46 



would undoubtedly be greater than to the la- 

 bourer, in proportion to his greater consump- 

 tion ; but the advantage, after all, would be tri- 

 vial ; it would bear no proportion to the pres- 

 sure upon him : it would be totally insignificant, 

 if regarded as a means of enabling him to pay 

 his rent; nay, it would not probably suffice to 

 produce the means of discharging a poor-rate at 

 sixpence in the pound. 



To the land-owner, the relief thus tendered 

 would be obviously unavailing : nay, to refer 

 him whose income must, if the calculations 

 which have been offered be correct, be reduced 

 in many instances from 12,000/. to 8000Z. or 

 from 6000/. to 4000/. or from 3000/. to 200Q/. 

 for a remedy of all his ills, for the reparation of 

 his losses, and for satisfaction under his re- 

 verses, to an abatement of Is. 2d. in the price 

 of his bushel of malt, and to the proposed 

 abatements in the prices of the other less im- 

 portant articles of consumption, could not ope- 

 rate as a delusion, though it might be felt as 

 an insult. , 



These abatements in taxation, therefore, 

 though good in themselves, ought to be esti- 

 mated at their true value. They would be salu- 

 tary, they would be consolatory but they must 

 not be relied upon as remedial. They rather 



