!258 Cui'fory Reflexions on the Means cf Au*. 



I believe Sir John Sinclair has adopted a plan fomethinit fimilar 

 to the above, with the fmall tenants that vv^ere removed from his 

 Langwell eftate. He has, however, if I am not raifinformed, 

 given them a greater extent of ground to cultivate than is here 

 jecommended; but it may be doubted wliether fuch people are 

 fitted for bringing in and cultivating land that prefc^ntly appears to 

 be in a wafle flate. I have pointed out fuch a quantity as may be 

 fufficient for labourers and tradefmcn ; a quantity, which might 

 be cultivated at their leifure hours, without materially infringing 

 upon their dated time of labour. My object is, not to make them 

 fmall farmers /'for this would not prove benefici il on either fide), 

 but merely to place them comfortably in a village as labourers 

 or artifaiis. In this way, I am convinced, their fituation would 

 be rendered more happy and agreeable, than if a more extended 

 allotment was given them. 



Still fomething remains to be done with people fo circum- 

 ftanced, till the wheel goes round, till the new fyftem comes 

 fully into action, till employment gets into a regular channel; 

 and this can only b.^ accompHfhed by the proprietor. Let him 

 imdertake to provide them in work for a given time ; fay, four 

 months in the firfl: year, three months in the fecond year, two 

 months in the third year, and one month in the fourth, if required; 

 and it may be prefumed, that, before thefe periods are elapfed, 

 the affnivs of the eilate will be placed upon a ftable footing, 

 and affiRance become umiecefTiry. If it is deemed more eligible 

 to give an allowance of meal and potatoes, during the above 

 mentioned years, perhaps the fame Gbjt^cl will be reached. Were 

 two bolls of meal and two c^f potatoes given to each family for 

 the firft year, and to be dim^nifiied according to the fcale al- 

 ready ftated, in the fecond, third, and fourth years, a moft im- 

 portant benefit would be gained, at an expence comparatively 

 trifling. 



That fome plan or other, calcuilted to provide for the accom- 

 modation and fupport of thofe who are difnoiieiled, is necefTary, 

 J fhould fuppofe, muft be evident to the mod fuperficial obferver. 

 if any perlon, however, fhall be difpofed to queltion the necef- 

 fity of a further meafure, I beg the circunillances, which accom- 

 pany a general difpofFelhon, may be ftYioully confidered. The 

 wretched inhabitraits are aU at once deprived of tlie ufual means 

 of living, often obliged to remove from tiieir houfes, without the 

 flighteit attention being ufed to provide employment by which 

 they can fubfiit, or houfes in which they can be fheltered. It need 

 not then excite wonder, that, under the inlluence of difcontent 

 and defpair, thoy are tempted to leave the country, and feek the 

 neceflliries or comforts of Ufc in a foreign laud. To emigrate 



to 



