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dlfputes, has tended to make tithes in general more 

 obnoxious at this time, although they are in fo many 

 inftances compounded for at a fair price, than they 

 were in ancient times, when lands were regularly 

 fown with corn in a common field flate, and the tithe 

 corn rigoroufly taken up in kind* 



And as a proof that this argument is right, it is 

 well known, tha< there are always more difputes 

 about the tithes of fmall infignificant articles, than 

 about the tithes of corn, which are in fad the real 

 grievance. 



If thefe arguments are well founded, as the writer 

 hereof thinks they are, it is obvious that, in the pre- 

 fent {late of agriculture, a commutation of tithes for 

 Tifair equivalent would be a very defirable thing, not 

 only to the occupiers of titheable land, but in many 

 inftances to the tithe-owners themfelves. The dif- 

 ficulty is to find Qut that equivalent. 



In treating on this fubjeft, it is to be lamented 

 that the minds of men have been, (particularly of 

 late years) fo prejudiced againjl the very nature of 

 tithes^ that the idea of a fair equivalent has feldom 

 been thought of. They have been too frequently 

 looked upon as a kind oi furreptitious property, of 

 which the owners might at any time be difpoffefled at 

 the will of the ftate. This kind of argument, inftead 

 of obtaining the end propofed, muft undoubtedly 

 defeat it. 



R 2 There 



