PARTICULAR OBJECTS OF INQUIRY. 5 



my opinion, would constitute an improvement upon American 

 agriculture. This would be assuming too great a responsibility, 

 and would display a confidence in my own judgment with which 

 I would not willingly be chargeable. I design to give, as well 

 as I am able, a full account of subjects which come under my 

 immediate observation. I shall not hesitate to pronounce my 

 opinion whenever I deem it proper so to do, because intelligent 

 minds for whom I write will be no further influenced by it than 

 as it appears reasonable ; but I shall, in all cases, endeavor so 

 fully to state any matter in discussion, that they will have the 

 materials before them for making up their own judgment, and 

 with that I shall not any further willingly interfere. Even agri 

 culture, like every other subject not susceptible of mathematical 

 demonstration, is not without its disputed arid disputable points, 

 into which, of course, something of the heat of passion may at 

 times infuse itself. Political agriculture is full of such topics, 

 and will be cautiously avoided by me so far as in any way it 

 presents itself as matter of party contention. The different 

 breeds of live stock, neat cattle, and sheep, have each their parti 

 sans ; often influenced solely by their own honest preferences 

 and convictions, founded as they at least persuade themselves 

 upon experience and observation ; and in some cases, it will 

 not be denied, by private interests a stimulus which is too sel 

 dom absent from most of the disputes and contentions in life. 

 Now, if a man should pronounce a preference over all others 

 for the short-horns, he must expect to be tossed by the long- 

 horns ; if he sides with the Herefords, the Durhams will shake 

 their heads at him ; and if he advocates, above all others, the 

 claims of the polled Scotch, the Angus, or the Fife cattle, 

 the West Highlanders will be down upon him with a ven 

 geance. So it is with the South Downs and the Leicesters. 

 meek, quiet, placable animals themselves, who may be seen 

 feeding peaceably together out of the same manger, and lying 

 down without passion in the same pen ; but not so their owners 

 and breeders. A spirit of rivalry pervades every department of 

 life. Under due restraints and discipline, it is productive of the 

 most useful results ; but it too often blinds the judgment, and 

 becomes fierce and vindictive. We are not satisfied with the 

 undoubted good qualities of what belongs to ourselves ; but we 

 resolve upon exposing the defects and faults, whether real or 

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