STUDY XIII. 141 



•* would remove the {tones from that ground, dung 

 " it well, plough it thoroughly, and fow it with 

 *' corn, you might flill raife very excellent crops.'* 

 The farmer, an arch, flirewd fellow, perceiving the 

 drift of his tithing-man, replied : " You are in the 

 *"' right, good Mr. Reâior ; if you will take the 

 " ground, and do all this to it, 1 fliall afk no more 

 *"* of you than the tithe of the crop." 



Our agriculture will never attain all the aâ:ivity 

 of which it is fufceptible, unlefs it is reflored to it's 

 native dignity. Means ought, therefore, to be 

 employed to induce a multitude of cafy and idle 

 burghers, who vegetate in our fmall cities, to go 

 and live in the country. In order to determine 

 them to this, hufbandmen ought to be exempted 

 from the humiliating importions of tallage, of 

 feignorial exaftions, and even of thofe of the mili- 

 tia-fervice, to which they are at prefent fubjeded. 

 The ftate mull undoubtedly be ferved, when ne- 

 ceffity requires ; but wherefore affix charaders of 

 humiliation to the fervices which fhe impofes ? 

 Why not accept a commutation in money ? It 

 would require a great deal, our Politicians tell us. 

 Yes, undoubtedly. But do not our Burgeffes, 

 likewife, pay many impofts in our towns, in lieu 

 of thofe very fervices ? Befides, the more inhabi- 

 tants that there are fcattered over the country, the 

 lighter will fall the burthen on thofe who are affef- 



fable. 



