t^Q Letters from a Scots Far me r^ April 



but their tenure and cultivation neceflarily preclude a rent 

 from being paid proportional to the intrinfic quality. 

 Common fields have but lately come under my infpedlion, 

 and to a Scotfman they certainly muft be a matter of won- 

 der and regret. 



Sheffield^ the flaple place for cutlery articles, is fituated 

 above eighteen miles weftvv^ard from Doncafter. And 



O 



here a circumftance occurred, which ftrongly marks the 

 character of Englifli tradefmen. Wifhing to fee a few of 

 its valuable manufactures, we had procured a recommen- 

 datory letter to a merchant in the place, who, we were 

 told, was well acquainted with fuch matters ; and having 

 delivered it upon our arrival, he accofted us with — ' Pray, 

 gentlemen, where do you come from ? ' We replied, 

 * From Scotland. ' * Sorry for it, ' fays he, * for I can 

 neither fhew the manufactures to a Scotfman nor a 

 Frenchman. You are come to carry off our inventions, 

 I fuppofe. ' It was to no purpofe we aiTured him that we 

 were country farmers upon a tour, to fee the hufbandry 

 of the kingdom, and that we only wiflied to gratify a lit- 

 tle harmlefs curiofity. * It v/on't do, gentlemen. Yoi^ 

 are Scotfmen ! forry for it : can't fliew you the manufac- 

 tures. Good b'ye, gaitlemen. ' 



From Doncafter to Newark-upon-Trent, the road is 

 liTce a bcv/ling- green for levelnefs ; and no forty miles in 

 England are travelled with greater facility. At Bautry 

 we -quitted YorkHiire, which, for magnitude, general va- 

 lue of territorial property, and extenfive manufactures, 

 undoubtedly furp.ifles every county in Britain. 



Notiinghamjhire v/as the next diftrict through which we 

 pafi'cd, and contains a great deal of what is called foreji 

 Jolly very different indeed from what has lately come un- 

 der our obfervation. The country upon the great road is 

 m.ore open, the fields more extenfive, though, upon the 

 Mdiole, well cultivated, while wind-machines for grinding 

 grain v/ere working on all fides, which was a fure proof 

 that circumftances were altered. A different fyftem of 

 hufbandry feemed neceffary than what was required in 

 Yorkfhire, and fuch was accordingly practifed. 



The hufbandry of the upper part of Luicolnjhire con^ 



tained more difagreeable features than any we have hither^ 



•to examined; and the condition of an extenfive common 



field near Grantham, was fufficknt to provoke the miofi; 



patien* 



