FRANCE. 145 



they were wanted -, fo that in every opera- 

 tion relative to national power, the point 

 of population was not to be confidered like 

 that of permanent national wealth, the ef- 

 feft of produds and induftry. Hence, there- 

 fore, is to be deduced the explanation of the 

 s&nigma which appears in the comparifon 

 between the power of France and England, 

 and nothing can be a greater leffon con- 

 cerning the importanceof agriculture, which 

 is thus able to give power to the weakeft 

 nations, compared with their neighbours* 

 and a fuperiority to thofe who have from 

 nature the ftrongeft reafons to expeft a pre- 

 vailing influence. 



Further/- upon the agriculture of France* 

 they informed me, that the lands not occu* 

 pied in the common rontine of corn and 

 fallow, were thofe which yielded the mod 

 confiderable profit to proprietors and the 

 flate ; fuch are vines, hemp, flax, luccrn, 

 turneps, olives, mulberries, chefnuts, mea- 

 dows, &c. &c. Many of thefe produce very 

 well, and are in a ftate of fuch improve- 

 ment, that, as far as mere hufbandry goes, 

 they cannot well be carried farther, though 

 wonders might be done even in thefe, by a 



VOL. IV. L new 



