FRANCE. T 7 



pearance of being admirably cultivated, as 

 indeed it is ; for no other fyflem can ever 

 come in competition with it. The people 

 employed are very numerous, in proportion 

 to the quantity of land ; and, as they can. 

 find no other employment, the leaft benefit 

 they can do to the crop, upon their little 

 freehold, is fo much gain. The confequence 

 of this fyftem is, great population, excel- 

 lent hufbandry, and much mifery among 

 the lower clafTes ; for the necefiary confe- 

 quence of this great divifion of employ- 

 ment on thefe little eftates, is juft giving 

 the people an exiftence, and nothing more ; 

 fo that a bad feafon, lofles of any kind, or 

 any failure, reduces many to mifery and 

 begging. The convents fupportthem in fuch 

 cafes ; but very many find no refource but 

 leaving the country, enlifling in the troops* 

 or begging in the towns and highways. 

 The misfortune is, that, upon a return of 

 better feafon s, or better fortune, the people 

 do not return to their induftry ; for once 

 they have been fupported in idlenefs, by 

 charity, they will not return to work ; and 

 thus the whole nation fuffers amazingly. 

 This is as clearly the confequence, as any 

 VOL, IV. C thing 



