On the Means of Improving a Country. 503 



a number of labourers, but to purchase goods, from the Bri- 

 tish manufacturer, and the foreign merchant; the latter 

 finding thus a demand for foreign goods, is enabled, in re- 

 turn, to export British manufactures to foreign markets. 

 By means of an abundant circulation also, the revenue is 

 paid without difficulty, it is regularly remitted, and fur- 

 nishes the means of paying the dividends due to the stock- 

 holders; the credit of the country is thus maintained, and 

 every class in the community prospers. The whole, it is 

 evident, originates with the farmer, the first link in the great 

 chain of circulation, whose basis is the plough ( 7 ). 



The superior importance of agriculture, has been recently 

 proved, in a manner so convincing, and indeed unanswer- 

 able, that the question may now be considered as at rest. 

 It is well known, that all the resources of the country were 

 put to the test, by the strict manner in which the tax on in- 

 come was ultimately exacted ( 8 ). By analysing therefore, 

 the produce of that tax, under all its several branches, the 

 real foundations of our national wealth and prosperity may 

 be ascertained, with a degree of correctness, previously unat- 

 tainable. The result of the inquiry is as follows : 



1. Taxes on landed property, .4,257,24-7 



2. Ditto, on the farmers, or occupiers of land, 2,176,228 



Total agricultural classes, . 6,433,475 



3. Taxes on commercial property, .2,000,000 



4. Ditto on professions, 1,021,187 



3,021,187 



Difference in favour of the agricultural classes ( 9 ), ... .3,412,283 



Hence it appears, that during that eventful period, when the 

 ignorant and the prejudiced supposed, that we existed solely 

 by trade, and that we ought to be considered merely as a 

 nation of shopkeepers, it was the wealth arising from the 

 productions of the soil, that chiefly enabled us to go on ; it 

 was successful agriculture, that furnished us with the means 

 of carrying on the contest, and of bringing it to a trium- 

 phant conclusion. 



Nor is this subject to be dwelt on solely as a question of 

 finance. Let it be considered, that it is the land which fur- 

 nishes the raw materials of the greater part of our manu- 

 factures ; that the proprietors and occupiers of land, are the 

 best customers of our manufacturers and merchants ; and 

 that through them, the greater part of all other professions 

 gain their livelihood. The fundholders also must be aware, 



