^2t Raviev) of Survey of the County of Cavan, May 



valcrt, it is evident that the condition of none engaged in 

 ngriculture as a profeflion can be very comfortable. The au- 

 thor tells ■ us, indeed, tliat the fubftantial farmers, in one place, 

 have good family houfes ; and that, in another, neat and com- 

 modious houfcs are building two llories high, with every ne- 

 ceil^ry apartiiu^nt. Thefc are built at no lefs a coit than 6ol. ; 

 which, he p.dds, * is quite too much ! ' Wefhall leave our readers 

 to forn\ their own opinion of a fubftantial farmer, where the a- 

 vera^;e of the largeft farms does not exceed thirty acres, and of a 

 commodious f:irm houfe, which i€ quite too expenfive at 6ol. 



The leafes in this county arc generally granted for twenty-on£? 

 years, and a life, or three lives, or thirty-one years. To the firft 

 and fecond of thele we have Itrong objedliions. Experience fhowi^ 

 that every Icafe, the duration of which depends upon fuch an 

 tmcertain thing as human life, is unfavourable to improvement- 

 Whctlier the term be one life, or three, or thirty, there muft be 

 a period, during which the fear of lofing will wit?ihold the 

 means, even of ordinary increafe •, and the ground muft be in- 

 jured. No I'jafe therefore fliould be for a life, or lives, merely ; 

 and if for a life, and a definite period, the definite period fhould 

 fee Kift. The third fort of leafes is certainly the beft ; though 

 even this, taking a liberal view of the intereft of landlord and 

 tenant, is perhaps exceptionable : unlefs where land is in a very 

 unimproved ftate, and demands the outlay of much capital, thirty- 

 one years may be too long. 



The ufual leafes in Cavan contain feveral claufes, which we 

 cannot but confider grofsly abfurd. The proprietor referves to 

 himfclf the right of looking after gam^ ; the tenant is bound to 

 pay all taxes impofed, and to be impofed ; there muft be no a- 

 lienation of leafe, under penalty of double rent; no paring or 

 burning, ike. &c. It does not lefTen the injuftice or abfurdity 

 of thefe claufes, that they may be found in leafes which were 

 not manufactured in Cavan. We have not leifure to enter into an 

 {examination of thefe points at prefent, but find no difhculty in 

 laying it down as a general principle, that good policy, as well a« 

 juftice, requires the holder of a leafe to have as complete and 

 exclufive power over the premifes, during his occupancy, as if 

 he were proprietor, and only be prevented from doing whar 

 might leave the property in a worfe (late than he found it. Any 

 thing fliort of this, mult reftrain and embarrafs the tenant in his 

 exertions, and prevent him from reaping the full benefit of his 

 capital and talents. We were furprifed to fmd the author, whof;^ 

 principles feem not to be generally illiberal, lamenting that fome 

 cf the above claufes are not ftriclly enforced. 



The author introduces fome doctrines, to wliich "we find our- 



f(«lves 



