demolition. 



We believe that Scotifh proprietors, generally fpeaking, are 

 actuated by principles fnriilar to thofe we have noticed ; that 

 is, they reilrict fervices to driving a few coals, and paying kain 

 hens ; and it is confjflent with our perfonal knowledge, that in 

 numberlefs inftances, even thefe are commuted into a money pay- 

 ment. That it would be better, were every kind of fervice or 

 payment in kind given up, we cheerfully grant \ but fo long as 

 fervices are confined to thofe we have mentioned, the evil is not 

 of magnitude. We are none of thofe who are difpofed to limit 

 the power of proprietors in cafes which do not afFe£t the profpe- 

 rity of agriculture ; and in this inftance, the burden is fo trifling, 

 as neither to leilen the welfare of individuals, nor impede the 

 progrefs of improvements. None of thefe things, however, can 

 be uTgi^d in fupport of the fecond clafs of fervices. We are free 

 to fay, that they are fo impolitical and injudicious as to call for 

 Icgiflative interference, in the event of being retained by propric-- 



Perhaps 



