84 THE RUHAL SOCIIA TES. 



complaifance fo far as to hear the opinion of the peafants 

 from their own mouths, and rcgularl}/ to confer with 

 them. '^ It can only be by thefe conferences (laid he) 

 ^' that you will ever' form jufl ideas of the flate of our 

 *' agriculture ; determine the precife pofition our cuU 

 ^' tivators have reached ; and afcertainthe caufes which 

 *' have prevented their farther progrefs. Thefe marks 

 ^^ of confideration for their flation and underftanding, 

 " will engage their attention, and excite a fpirit of aiSli- 

 ^* vity, to make refiedlions and obfervations on the vari- 

 *' ous parts of hufbandry. By placing a confidence in 

 ^' them^ you will gain theirs ; and they wijl fall infen- 

 ''^ fibly into your opinion, when once they are perfuaded 

 *' that it is net from author ity, but convi(rrion5 that 

 ^' you wifti them to purfue new tracks. — You fre- 

 *' quently reafcn upon what concerns our profeflion : 

 ^' will you permit rae^ gentlemen, to bring fbme of my 

 *' brethren to reafon in their turn before you upon fub- 

 *' je^ls with which they likewiie are acquainted. The 

 f farmer imagines thai he is better informed than your- 

 *^ felves,in matters v;hich concern him ; and you mufi: be 

 ''•' careful not to oppoie this opinion. You (liould rather 

 ^' flatter him ; and leave him to fuppofe that you have a 

 ^' high idea of his capacity, if you mean to excite his 

 *' emulation and incline him to feck inflrn<Slion." 



Perceiving us pleafed v/ith his difcourfe, he advifed 

 us to choofe fome fubje<^t proper for the invefligation of 

 peafants, and then to requcfl their thoughts upon it. — 

 He recommended, as a firil effay, the quellion con- 

 cerning dry fences for inclojures^ which he apprehends 

 to be carried to a hurtful excefs \n our cantons ; conceiv- 

 ing many of them not only ufeliefs, but injurious to the 

 fertility of land ; and that the dead fences with pali- 

 Tadcs rob the forefls of a great deal of wood, and the la- 

 borer of a great deal of time which might be more pro- 

 fitably employed. 



The Society could not but applaud this propofltion 

 of orv philofopherc — But fome amongfl Ihem had too 



inditfercnt 



