( 58 ) 



remarks of Mr Donaldfon; (vid. Letters, 

 p. 93.) which afford a juft, however melan* 

 choly picture of the prefent ftate of farming 

 in England. 



" To maintain luxury, and gratify avarice s 

 ; rents were advanced to a moft enormous 

 44 degree ; farmers, to keep pace with their 

 1 landlords, advanced the price of the land's 

 ** produce in an unreafonable proportion. 

 " In this unpropitious change of affairs, in- 

 ' duftry became the dupe of opulence ; for 

 " the few who ruled the markets were the 

 14 only gainers by the imposition. The nee- 

 ' dy farmer, who has no greater interefl than 

 u in doing juftice to his farm, is obliged to 

 ** lend his goods to market, as his family 

 44 muft be maintained from day to day ; his 

 44 peiiury cannot refift any prices that may be 

 w offered him; his corn muft be threfhed 

 out, when he has money to hire labourers 

 for that neceffary fervice ; and his land re- 

 mains untilled, until temporary afliftance 

 " can be purchafed, for which extravagant 

 " wages are exa<fled. Thus railing his crops 

 " at the greateft expence, and felling them at 

 ;< the loweft prices, he is unprepared to refift 



"an 



