244 THE BEE, OR Feb. i6'. 



to the Kditor of the Bee. 

 Sir, Hamilton, Jan. 7th 1791. 



As I fee it Is within the compafg of your defign, I 

 would recommend to the public by your means, a pub- 

 lication I have latel}^ read with a good deal of pleafure, 

 and I hope with feme profit too; and am perfuaded it is 

 worth the attention of landholders, farmers, and ma- 

 nufacturers ; but as it is not my cuftom to fay of any 

 human performance it is without a fault, I muft own 

 there are feveral pretty palpable miflakes fcattered up 

 and down through the whole, befides one entire hetero- 

 genious chapter. The performance I mean is intitul- 

 ed, Thoughts on various Objefts of Indullry, Si-c, by 

 John Nafmith, and forefaid chapter, the 5th of the 

 ift book, which, with your leave, I uiean to comment 

 upon with fuch freedom, as it fliall be alhamed to fhew 

 its face again in the 2d Edition ; but as the commen- 

 tary may perhaps be longer than the text, which is a 

 fault you know very common to commentators, I fhall 

 only give you the contents of the feveral papers, at pre- 

 fent, referving the filling of them up to fome future 

 occafion, when it may fuit the conveniency botli of you, 

 Sir, and your readers. 



Ch. I. A diflertation on hobbies — What a hobby is, 

 as diflin^uifhed from an ufeful beaft, or a beaft of bur- 

 den. — The benefit the revenue derives from hobbies, or 

 the keepers of hobbies. This is well known to all able 

 fmancers : therefore they will be very cautious how they 

 difcourage the breed of hobbies. Some men will as 

 foon'part . with their wives as their hobbies — How an 

 ufeful bead may be converted into a hobby, and- by 

 "whom — The bad efPefls of fuch a praCtice, as men are 

 as ready to differ about their hobbies as any thing, ef- 

 pecir.lly learned men ; an example of this in your 

 firfl number. The linen, woollen, and cotton manu- 

 faftures, all three very ufeful in-tliemfelves, and might 



