CONTENTS. 



cupatlons.— Much corruption of morals in England :— Without good morals, no 

 people can be numerous : — Proof of the degeneracy of Morals in Britain from our 

 colonies of convids at Botany Bay : — Our crimes proceed not from bad natural dif- 

 pofitions, but are the confequejice of our wealth : — Of the wealth of the people of 

 England. — No country, in the world, where there is more difeafe — Of the fatal ef- 

 fects of the confumption : — Little known to the antients. — Great mortality of our 

 children, particularly in London : — No fuch mortality in antient times, as we learn 

 from the writings of Mofes, Homer, and Pliny. — Of the occupations of men in En- 

 gland ; all arts praflifed there; — many of thefe very hurtful to health : — Inftanccs 

 of thefe in mining and fmelting, glafs making, gilding, and pin making.— Our great- 

 eft confumption of men, by manufactures and foreign trade. — Better to be employed 

 in agriculture, the moft healthy of all occupations. — Bad confequences at prefent 

 of the negledt of agriculture. — No argument to be drawn from the increafe ot great 

 towns.— VVifdom of Queen Elifabeth and her miniftcrs, who deliberated about ref- 

 training the growth of London. . p. 280. 



CHAP. VII. 



The inhabitants of the country confift of three orders of men ; — The nobility and 

 gentry ; the farmers and the cottagers.— Land formerly divided among a great 

 number of nobility and gentry, but now in the hands of a few great proprietors : — 

 In fome countries hardly an eftate of 500 /, per annum. — The farmers now as much 

 diminiflied in number, from the increafe of farms ; — of which there are forae in 

 England of 3000 /. rent. — The Author, from his frequent journies to London, on 

 horleback, qualified to judge of the number and fize of farms. — Inftance of a fingle 

 houfe in a parifh. — Of the number of cottagers in England ; — their great utility : 

 —They are the brted of fervants, labourers, mechanics, tradefmen, foldiers, and 

 failors : — Few cottages to be feen in England ; — and thefe confined to hamlets ; — 

 proof of cottages bemg once more frequent. — The numbers of England infuffi- 

 cient to the demand of trade, manufadtures, and war : — A ftatute of population, 

 like thai of Henry the Vll. neceflary. — Small farms conducive to population ; ex- 

 emplified in the original fize of the Roman iirms of two Jiigera. — The great quan- 

 tity of pafiure ground in E'igland which is ncceflTary for feeding cattle, to fupply the 

 immenfe conlumption of flclh, muft prevent the increafe of the Population of that 

 kingdom, even were farms le(is. — Another caufe, the quantity of ground employed 

 in raifing barley for diftillation ; — A third caufe, the keeping fo many horfcs for ru- 

 ral occupations, which might be better performed by oxen ; and alfo for luxury, 

 vanity, and indolence. — Thefe three caulcs tonfiJc.-cd. — A fourth, the great quan- 

 tity of wafte lauds and commons.—Conclufion, that the number of inhabitants muft 

 be diminifhing. ' p. 201 



CHAP. 



