THE RURAL SOCRATES. ^23 



domain is very agreeable, being upon the fide of a hill 

 which has a gentle defcent to the Katzenbatch ; which 

 is a ftream formed by the overflowing of the Katzenfee 

 i(6r lake of cats.)*** But what gives the mod plea- 

 lure to Kliyogg is, that he difcovers from it his paternal 

 property, four leagues diftant ; v^here he goes from 

 time to time to direct what is neceffary to be done. — 

 The land of the farm is of a different quitlity from that 

 of his own property ; almoll all the fields of the farm 

 being of a heavy, clayey foil, or at leafh having a clayey 

 bottom ; though there are fome fpots which are dry and 

 gravelly, and others where clay and gravel are mixed. 

 Above his fields, he finds a fandy earth, mixed with 

 mica (or talk*) from which as we fhall fee hereafter, he 

 knows how to profit. The greater part of the mea- 

 dow land confifts of the bottom which lies along the fide 

 of the Katzenbatch, and is rendered marfhy by means of 

 the adjoining hills which command it on every fide ; 

 and even his fields have many fwampy places in them^ 

 owing to fprings which are very injurious to arable 

 lands, and which in the time of , his predecefFors had rea- 

 dered a part abfolutely wafte. 



Thus Kliyogg received a farm, which both required 

 and was capable of much improvement ; and this was 

 exactly what he wanted ; fincc it gave him the pleafing 

 profped: of exertions which would be followed by the 

 profperity of his increafing family. AfFured of fuccefs, 

 he gaily undertook every labor which thefe improve- 

 ments called for, without being in the leaf! difcouraged 

 by an apparent flerility. His penetrating eye had alrea- 

 dy detected the caufe of what had hitherto happened, in 

 the want of labor and contrivance ; and he was fo con- 

 fident of his fuccefs, that he wifhed to enter into an en- 

 gagement to increafe his tythe every year to a certain 

 amount, till he fhould double it. 



Different 



* The mica, talk, or jzlnglafa, found in fand, is a thin, giiftening fab- 

 Hance, frequently yellow ; which at firft fight, 3ppe9r? like fmall bits 0^ 

 ssutalllc leavesr E. 



