43.^ LeHerfrom Sir George S. Machenzie, Bart, Nor. 



fort which the cultivators of the foil are well entitled to enjoy. 

 I regretted th.it the demands of workmen put it out of our power 

 to grant to tenants the accommodations tliey ought to have. 

 Why am I then attacked, in common with all Highland proprie- 

 tors, for illibcrality tov/ards our tenants ? 



Had there been fuilicicnt grounds for the late advance in the 

 price of labour, I l},ould have been the Jail to grumble. In my 

 Jecond letter, I mention the appeal of workiricn to th.e price of 

 proviiions, as an apology for their increafed demands. Whatever 

 may a(fl;ua]ly be the relation (if any) between the pric^ of labour 

 and the price of provifions, it appears pretty evident, that, in the 

 inftances complained of, the workmen themfelvcs look upon the 

 latter as regulating the price of the former. As I think ab(lra6t 

 fpeculatlons are forcisn to the purpofe, of your Magazine, I for- 

 bear faying any thing on this fubjecl:. I fliallonly itate, that there 

 are two quellions : Has the price of provilTons any efFc6l on the 

 prkre of labour ? and, Oifgh the price of provifions to have any 

 tffecl on tlie price of labour ? The difcullion cf thcfe I leave to 

 PoI-CEconomicus. 



I beg leave to inform your correfpondent, that we require no- 

 light from clofet fpeculators, to exhibit to us * what effect the ex- 

 ecution of the Caledonian Canal will have in meliorating the coRi- 

 viitioTi of the Highlands. ' Avrlliire ivS at fo Q;reat a dillance, that 

 wc cannot fuppofe a political cecoiTomiil: tliere, can render ufeful 

 his fpeculations on the condition of the North Highlands \ at leaflr,. 

 unlefs he can exhibit fome acquaintance with the nature, the 

 manners and cuiloms of the country, the different relations of 

 rhe inhabitants to each other, and many other particulars, a com- 

 plete knowledge of v.'hich are necelTary for Pol-CEconomicus, be- 

 fore he can nnike his difcullion of any im.portance. At all events, 

 1 hope he will addrels it to the world, and not to Highland pro- 

 prietors in particular, wh.om, on the whole, he does not fecm to*' 

 liold in very high elf imation. 



As to our apprehenfions, that, without fome caution, tl\c exe- 

 cution of the Caledonian Canal would ra>ie the price of labour,. 

 I mull inform your correfpondent that they were not ill-founded.. 

 Thofe who had charge of the work fiw the danger ; and, by fix- 

 ing the price of day-labour at a moderate fum for rhe fpecics of 

 work, removed our fears ; and now that grand undertaking pro- 

 ceeds with rapidity. I confefs that I am now more of your opi- 

 nion, that the value of labour fliould be left to find its own levels 

 becaufe I have b<-gun to experience that it ivill find its level, as 1 

 /liali pvefently mention. I do not mean to follow rol-CEconomicus 

 through his llatement of the caufcs which enhance the price of la- 

 W)ur j becaufe I never doubted, that, ivbere they exijl, the circumllan- 



ce V 



