l'792' on leases, 147 



of the evils which distrefs society, of which the in- 

 stances are too many. Yours, \3c. Amicus. 



Additional observations on the same subject. 

 The ingenious writer of the above efsay is among 

 the few who have considered leases in their proper 

 point of view, "viz. the effects they produce on the 

 industry, manners, and dispositions of the people. 

 A very intelligent writer in the Bee, vol. ii. p. 281, 

 has, with great propriety, considered the effects of 

 the old mode of tenure of church lands in Scotland, 

 in this respect. It would be well for the community 

 in general, if political writers, in discufsing subjects 

 of this sort, would, by losing sight of individual cases, 

 extend their views to the community at large. 

 • Nothing has perhaps tended to give Britain such a 

 decided superiority over neighbouring nations, as 

 the practice which has so long prevailed of having 

 her lands cultivated under the protection of leases. 

 The Greeks and Romans, who were unacquainted with 

 this beautiful regulation in political economy, found 

 themselves involved in difficulties at every step in 

 their operations of agriculture, that rendered it to 

 them a troublesome and a slavilL businefs *. And 



• Among the Creeks and Romans, the general practice was, that every 

 proprietor of land cultivated it by means of his own servaiits and slaves, 

 very much in the same manner that the proprietors of West India estates 

 do at present. This gave rise to innumerable frauds, peculations, and a- 

 bui^es, that no laws were sulBcient to guard against ; and he was, in gene- 

 rtl, the most succcfsful farmer who could watch his people best ; not him 

 who reared the best crops. To guard against thes; frauds, it was ne- 

 eefsiry to arm the landowner with adcsputic authority that is altogether 

 inconsistin: viiUi fieedoin. A larg': lanJed eitate became then a burden 



