506 On the Means of Improving a Country. 



whoever could make two ears of corn, or two blades of 

 grass, to grow upon a spot, where only one had grown be- 

 fore, would deserve better of mankind, and do more^essen- 

 tial service to his country, than the whole race of politicians 

 put together." 



This however, cannot be admitted, for there are no 

 means, by which such immense benefits can be conferred 

 upon agriculture, as by a judicious system of civil polity. 

 In fact, the prosperity of agriculture, depends upon the poli- 

 tician. The better and the more equitable the civil polity 

 of a country, the more perfect will its agriculture become. 

 Those politicians or statesmen therefore, who, by removing 

 every obstacle, and furnishing every proper encouragement 

 to agriculture, promote its advancement, have a higher claim 

 to the gratitude of mankind, than those who have merely 

 performed a secondary or practical part, which part, they 

 never could have performed at all, but under the protection 

 of wise laws, regularly administered, and executed with im- 

 partiality and vigour. 



This leads to the most important discussion, perhaps in 

 the whole range of political inquiry, and respecting which 

 the most ill-founded prejudices are unfortunately entertained, 

 namely, " What public attention and encouragement, for 

 the advancement of agriculture, ought a wise government 

 to bestow ?" 



Many able men, reasoning solely from the abuses to which 

 the system of encouragement is liable, have thence been in- 

 duced to condemn this policy, and to recommend, that of 

 giving to individuals, the entire freedom of exercising their 

 industry, in their own way, without any legislative interfe- 

 rence whatever. They dwell much, on the reply once made 

 by some of the principal merchants of France, to the cele- 

 brated Colbert, who having asked, What government could 

 do for them ? was answered, " Laissez nous faire," (Let us 

 alone). On the other hand, they totally reprobate the mer- 

 cantile system as they call it, (or a series of laws which have 

 been enacted in this country, for promoting the prosperity 

 of commerce), as in the highest degree impolitic ; though, 

 under that very system, the commerce of Great Britain has 

 risen to a height, altogether unexampled in history. But 

 as our legislature have wisely deemed it expedient, to pro- 

 tect both manufactures and commerce, which, under such a 

 system, have so eminently flourished, no good reason can 

 be assigned, why agriculture ought not, in the like manner, 

 to be encouraged in Great Britain, where it produces such 



