l8o4 Cofjfidcrations on Regulating the Value of Lnhourl 253 



* mofs'quahing bog and heath- covered 7noufitairjy* which certainly 

 form no fmall part of the nio/l iinprovcable Highland eftates, 

 may yield a rent that will fcarce pay the expence of its col- 

 le6lion ; and, in fuch a cafe, it would not be at all furprifing, 

 if the incipient improvement of a fingle corner of it cxhauiled 

 more than the net produce of the whole property. The im- 

 prover cannot expect that an immediate rife of rent ftiall accom- 

 pany the expenditure of his capital, proportional to the profits 

 he would have received for it had it been allowed to remain in 

 his banker's hands, or been inverted in fome more lucrative mer- 

 cantile fpecul.ition ; — he muft lay his account with receiving 

 much lefs — perhaps none at all at firft : he mud confider him- 

 felf as a capitalill who engages in fome branch of manufacture, 

 which, as its future profits will be great, requires and jullifics 

 a great advance, for the purchafe of the neceffary machinery 

 and infi.ruments, by which alone he can look forward to future 

 profit, or to a fuccefsful competition with thofe who have already 

 made fome advances in the trade. But neither this great outlay> 

 nor the fmall immediate profit which he can derive from it, 

 ought to damp his profpeCts, or flacken his exertions, or occa- 

 fion any regret or rcmorfe for the fum which he thus applies. 

 It would furely be confidered as forry and niggardly policy in a 

 manufacturer, were he to repine at the expence of the materi- 

 als and inftruments of his trade, or to purchafe them, of an 

 inferior quality, in order to pocket the petty favings of his 

 meannefs. But, fubftantial farm-houfes, convenient buildings, 

 flrong enclofures, and well conftruCted roads, form the mod ef- 

 fential parts of that machinery which is required for the manu- 

 facture of the produce of tlie earth ; and therefore, for an im- 

 prover of land to put a (top to his operations on account of the 

 expence with which they are attended, or to grudge the necef- 

 fary outlay for his buildings and enclofures, would be as abfurd 

 as for the blackfmith to fiiut up fliop on account of the expence 

 of the bellows or anvil ; or for the weaver to lament the cofl 

 of his yarn, his Ihuttle or his loom. The truth is, it is not the 

 prefent, but the future confequences, which ought, in every in- 

 veftiture of capital, to regulate our conduCt ; and thefe, we 

 may fafely alTcrt, will, in the cultivation of the foil, be ade- 

 quate to even our molt fanguine anticipations. 

 The labours of the fpring would appear to him 

 * Who ne'er looks forward farther than his nofe, * 

 to be the aCts of madnefs and wicked prodigality, wafting the 

 precious food of rnan, and feathering the grain unwifely on thti 

 ground. But to \\\m who, in the labours of the feed-time, an- 



R 3 ticipates 



