3o8 ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. Book VIL 



believe, a great part of the low lands of Scotland was cultivated in 

 antient times. 



The confequence of this eftate of mine being fo peopled, is that 

 there is no want of fervants in it, which are very much wanted in 

 other parts of the country ; for, as I have obferved, tenants and cot- 

 tagers are the breed of fervants. I am fo anxious about the popula- 

 tion of the country, that I have caufed number the inhabitants of 

 that part of my eftate, where the farms, I have mentioned, lie ; and 

 they amount to about 200 ; while the rent 1 draw is not ioo 1. If 

 every eftate in Britain was to be fo peopled, in proportion to its rent, 

 the number of inhabitants would be more than quadrupled. 



As I have mentioned the number of inhabitants on fome farms of 

 my eftate, I will alfo mention the number of them upon my own 

 farm, where the number has not been diminilhed during the laft 60 

 years ; (how much longer 1 do not know ; for neither my father nor 

 I ever turned out any cottagers ;) fo that, from the number of them 

 now upon my farm, the --reader may judge what the population of 

 the country was in antient times. 



The whole extent of my farm is about 300 acres ; of which only 

 200 acres are in my natural pofleflion, and cultivated by cottagers 

 living upon the farm, and by only one unmarried fervant, whom I 

 keep in the houfe, with a boy who herds the cattle ; all the reft of 

 the farm is poflefled by cottagers and fmall tenants. Of thefe, fome. 

 poflefs a fmall. village, to moft of whom I give land, which I cul- 

 tivate for them ; and they pradice different trades, by which, and 

 by tlie land, they live very comfortably. Upon the whole farm, 

 there are, including the numbers in the village I have mention- 

 ed, 27 cottagers and fmall tenants poffefling a fevr acres. I think, 

 therefore, that my farm is very well peopled, very much better than 



moft 



