48] ANNUAL. REGISTER, 1796. 
one: might purchase without the therefore moved for an enquiry inte 
intervention of corn-dealers. Ife the causes of the scarcity. 
/ 
amidst all the possible veerings of commegge, and even under progressive taxes. But 
the best stimulant to agriculture, according to the just observation and reasonings 
of the very worthy, as well as ingenious and weil-informed authors just mentioned, 
that could possibly be devised, would be to invent some means, whereby the actual 
labourer might be animated with the hope of rising to the situation of an actual cul- 
‘tivator of the soil; such as restraints on the excessive monopolization of land; long, 
.and in some cases perpetual leases; a judicious distribution of waste lands, and va- 
rious contingencies improveable by the legislature in favour of the peasantry of this 
country,without injuring the great proprietors of land,but even promoting their inter- 
est in particular. ‘That this is practicable has been experimentally proved bythe duke 
of Bedford, the earl of Winchelsea, the earl of Suffolk, and other real patriots and 
benefactors to their country. There is a strong temptation to throw different farms 
‘into one, in the circumstance, that by this meansthe landlord avoids the expence of 
‘keeping up different farm-steads. In order to counteract this inducement,to the ex- 
cessive enlargement of farms, it was wisely enacted,in the reign of king Henry VIII. 
that the landlord should be at liberty to dispose of his lands as be pleased, but that 
he must nevertheless keep up in goodrepairall the ancient mansions and farm-steads. 
The preamble to this law, which has now unfortunately become vbsolete,is worthy 
of serious attention at the present day.’ 
Tt is a melancholy consideration,that the most prosperous career of arts, manufac- 
tures,and commerce, in any individual nation or empire, (not their migration into dif- 
ferent countries) carries in itself the seeds of corruption, Mechanical arts and ma 
nufactures,bringing together great crowds of people into factories and great towns, 
confining their bodies to close and narrow spots, and their minds to a yery few ideas, 
are prejudicial to the health, the morals,and even the intellectual powers of a people. 
There is more strength, self-command, natural affection, and general knowledge and 
contrivance among tillers of the ground, pastoral tribes, and even savage natiuns; all 
of which conditions of men are accustomed to employ their cares, and to turn their 
hand toa vast variety of occupations. 
While the wants of men are increased by luxury, their natural resourees are di- 
minished : they become inactive and slothful, less and less fitted to bear up under 
hardships, and to adapt their labour to different exigencies and circumstances. 
_ They know but one art. The manufacture in which they ave employed fluctuates 
with the artificial state of society, out of which it sprung. The enervated artisan 
is thrown on the mercy of the public. A similar ratio holds with regard to nations ; 
‘each succeeding generation becomes more luxurious than the last; each becomes 
less capable of exertion. There is, for a long time, a curious struggle between the 
wants and exertions of men and of nations: but the exertions at last yield to the 
enervating influence of luxury, and hence we may say of the reign of the arts, what 
Sallust observes of political empire, “ that it is in the course of things always trans- 
ferred from the bad to the good.” The immensity of our national debt, which m- 
poses on the hand of industry the fetters of immoderate taxation, added to all these 
considerations, casts an air of melancholy over our political horizon. : 
This gloom, however, is not a little brightened up by three circumstances, 
First, there is yet a very large-scope in this island for the extension and improve- 
ment of agriculture, which breeds a race of men innocent, healthy, and hardy. 
Secondly, there is still a greater scope for the extension and improvement of our 
fisheries and navigation, which nourish a hardy race of mortals, maintaining great 
activity and virtue, amidst occasional excesses. 
While any land remains to be cultivated, cultivation is better thai mariufactures, 
not only in respect of the health, happiness, and morals of the people, but of public 
revenue. ‘This reasoning is confirmed by the wise economy of America; by the econo- 
mists of France, and the writings of their disciples in this and other countries, See 
particularly “The Essential Principles of the Wealth of Nations, illustrated in op- 
position to some False Doctrines of Dr. Adam Smith, and others.” Ge 
; ter 
