179^' LITERARY INTELLIGENCER. 3IO 



controvertible. In the inland counties of England, 

 where the inducements to the culture of grain are fewer 

 than on the coall, few are the waftes comparatively, 

 ths-t have been converted into tillage ; and of courfe the 

 augmentation of tiie produce of human food has been 

 there, but very inconlidcri^ble ; but in the maritime 

 counties of Scotland and of England, the cafe is very 

 dift'erent. — %hcre you can fcarcely look around you, but 

 you fee large tracts of land, now bearing abundant crops 

 of corn and grafs, that, within the memory of man, 

 were dreary waftes, or extenlive tracts of barren heath. 

 The whole county of Norfolk, which was in fome re- 

 fpccls become a pattern in agriculture, owes its creation 

 if I may adopt a ftrong tenn, to this caufe. Had it 

 been beyond the reach of the bounty, it would proba- 

 bl}' have remained, till this day, a barren plain, cover- 

 ed with briars, fern, and other ulelefs plants, with fcarce 

 a blade of grafs interfperfed among them, and not a 

 ftalk of corn. — Who can behold the change without af- 

 tonifhment and admiration I 



Theie coniideiations, without entering upon others 

 in this place, that might be eafily adduced, feom to 

 fhew, that a bounty on the exportation of corn, under 

 proper regulations, may have a natural tendency to be- 

 nefit the country in a very efiential degree It by no 



means follows, however, that the diftribution of a boun- 

 ty cannot be managed in fuch a way, as to fruftrate, in 

 fome meafure, thefe beneficent purpofts, and to produce 

 certain inconveniencies of a very ferious nature, t!iat 

 ought to be guarded againft with care. The corn -laws 

 of Britain have, in fadl, been hitherto fo imperfecllj 

 formed, as to be productive of many evil conlequenees, 

 that ought in future to be guarded againft. 'T hele enls 

 were obferved, and carefully marked by Dr Smith, 

 which probably indnced him, too hazily, to adopt the 

 opinion, that to get rid of thefe, it would be expedient 



