TJQ2. on the Highlands. jr' 



compel our people to fly from these Inhospitable fhores,, 

 and to seek that support among a foreign nation, that 

 their own unwise legislators have thought It was not 

 worth their while to afford them ? I have no desire tT> 

 promote national disgust ; but It Is impofsible for me ever 

 to contemplate this subject, without experiencing an indig- 

 nant feeling that overcomes every other consideration. 



Let not those who observe the present prosperity of 

 Britain in other respects, turn their eyes from this disa- 

 greeable scene with contempt, or thinic it unworthy of 

 their notice. The progrefs of depopulation, when it once 

 begins. Is rapid beyond what can be conceived ; and ex- 

 tends Its Influence much farther than any person will easi- 

 ly believe. Spain, when in the plenitude of her powerj 

 when her empire embraced half the globe, and her arms 

 made all the nations tremble ; Spain, at that moment, in- 

 toxicated with pride, and despising the dictates of reason, 

 drove from her realms at once about a million and a half 

 of her Industrious people ! In vain did men of sense 

 point out the consequences to government ; these lower 

 people were beneath their attention ; but with the lofs of 

 these people, the businefs of those which remained was 

 prodigiously slackened, their wealth of course was diml- 

 niflied. The taxes they formerly paid with ease, fell 

 fhort of the usual sum j new burdens must be imposed j 

 which not being paid with ease, gave room for fiscal op- 

 prefsion*. Foreign conquests then opened a door for de- 



• Dr Franklin, Dr Price, and some others, have endeavoured to make 

 the people in Britain think, lightly of the consequences ^of depopula- 

 tion j but the necefsary effects of decreasing the number of the people, by 

 diminishing the industry of all who remain, ss briefly mentioned above, 

 are distinctly specified in a difsertatiorLby the Editor, (See account of the He» 

 brides, Inroductlon p. 114,) which having been sent to Dr Price, he cai»» 

 didly acknowledged he had written upon '.hat subject too hastily, and now 

 •wjs satisSed he had been wrong. 



