508 On removing Obstacles to Improvement. 



which are occasioned by the defectiveness of the laws. In 

 England, property held in common cannot be divided, 

 without the unanimous consent of those having an ^interest 

 in it ; and even the Crown, corporate bodies, and the guar^ 

 dians of minors, cannot consent, unless authorised by a spe- 

 cial act of the legislature. Nothing can be more impolitic, 

 than retaining such impediments to improvement. Such 

 legal disabilities to enable private individuals to consent to 

 an inclosure, ought to be removed by a general law, and a 

 division ought to be authorised, if agreed to by a majority in 

 value of the parties interested, and authority given, to ap- 

 point commissioners for that purpose. Various attempts 

 have been made, to procure the sanction of Parliament to 

 such regulations, but hitherto unsuccessfully, owing to the 

 influence of those, who feel an interest in preserving the pre- 

 sent system, and its abuses. It is full time to give up legis- 

 lating in detail, and to act upon broad principles of general 

 polity ('*). 



SECT. II. On relieving Agriculture from Burdens peculiarly 

 affecting it. 



THIS is a subject that has been already discussed. (See 

 Chapter I. Sect. 9). The exaction of tithes in kind, and 

 heavy assessments for the maintenance of the poor, are felt 

 with peculiar severity by the farmers in England ; and if 

 continued on their present footing, must ultimately in a 

 great measure destroy the value of landed property in that 

 part of the kingdom, or at any rate will prevent its improve- 

 ment. The proper interests of the church cannot be affect- 

 ed, if a fair commutation be given for tithes, payable in corn) 

 instead of persevering in a system, accompanied with so 

 much private vexation and public injury. In regard to the 

 poor-rates, it is on all hands admitted, that some plan must 

 be devised, to alleviate that heavy and still increasing load, 

 which, in many cases, has already become more oppressive, 

 than all the other burdens upon land united. 



SECT. III. On promoting the Collection and Diffusion of 

 Useful Knowledge. 



IT is a saying sanctioned by the authority of Bacon, that 

 " knowledge is power " Of all the various sorts of power, 



