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The great defect indeed here, as in other 

 national matters, is the want of honefty. 

 Public affairs become private jobs. Large 

 inclofures have been made merely to inrich 

 the undertakers by the profits of inclofmg; 

 or the plunder of underwood. It is faid, 

 that altho the flourifhing plantations made 

 by king William, are at this time, receiving 

 injury from growing too clofe j they are 

 rather fuffered to continue as they are, than 

 to run the hazard of being difhoneftly thinned. 

 For it has fometimes been found, that in thin- 

 ning trees, the beft, inftead of the worft, have 

 been removed: nor can any thing prevent 

 fuch mifchief, but the care, and honefty of 

 foreft-officers, and the perfons they employ. 



What a general rapacity reigns in forefts, 

 may be conceived from the devaftation, which 

 even inferior officers have been able to com- 

 mit. Not many years ago, two men, of 

 the name of Batten, father and fon, fuc- 

 ceeded each other, in the office of under- 

 keeper, in one of the foreft- walks. The 

 under-keeper is fuppofed to cut holm, and 



which, tho of much fmaller dimenfions than New-foreft, con- 

 tained fixty-two thoufand load. 



4 other 



