[ ^4o 3 



"with the publick ? And ought that to be put in com- 

 petuion with the good that will arife from it, by 

 increailng the quantum of provifions of every kind, 

 the prices of which it would alfo tend to reduce, to 

 the very great comfort and eafe of the lower clafs 

 of people, who, in their p'-efent fituation, can hardly 

 procure the neceflaries of life ? Has it been upon 

 fuch narrow principles as thefe, that this country 

 has attained to its prefent height in the political 

 fcale of Europe ? Certainly not. But to remove 

 every ground of fear from the land-owners on this 

 head, we fay, that admitting it fhould be the deter- 

 mination of parliament to inclofe thefe waftes; yet 

 from the nature of fuch an undertaking, as well as 

 from their feveral fituations, it would be impoffiblc 

 that the whole of them could be brought into im- 

 mediate cultivation ; and therefore the decreafe in the 

 value of land could not prefently take place. But 

 we have the authority of fafts to fay, that no fuch 

 reduction of value need at any time be apprehended, 

 fmce, it is well known, that (generally fpeaking) 

 the value of eftates is by no means decreafed in the 

 refpeftive neighbourhoods of thofe large indofures, 

 which have already taken place in the different parts 

 of the kingdom. 

 ' The only remaining objeftion agalnfl inclofures 

 is, that the number of cattle, as well as ihecp, would 

 thereby be leffened, and that the quantity of wool 

 muft of courfe be diminifhed, fmce thofe who had 



before 



