136 = Letter from a country schoolmaster. May 30. 
is certain that ministry, by augmenting our sala- 
ries, would do the nation more service than has 
been done-by our late armaments ; and at the * tenth 
part of the expence. J am sensible that a great part 
of our landed gentlemen would account this an in~ 
tolerable burden, although in many places their rents 
are ten times as large as they were a century agoe 
For this reason, many of our members of parliament 
‘would not: choose to run the rifk of offending their 
constituents by voting for such an augmentation. 
But while a philanthropic Wilberforce, and a patriotic 
Sinclair sit in the Britifh senate, I have some faint 
hopes that the one, so anxiously concerned about 
abolifhing slavery abroad, will endeavour ‘to put a 
numerous body of useful subjects at home, upon an 
equitable footing ; and that the other, so usefully 
‘employed in examining into the state of this king- 
dom, will use his influence to improve it in this par- 
ticular. If this does not happen soon, and the value 
‘of money continue to fall, in a few years no person, 
properly qualified, will accept the office of a school- 
master, which will tend directly to the subversion of 
‘every other art and science. 
In publithing this fketch, and giving your opinion 
‘upon the subject, you willinfinitely oblige one, who, 
though no subscriber for your useful Bee, yet is, by 
the friendfhip of a kind neighbour, Sir, your con- 
stant reader, €9c. 
Buehan, 
March 30. 1792. 
* These two armaments cost the nation about five millions sterling, 
the interest of which at 4 per cent. is L. 200,000. one-tenth of which is 
L 20,000. which would be about L. 22, to each schoolmaster in Scotland. 
A COUNTRY SCHOOLMASTER. 
