f 7 | 
‘* not, according to different circumftances.’’* Hu. 
man food is the article for which the demand is uni- 
verfal and conftant, and an adequate f{upply is perpe- 
tually called forth, by every principle of policy and 
felf-prefervation. It is this article which arifes from 
the land itfelf, is the great fource of its value, and 
regulates the value of labour, and ultimately of all the 
neceffaries and conveniences of life; and it is from 
this alone, I conceive, that we can form a proper 
ftandard for meafuring and adjufting, by the medium 
of money, the value of thofe produéts of the land 
which the tithe-owner is entitled to, with thofe that 
he fhall find requifite for his well-being. 
The food of man confifts in vegetable produétions, 
and the flefh of animals. Ido not mean here to in- 
quire, whether animal food would properly form part 
of a regulating ftandard, for varying the rents of 
tithes. An inveftigation of the fubjeé was attempted 
by me, with an intention to fubmit the refult to the 
Society, but circumftances arofe which prevented me. 
In my former effay, 1 confidered vegetable food 
as of the greateft confequence; and that fome parts 
of it are abundantly more important than the ref. 
Whatever the earth may produce in the vaft and fer- | 
tile empire of China, if the rice crop fail, all the 
horrors of famine enfue. Bread-corn is of equal 
importance to the people of Europe; in which, as it 
* Wealth of Nations, vol. i. page 202. ; 
