STUDY XIII. 121 



of his money, the poor, in order to obtain a pre- 

 ference, let down the price of their labour, till, at 

 length, it becomes inadequate to their fubfiftence* 

 And then we behold, in the beft countries, agri- 

 culture, manufadures, and commerce, all expire. 

 Confiilt, for this purpofe, the accounts given us, 

 of different diftrids of Italy, and, among orhers, 

 what Mr. Brydone has advanced, in his very fen- 

 fible Tour*, notwithftanding the fevere ftriftures 

 of a canon of Palermo, refpeding the luxury and 

 extreme opulence of the Sicilian nobility and 

 clergy, and the abjeft mifery of the peafantry ; and 

 you will perceive whether money has found it's 

 level in that ifland or not. 



I have been in Malta, which is in no refped 

 comparable, as to fertility of foil^ with Sicily ; for 



* I quote a great many books of travels, becaufe, of all lite- 

 rary produélions, I love and efteem them the moft. I myfelf 

 have travelled a great deal, and I can affirm, with truth, that I 

 have almoft always found them agreed, refpecling the produc- 

 tions and the manners of every country, unlefs when warped by 

 national or party fpirit. We muft, however, except a fmall num- 

 ber, whofe romantic tone ftrikes at firfi: fight. They are run 

 down by every body, yet every body confults them. They af- 

 ford a conftant fupply of information to Geographei's, Natu- 

 ralifts, Navigators, Traders, Political Writers, Philofophers, 

 Compilers on all fubje£ls,Hifl:orians of foreign Nations, and even 

 thofe of our own Country, when they are deiirous of knowing 

 the truth. 



it 



