Tenure, whether in Property or on Lease. 51 



on the proprietor, which divert his attention from these sub- 

 jects, the appointment of an agent, equally qualified and in- 

 clined to superintend them, is an indispensable obligation 

 which he owes to himself, and a debt due to the public. 



2. Farmers occupying Land. 



In former times, the connexion between a landlord and 

 his tenants, was of a military character. The proprietor 

 of an estate was himself a warrior ; and those who possess- 

 ed land under him, were his soldiers, who were bound to 

 military service, and who paid him hardly any rent in money, 

 but only some personal services, and a moderate quantity of 

 some articles in kind, for the maintenance of his family. 



When the feudal system was abolished, the landlord, at 

 first, still considered himself as the patron of those who 

 were placed under him. The rents continued low ; the oc- 

 cupiers of the estate tacitly claimed, from generation to ge- 

 neration, under the name of " Kindly Tenants," a sort of 

 patrimonial interest in their respective possessions ( l75 ) ; and 

 as they paid very inadequate rents, and had no permanent 

 security in their possessions, nothing could exceed their in- 

 dolence, their ignorance, and of course the poverty of their 

 condition ( l75 ). 



The connexion between the two classes, is now of a de- 

 scription totally different. The landlord considers himself 

 as the owner of an estate, of which he must make the most 

 that he can, for the benefit of himself and family. He lets it 

 for a certain number of years, to persons possessed of skill, 

 integrity, industry and capital, under the obligation of pay- 

 ing him annually, a specific share of the produce, converted 

 into money, besides being bound, if not to improve the 

 value of the property, at least to preserve it undeteriorated 

 during the currency of the lease. The contract becomes of 

 course more of a mercenary nature, without, however, total- 

 ly destroying ties of a more pleasing nature ; for the land- 

 lord, on the one hand, must feel himself deeply interested 

 in the success of his tenant, on which his own income and 

 prosperity materially depend ; while the tenant, on the other, 

 looks up to his landlord, as a friend, whose interests are 

 necessarily interwoven with his own, and who will naturally 

 be inclined, to give an industrious and improving tenant a 

 preference, when the farm is to be relet. 



Under this system, it is essential both for the landlord 

 and tenant, that the connexion between them should be es- 

 tablished on just and liberal principles, so as to induce men 



D2 



