Chap. VIL ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 293 



fome lands that I have been fliown, wliich arc called cottagcr-laiids^ 

 but where there are now no coltcigcs. 



Thus, I think, 1 have made it appear, that the country of Eng- 

 land, as diilinguifhed from the towns, is not peopled as it ought to- 

 be, not fufficiently to keep up the number of inhabitants in the 

 towns, or to fupply the number of men neceflary for carrying on 

 our manufadures, trade, and navigation, for maintaining our fettle- 

 ments on account of trade in countries fo diftant, and carrying on 

 wars produced by that trade and thofe fettlements; — in fhort, a o-reat- 

 er demand for men than perhaps any nation ever needed; and, par- 

 ticularly, while 1 am writing this, there is fuch a demand for men 

 in Britain, as, 1 believe, never was before, but which is neceffary, 

 as we are carrying on a w^ar in Europe, Aha, Africa, and America,, 

 by fea and by land. 



If this be fo, I think our miniftry and leglflature iliould coir- 

 fider, whether it be not proper, that lome llatute fhould be en- 

 aded like that of the fourth year of the reign of Henry the 

 VI!. cap. 16. forb.dding any man to take a farm in the iiland of 

 Wight, and county of Southampton, or more than one farm, where- 

 of the rent altogether exceeds the fum of 10 merks yearly. The 

 act proceeds upon the narrative : ' That the ifle is lately decayed of 

 people, by reafon that many towns and villages have been beaten 

 down, and the fields ditched and made paftures for beafts and cat- 

 tle ; and alfo many dwelling places, farms, and farm-holds, have, 

 of late time, been ufed to be taken in one man's hold and hands, 

 that, of old time, were wont to be in many feveral perfons holds 

 and hands ; and many feveral honfe-holds kept in them, and 

 thereby much people multiplied, and the fame Ifle thereby well 

 inhabited ; the which now, by the occafion forefaid, is delolatc 

 and not inhabited, but occupied with beads and cattle ; fo that if 



* haftv 



