( 77 ) 



to the farmer, and only tends to indulge a lit- 

 tle refentment, in order to hurt the incoming 

 tenants. 



The following quotation from MarfhalFs 

 Rural Economy, may tend to illuftrate the 

 preceding obfervations. 



P. 102. " Minute 58. January 29. In a 

 *' converfation to-day with two of the firft 

 u farmers in the county, a comparifon be- 

 " tween the prefent times, and thofe from 

 ' fifteen to twenty years ago, became the 

 " fubjedl. 



The price of barley was then, from five 



1 {hillings to feven {hillings a coomb ; of 



1 wheat, from ten {hillings to fourteen fliil- 



f lings; and beef three {hillings and fixpence 



1 a ftone. Now, barley is eight {hillings, 



" wheat twenty-two {hillings, and beef four 



<f {hillings, or four {hillings and fixpence: 



Yet, in thofe days> farmers had plenty of 



1 money, and actually increafed in riches ; 



1 whereas, now, they are moneylefs, and 



" are every year finking in poverty. 



" To explain this paradox feemed difficult ; 



p the price of day-labour is fomewhat de- 



" creafed ; fervants wages the fame now as 



1 then; houfe-keeping fomewhat more ex~ 



" penfive 



