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therefore earneftly intreat the LAND-OWNER to ex~ 
amine the truth of this bufinefs very carefully, as 
his own private intereft is fo materially connected 
with the fecurity, the fafety, and the good of the 
public in general. 
But though the great hazard incurred by the 
neglect of cultivating oak timber is unqueftionably 
great, it is by no means the whole of what is to be 
apprehended from it, nor indeed the worft part of 
it. Food and raiment are confidered as articles of 
the firft importance to the fubfiftence of man; but 
I believe it would be found upon a fair examination, 
that the value of the firft, which is the chief, is ad- 
vanced a hundred fold by means of fire. What 
proportion of the people now living could be fub- 
fitted by the whole produce of the earth in its raw 
unprepared condition? Without fire we could nei- 
ther bake nor brew, roaft, boil, or broil; and how 
long could men fubfift on the roots and herbs of 
the field and the garden as taken from the earth? 
Thefe are ferious queftions, which force themfelves 
to the obfervation in many parts of England; not 
merely through apprehenfion or anticipation, but 
by prefent hardfhips now really exifting and feverely 
felt, and loudly complained of. The fearcity of 
fuel in fome parts is fo very great, that the poor at 
the approach of winter are in a {tate of defpondency ; 
I have often heard them exprefs more concern and 
anxiety on that account, than] ever did at the price 
of 
