4oS On the Shorimfs cf Lenfes, Nov. 



contented and happy, conformin|> themfelves generally to a fim- 

 ple mod • of agriculture, adopted by themfelves, oV prefcribed 

 by their landlords •, of which cuftom, examples may be given 

 of the farmers on the eftare of a great Englifh nobleman, in one 

 of the mnft northtrly counties, (Duke of Northumberland), and of 

 thofe on the eftate of the prefent Member of Parliament for Aher- 

 dc-cnfhire. But although thefe examples may be ftnted in favour 

 of a very pernicious pra£t;ice, yet I am fully of the opinion, 

 that the fancHiion given nrifes almoft folely from the excellent 

 characters of the refpeclable nobleman and the benevolent gen- 

 tleman alluded to 



Although thffe, and pevhnps other inflances of the fame fort, 

 xnay be given, yet it cannot be denied that the cuftom is a bad 

 one; and, as fuch, I wifh to fee it totally eradicated. 1 defi- 

 derate fuch a thorough change of fentiment in the minds of 

 people in general, that no landlord would let, and no tenant 

 would take his farm, but upon a permanent leafe of a certain 

 reafcmable endurance. What I contend for, in this cafe, is the 

 cftabliHiment of a general maxim 5 and although this m^y ap- 

 pear difficult to be effectuated without pofnive law or inftitu- 

 tlon, yet we have {xttn revolutions in fentiment and practice 

 fometimes brought about by a fingle falutary regulation. 

 When a law was made allowing an heir of entail to get 

 allowance of the expence of certain improvements made on 

 the eiiate in tail, tnere was a general rule laid down. When 

 the Court of Scfliori in Scotland palled the a<£^ of fede- 

 runt refpe£ling the removal of tenants from their farms, and 

 that a£l not having been interfered vith by the Legiflature, they 

 laid dt>wn a general rule. When, fome years ago, Lord Mans- 

 field and the Court of King's Bench decreed, that v/henever a 

 negro flave comes to En;];land he (hall be a free man, the Court 

 eflablifhed a general maxim. When, a few months ago, Lord 

 Ellenborough and the fame Court fou id, that a military volun- 

 teer may refign, they fixed a grn<-ral rule for all volunteers what- 

 ever. In like manner," I fay again, tHat it is a general maxim 

 that I wifh to fee eftablifhed ; and although it may be difficult 

 to bring this about without pofitive inftitution, yet, by frequent- 

 ly inculcating the pernicious confequences of th oppofite prac- 

 tice, the wilhed-for reformation m.)y perhaps in time be effec- 

 tuated. 



With the exemption from tithes and poor-rates ; with the fti*. 

 pulations in his leafe, fuppdrted and ready to be enforced by 

 law ; and with a compulfitor within his power for the divifiou 

 of lands lying in common, joined to the general benevolence of 

 landlords, the 8cnti(h farmer, perhaps, enjoys as many advan- 

 tages, clogged with as few dfawbacks, as the cultivator of the 



. foil 



