8 



of the British Board of Agriculture, (&quot;an Institution,&quot; he remarks, &quot;of the utility 

 of which he entertained the most favourable idea from the first intimation of it; 

 and that the more he had seen and reflected on the plan since, the more convinced 

 he was of its importance, in a national point of view, not only to Great Britain, but 

 to all other countries,&quot;*) I was solicitous to record, as one means of protecting that 

 valuable establishment from the risk to which it may be exposed from the ignorance 

 or inattention of future ministers, who, incapable of estimating the merits of such 

 an Institution themselves, or conceiving the advantages that may be derived from 

 it, might heedlessly, either diminish the sphere of its utility, or terminate its 

 existence. 



The wishes which the founder of the American Republic has expressed for 

 having a similar establishment in America, I also judged it expedient to publish, in 

 the hope that the recommendation of so great a man will ultimately be adopted 

 as soon as the necessary arrangements for that purpose can be made by the 

 government of the United States. 



It may now be proper to give a brief account of the origin of the following 

 correspondence. 



About the year 1790, 1 began to be engaged in those extensive inquiries relating 

 to the general state of my native country, and the means of promoting its 

 improvement, which were not only interesting to Great Britain, but to every 

 civilized part of the world; and having resolved to send the first papers which were 



* See Letter No. III., 10th July, 1795. 



