¥792. occupations of a country gentleman. 309 
Permit me to offer some reason for a gentleman not 
farming, that is, ploughing, for the purpose of feed- 
ing his horses and cows. 
He fhould have no cows: The farmers in his 
neighbourhood cannot be better employed than in sell- 
ing him milk ; the price is commonly 1d. per quart. 
Now, by being rid of the expence of a dairy-maid, 
and winter feeding cows, it is worth a gentleman’s 
while to buy milk at 2d. or 3d. per quart ; butter he 
ean always command at the market price. 
Next, he fhould not improve his own farms, but 
let them to tenants on improving leases ; and lend 
the tenants money at a moderate interest, or increase 
of rent. For if he farms for the purpose of impro- 
ving the land himself, and he fhould chance to have 
many farms, he will be a farmer to all intents and 
purposes ; and exposed to all the impositions so well 
described by Amicus. 
As to horses, he will find himself nearer his put- 
pose to buy what is wanted for their food, than to 
raise food for them. The tenants or farmers profit, 
of whom he buys his hay and corn, will be lefs than 
what the gentleman would suffer by the infidelity and 
embezzlement ofhis servants, besides his having occa-~ 
sion for fewer horses and servants. __ 
| We now return to Amicus’s query, and fhall en- 
deavour to give a better answer to it. 
Is a gentleman then to live idle in the country? } 
answer, No. He may be usefully and agreeably em- 
ployed in the country, during the course of the long- 
est life; for it is not only a duty we owe to the state, 
not to waste our time in idlenefs; but he cannot be 
’ 
