70 Obfefvaticns on Tythes, [Flb. 



each county fhould be grniited, with power to name fub-com- 

 m:flions for each pariih, by whom the whole hnds therein (itu- 

 ated fliould be claiTed. The county commiffioncrs to review- 

 an^ amend the parochial reports where necefTary ; and, being 

 made up, they Ihould be regiftered in the county records as a 

 rule of payment in all time coming. 



It may perhaps be expedient to allow proprietors of land the 

 alternative of accepting a commutation or not, but having once 

 taken the benefit thereof, no change to be allowed afterwards. 

 Where a modus has been legally fettled, or is fupported by pre- 

 fcription, the act ought not to include fuch cafes, the object in 

 view being already obtained. 



In thefe aiitlines I make no reference to a fale of tythes, but 

 leave proprietors on both fides to make arrangements, as may 

 be done in otber cnles with any branch of private property. 

 Whether Tales take place or not, is a circumftance unconnected 

 with the public good -, for if tythes are conftituted a rent charge 

 upon permanent principles, it does not matter to whom they be- 

 long. 



Having taken up ^o much of your time, I {hall confine my 

 remarks on INIr T. S.'s defence of tythes, vol. 3. page 421, with- 

 in narrow bounds. Indeed, the manner in which I have con- 

 iidered the fubject, has necefi'arily occafioned me to foreftal fe- 

 deral arguments very applicable to the paper now to be noticed. 



Mr T. S. iets out with obferving, that < the general ftrain of 

 your Magazine is inimical to tythes,' and that * to him the fijb- 

 je£l fecms to be very imperfectly undcrftood.' Could he expe(Sl 

 that a burden which no m.an acquainted with the circum- 

 fiances, unlefs perfcnally interefied, will faniftion with his 

 Support, would be countenanced by the condutftors of a work, 

 the leading object of which Is to promote improvements ? That 

 the fubjeft is imperfectly underftood I readily acktiowledge ; per- 

 haps a Itriking proof of this circumftancc may be found in the 

 very letter now under confideration. Allow me to fay, that your 

 correfpondent, notwithfianding the candid drefs in which his ar- 

 guments are cloathed, feems very little acquainted with the na- 

 ture and extent of tythes. You did right, however, in giving 

 the defence a place, as the inferticn ferved to difplay the weak- 

 ness of the caufe. Truth can never fufier by the cffedl of en- 

 quiry ; and the more that this, or any rubje(5t, is invtftigated, the 

 greater light will be thrown on * all its bearmgs' and confequences. 

 In the defence of tythes, a good deal of extraneous matter is 

 introduced ; and it is even hinted, that our admirable conftitu- 

 tion ftands a chance of being overturned if tythes are meddled 

 with. Were I to notice thefe things, or merely to reafon upon 



thcKi;, 



