( 72 ) Jan. 



PART II. 



T^LVIEIV OF AGRICULTURAL PVBLICATIONS. 



View of the Jgriciiltiire of Middlesex, with Ohfervations on 

 the Means cf its Improvement, and fever al EJfays on u^gricul- 

 itire in general. Drawn tip for the confideraiion of the Board 

 tf Agriculture. By John Middleton Efq. Landfurveyor. 

 591 P^Z^^' Nicoll, ^c. London; Creech, Edinburgh. 



The utility of a National Board, for promoting and fu- 

 perintending internal improvement, being apparent, it mufl: 

 excite furprife that Britain was fo long deftitute of fuch an 

 cftablifhrnent. Hartlib^ a refpedable writer of the laft cen- 

 tury, warmly fuggefled the propriety of appointing a direct- 

 or of hufbandry, under the authority of Government ; and 

 feveval intelligent perfons have, upon different occafions, ex- 

 prefled a fimilar fentiment. The carrying fuch a meafure 

 into elTecl, was, however, referved for Sir John Sinclair, 

 Baronet, whofe patriotifm and perfeverance are univerfally 

 known and admired. Under his aufpices, the prefcnt Board 

 of Agriculture was opened in July 1793. 



The firft, and certainly the mofl; rational plan that could be 

 adopted by the Board, was, to afcertain the aiStual ftate of huf- 

 bandry throughout the kingdom, to ferve as a foundation or 

 ground-work for future operations. Under their authority, 

 lurveys of every county have been made, printed, and circu- 

 lated ; feveral of which, after being amended and enlarged, 

 are now reprinted. The furvey of Middlefex is feledled as 

 the fubje(£l of the prefent ohfervations. Two reafons deter- 

 mined this preference : \fl, Middlefex pofieffcrs many advan- 

 tages over almofl; every other county, from its comprifing the 

 capital of the Bvitifh Empire, the feat of Government and 

 Legiilature, of the Law, of Literature, and the Fine Arts *, 

 where all the families of the firft rank and wealth generally 

 refide during the fitting of Parliament j and where the bufi- 

 nefs of the richeft merchants, bankers, and citizens, is car- 

 ried on to an extent that is unequalled in any other part of 

 the globe : And, idly^ Becaufe this work, being mentioned 

 by Mr Pitt in the Houfe of Commons, when the incom.e tax 

 was under confideration, gained thereby a confulerable fhare 

 of public notice *. 



Middlefex, 

 f 



• It is faiJ, a fimilar circumllance firil brought Dr Smith's valuable work, 

 " The Wealth of Nations, " into public notice. Charles Fox quoted it in Par- 

 liament ; and every body fitw lo pciuft that celebrated performance. 



