Xl INTRODUCTION. 



running the rifque of the miller's plunder, which they are 

 fo prone to complain of, and from which they feldom or 

 never believe themfelves fafe. Two or three perfons of pru- 

 dence and care would eafily manage the purchafes at market; 

 and by knowing the weight of the wheat they bought, and 

 requiring from the miller a return of weights, both of flour 

 and offal, would eafily know with exaclnefs whether they 

 had caufe of fatisfadtion. A little attention would foon qua- 

 lify thofe perfons to judge very accurately of fuch bufinefs. 

 The miller would find fuch grinding and dreffing an obje£l 

 worth his attention, as he would be regularly and duly paid ; 

 and be better pleafed with efcaping, by having to do with 

 competent judges, the ufual complaints of various em- 

 ployers. But that the purchafe of ready-made flour, by 

 the fack, would be ftill better, I have not the leaft doubt, for 

 thefe reafons: \Ji. The trouble would be lefs, and the con- 

 cern more eafily managed, ^clly. There would be no coarfe 

 flour and offal, to be ufed or difpofed of, which, on the grind- 

 ing plan, would occafion confiderable difficulty, or perhaps 

 jealoufy and diffatisfaction. 3^/)'. It would be eafy to afcer- 

 tain the average price of wheat at the neighbouring mar- 

 kets ; and, knowing the relative proportions between a fack 

 of wheat of a certain weight and a fack of flour, it would 

 never be difficult to purchafe the latter on the beft terms. 

 And fuch a committee always paying ready money, and 

 having a conftant regular demand, for a popular purpofe, 

 would always be fure of finding meal-men emulous to ferve 

 them on the moft moderate terms, and for a very trifling 

 profit. To this fait another confideration may be added — 

 For vjhcat^ the full market-price muft always be paid, (as 

 fuch a committee would find it improper to fpeculate ia 

 large quantities of grain) and the fupply of flour might, 



from 



