C 173 ] 



This leading argument, like Aaron's ferpent, fwal- 

 lows up the reft, and leans fo ftrongly to the fide of 

 humanity, that the beft minds are fooneft led away 

 by it J I will venture to fay, that it has hitherto been 

 in a great meafure upheld by this charafteriftick bias 

 of the county. 



The poor here meant are cottagers having com- 

 mon rights, and labourers, or fervants employed in 

 hufbandry; and if the inclofure of common-fields be 

 confidered in one narrow point of view only, the 

 practice will appear to leifen the labour of the poor j 

 for ten, or any given number of acres, lying together, 

 are cultivated in a lliorter fpace of time, and with 

 lefs labour and trouble, than the fame quantity of 

 land lying in feparate half acres and roods, and fcat- 

 tered over a large common-field. It will even be 

 admitted, that in many cafes three teams will plough 

 the fame quantity of land in an inclofed flare, which 

 would require four teams in an open field ftate; the 

 labour of one ploughman, driver, and team, in four, 

 would be funk by the inclofure, though the land 

 when inclofed may be doubled in value. This land 

 when inclofed will require hedging and ditching; 

 the turnip crops thereon, hoeing; the fecond crops 

 of clover, cutting and making; one-third more of 

 the land conftantly cropped will employ more weed- 

 crs, and the occupiers of the land be better enabled 

 to pay their labourers their wages. 



It 



