ON DRAFT CATTLE. 321 



But the ancients were of a different opinion, 

 and many of the mod illuftrious of them for ta- 

 lents, dignity, and virtue, held themfelves mod 

 fuitably employed, when engaged in agricul- 

 tural purfuits, Cicero fays, Agricultura proxi- 

 mo, ejl fapientice ; and Hume, one of the wifeft 

 and belt among the moderns, has delivered 

 himfelf to the fame effect. Hufbandry, there- 

 fore, is a mod fuitable, as well as mod delight- 

 ful employment, for gentlemen and philo- 

 fophers. 



It is neverthelefs notorious, that a great num- 

 ber of gentlemen farmers have, at different pe- 

 riods, totally failed in their expectations, and, 

 in confequence, quitted the purfuit : a refult 

 perfectly natural, if it prove, as I have no 

 doubt upon enquiry it will, that fuch men were 

 mere theorifts, and truiled, probably, a courfe 

 of experimental hufbandry to ignorant bailiffs, 

 or even to men interefled in defeating their 

 fuccefs. I have never yet heard of any one 

 able gentleman agriculturifl, who was not per- 

 fectly fatisfied, both with the pleafures and emo- 

 luments of his profeffion. In my ideas, the 

 philofophy of agricultural regulation lies in a 

 very fmall com pals ; namely, to leave it as na- 

 ture intended it, free.of all fhackles ; but I fear 

 few will agree to go the length of my conclusion 

 — I mean to include the labourer. If he can 



vol. i. y fave 



