xjft. 0n leases. 125. 



there is no room left for gratitude or affection on 

 the other. The proprietor and tenant are held to- 

 gether by a very slender tde, in which the heart 

 has seldom any ftiare, and which we see daily bro- 

 ken by the slightest accident. It has been observed' 

 by men of acknowledged abilities, that, in letting, a 

 lease, circumstances iliould be so calculated that the 

 tenant, after paying his rent, and defraying the ex- 

 pences of his family and servants,, fliould have re- 

 maining, annually, perfectly free, the interest at least 

 of the stock or principal laid out in furniftiing the 

 farm. The reasons are obvious, because had he been 

 bred to any other businefs, he would, by attention 

 and care, have provided for the subsistence of his fa- 

 mily, and saved his capital and interest, as a fund 

 for their future supply : and how many arise to a 

 state of affloience, who had originally no fund at all ?; 

 Another reason is, that if he is not placed in a si-- 

 tuation such as I have described, he is degraded 

 below the conditioa of a common servant ; for a ser- 

 vant not only lives at present comfortably, and void of 

 care, but has it in his power to lay up something for 

 the supply of his future wants. In a word, when he 

 not only bestows his time and labour, but is himself 

 obliged, in the course of his lease, to expend his own 

 money, or principal, for the proprietor's advantage, he 

 repents his bargain, — his spirits are hurt, — his tem- 

 per soured,— he considers himself as a slave in a 

 land of freedom, — and looks upon his master or supe- 

 rior with inexprefsible aversion and abhorrence. 



That a proprietor may be able to judge for him- 

 self, and let hij farms in such a manner, or upoa 



