l8o3 Extracts from the Georgical Letters, %^c, ^2g 



tions, disruptions, waterspouts, hurricanes, comets, streamers 

 meteors, stellar, planetary and lunar influences. Out of human 

 ken, all these seem lawless. Viewed through mortal optics 

 they nppear fortuitous, absurd and discordant. Yet superior 

 intelligences calculate a deluge or tornado as we do an eclipse 

 of the moon ; and in cities sinking to the great abyss discover de- 

 sign, order and harmony. 



Of earthquakes, that of 1st November, 1755, whereof devot- 

 ed Lisbo-i was the focu?, was the most extensive. All Kurope 

 felt it. In a fortnight it shook Boston in New-England, 

 whence it proceeded in a south-westerly direction to South Ca- 

 rolina. 



Emanations from so may substrata, some nutrative, some 

 tartareous, emerging into day, could not fail in part to enrich 

 in part to debase the fluids. Followed crops over Eurooe in 

 some territories good, in more below mediocrity. The 3^ear 

 1757 is memorable as to the British isles. In the eastern and 

 most corn-bearing division of Great Britain, by some broiling 

 days in July, the proverb, * that a crop of corn never suffered 

 * by heat,' was reversed. The harvest was cloudy and wet 

 and ended with stagnant air and thick dews. In the west the 

 crop was good. Over Ireland the best for above 80 years. 



There are certain small postulata proper for a man to carry 

 about with him when he means accuracy in husbandry. For 

 example, in plowing an acre v/ith a furrow nine inches broad, 

 the plow goes just n miles ; with a furrow of eight inches 12 

 miles three furlongs ; and with a furrow of six inches, i6i 

 miles. 



To the draught cattle it is much the same with which of thefe 

 fuTows the day's work is done ; for if with a broad furrow 

 their toil is increased, their velocity is diminished; and if with a 

 narrow furrow their velocity is increaocd, their toil is diminish-- 

 cd. 



To the plowman both cases are reversed. The broader the 

 furrow, the less both toil and velocity ; and the narrower the 

 furrow, the greater are both. Velocity, you will observe, is 

 toil in anotker shape. A sluggish plowman can ease himself 

 somewhat by means of the ploughtail^ but it is at the expence of 

 the cattle. 



It follows, that ftrength and dexterity are requifite for a 

 march of i6| miles, with one foot higher than the other, and a 

 confide rable fliare of toil belides, be the plough irons ever fd 

 iharp and well fet. 



It were proper alfo to remember, that the Winchefier bufhel 

 is a cylinder 185 incliCi diameter, and 3 inches deep, containing 



