2 the Principles- of Part X. 



than amongft the anrients; and I believe 

 Virgil and Columella may ftill be reckoned 

 the bell authors on that fubject. Does this 

 proceed from the earth lofmg, like a mo- 

 ther, her fertility, becaufe of her age ? as 

 Ibrae of the antients alledged : or does it 

 arife from an impoffibility of reducing the 

 culture of the ground to a regular art, as 

 the effects of that culture depend more on 

 chance than fettled principles ? Daily 

 experience mows, that none of thefe can 

 be the cafe:, for the earth, though ex- 

 haufted, attains again, under proper ma- 

 nagement, a great degree of fertility ; and 

 the regularity with which affairs are con- 

 ducted, fhows,, that it is in fome meafure- 

 akeady reduced to an art 



THE flow progrefs of hufbandry may 

 be accounted for from more obvious rea- 

 fons. This art is, in general^ carried on by 

 thofe whole minds have never been im- 

 proved by fcience, taught to make obfer- 

 vatious, or draw conclufions, in order to 



attain 



