f44 ^« Tithef. May 



redrefs. I fay, griev^ancc : nor let It be fuppofed that I am now 

 croaking over our pretended evils, like thole who, but a few 

 years ago, vi'ere branded with the name of refo7-7}jers ; I fpeak as 

 a farmer, and of what belono^s to farmino^. 



To come to the point, then, which materially concerns agri- 

 culture — Whether we fhould gain as much by the abolition or 

 the commutation of tithes, take whichever name you will, as to 

 jullify the meafur? ? This, fays your correfpondent, is what has 

 never yet been aicertained, and what we would do well firft to 

 fettle- And to the fame efFe<£l, another of your correfpondents 

 long ago afked, whether thofe lands which are free of tithe 

 were, or were not, better cultivated than thofe which are ftili 

 loadcn with the burden ? Now, none of thofe gentlemen can 

 cxpeft a direct anfwer to their queflion. It were quite unrea- 

 fonable to fuppofe, that freedom from any burden whatfoever 

 fhould immediately begin to be felt : For, where men have gone 

 on for a length of time in a beaten track, habit lays fuch faft 

 hold on them, that It is long, even after the burden is' removed 

 from their fhoulders, before they can be roufed up to vigorous 

 exertions. Suppofe that this moment tithes were aboliihed, a 

 proprietor may find himfelf fo circumftanced, that though he 

 fliould have ail the inclination in the world, and fliould hold out 

 every encouragement, he may not find tenants pollefled of fpirit 

 enough to follow up his enterprifmg fchemes. Their aftivlty 

 may have been laid to reft, by the opprcfiion under which they 

 had been fo long weighed down •, he does not find it' cornxnient 

 to have all his land in his own poileffion, and though he fhould 

 fet a neighbourhood an example of good farming, they may not, 

 from thefe reafons, be inclined immediately to follow it. It is 

 by flow degrees that improvements begin to be made, and a thou- 

 fand things may occur to retard them. But if thefe gentlemen 

 fhould urge me to give a dire£l: anfwer, I will do it •, and I will 

 aver, that tliofe laudable and fpirlted improvements which have 

 taken place throughout the greater part of Scotland, and are ftili 

 going on, could never have been carried into effedl In the face 

 of this grating fyftem of tithes. Will any man tell me, that a 

 farmer could, during feveral of the firft years of his tack, go on 

 to lime at the rate of a thoufand bolls of lime, lefs or more, 

 and dung many acres at the rate of 5!. per acre, (and both 

 thefe are by no means unufual on a very ordmary fcale), and o- 

 therwife to improve, by draining, trenching, &c. while he had 

 the view before him of his good friend the parfon coming every 

 year to (hare In his profit ? I am fure, that were he to a6t fuch a 

 llrange part, if he fhould not be inftantly fent to bedlam, he 

 would, at Icaft, be thought more worthy of a place there 

 ^an many who are confined within its miferable wails. No ! 



tJUe 



