376 SIR JOSEPH BANKS. 



" Far be it from me to press the subject. I shall always 

 consider literature as under great obligations to Mr. Pitt, 

 who scrupled not a moment to forbid the additional tax 

 intended by the compilers of the rate-book ; but sure he 

 might, by giving up a very small receipt, oblige a numerous 

 body whose claim of exemption has been acceded to by the 

 French nation, which circumstance, however, I only wish to 

 bring forward as my apology for the trouble I have given. 



" Should it be thought expedient to continue the tax upon 

 bound books, lest the bookbinders might suffer, a clause 

 allowing a quarter of a hundred instead of under ten pounds 

 for each man's private books would make strangers easy ; 

 and in that case, if the unbound were quite given up, with 

 only the proviso against books of which editions are extant, 

 printed in England, we should be secured from piracy, and 

 a small portion indeed of revenue sacrificed. 



" In France those who attempt to import a pirated edition 

 are very roughly handled by other laws. 

 " Believe me, clear Sir, 



" Most faithfully, 

 " Your obliged humble servant, 



"Jos. BANKS." 



" ME. PAEKINSON, "July 17th, 1809. 



" I am not certain that I well understand what Mr. 



by which he expects to 

 an increased tax on the lands I hold in my own hands ; he 

 dares not, I am confident, venture even to suppose that I 

 have let my land collusively, or received any fine or other 

 consideration in hand to lower the amount of the reserved 

 rent. 



" I let my land, as you know, at a rent which I think 

 and believe to be its real value, that is, I take to myself 

 such a share of the produce as ought in my opinion to be- 

 long to the landlord, leaving the tenant what in my opinion 

 he ought to have as his share, and I do not calculate this 

 idly or by guess. You have laid before me on divers occa- 

 sions what the produce of a farm will be, if well managed 

 in an average season, stating the gross amount of receipt 



