l8oo. dJ the County of Fife. - 285 



different improvements which fafliion or the times recom- 

 mend \ and, if in good habits with the tenantry, (which every 

 clergyman, if he wilhes to be ufeful, will alliduoully leek to 

 be), he enjoys the iuilell means of procuring information re- 

 fpeciing the feveral branches of hufbandry, and comparing 

 every theory, whether fpecious or well-founded, with the dif- 

 ferent operations daily carried on before his eyes. If an ob- 

 ferving mind is added, the perfon fo fituated, can hardly fail 

 to be well qualified for defcribing the rural oeconomy of the 

 diftricl with which he is eonnetled. 



We have already (page 191.) examined the works of one 

 refpetlable clergyman, and now proceed, v/ith equal fatisfac- 

 tion, to open up the labours of another. As this gentleman 

 had a path to tread only flightly marked out, the natural diffi- 

 culties of the oflice were confequently augmented : Thefe he 

 has furmounted, with credit to him,felf i and, though we dif- 

 fer from him upon a few points, yet we have no difficulty in. 

 acknowledging, that he has defcribed the hufbandry of the 

 diftricl in which he refides, in a diftincl and perfpicuous man- 

 ner. 



Fife is a diftrlft of great irtiportance, and may be ranked in 

 -the fecond clafs of agricultural counties. Local circumftances 

 confer many advantages upon it, being waflied by the fea, and 

 the Friths of Forth and Tay, upon three fides, from which a 

 great ftock of manure is conftantly procured ; and the abund- 

 ance of limeftone and coal upon its fouthern fhore, is not only 

 advantageous to agricultural improvements, but highly con- 

 ducive to the comfort of the inhabitants. Thefe circumftances 

 are fatisfa£lorily detailed in the firft chapter of the work, from 

 which the reader will derive much ufeful information. 



Property is' greatly divided in this county \ perhaps more fo 

 than in any other part of North Britain, which Dr Thomfon 

 thinks is attended with the happieft efFcc^fs. The valued rent 

 is 361,5841. Scots, which is above one tenth of the kingdom, 

 and is a ftrong proof that improvements had taken place at an 

 early period. Tlie real rent of many counties exceeds in pounds 

 Sterling the nominal valuation in Scotifh money ; whereas, in 

 Fife, the former is more than one third below the latter, being 

 calculated at 2i2,oool. Every calculation of this nature, how- 

 ever, is queftionable, being built upon hypotheies, which do 

 not afford any folid proof. 



Our author is an enemy to entails, and we cannot but ap- 

 plaud the jildicious fentiments offered upon thiji article. No 



