[ 34 ] 



The next SYSTEM of Improvement to which T shall direct my 

 attention, is the Li MING SYSTEM, and in this investigation I 

 a?n naturally led to a 



SURVEY OF MENDIP HILLS. 



THIS chain of mountainous land extended, according to the 

 ancient boundary, from Cottles Oak, near the town of Froome, to 

 a place called the Black Rock, in the Bristol channel near Uphil, 

 being a distance of more than thirty miles. A great portion of 

 this land having been inclosed, divided and cultivated in the 

 course of the last forty years, and nearly an equal portion still 

 remaining in its open uncultivated state, I cannot forward the 

 views of the respectable Board, under whose auspices this report 

 will be brought forward to the public in a better way than by a 

 minute description of the origin, progress, and success of these 

 undertakings. 



And first let us begin with taking a view of the objections which 

 have been started to this species of improvement, and see if we 

 cannot prove them to be for the most part either false or frivilous. 

 ist. — Invasion of the rights and interest of the cottagers. 

 2d. — A supposed injury done to the breeding system. 

 3d. — -The expences attending the act of parliament with those 

 of commissioners, and other subordinate agents employed 

 in its execution.. 

 4th. — The expence of buildings, such as farm-houses, barns, 

 stables, stalls and pools, for the purpose of creating dis- 

 tinct farms, superadded to the expences of cultivation, 

 and fencing, altogether constituting an expenditure which 

 the improved value will not reimburse. 

 5th. — Injury done to the woollen manufacture by lessening the 



number of sheep, and deteriorating the quality of the 

 wool. 



6th. — A supposed diminution of the rent of the old farms, to 



which such commons are appurtenant. 

 The foremost of these objections carries with it the appearance 

 of a humane attention to the comfort of the poor, but a brief in- 

 vestigation will refute it. 



There are but two modes of inclosing commons. First. — By 

 unanimous consent of the parties claiming rights, who delegate 



power 



