124 AGRICULTURAL SURVEY 



to him, the terms he expects for a renewal of his 

 leafe, that he may have time to look out for an- 

 other farm, in cafe he does not like the conditions 

 that are offered to him; hut, though the advance 

 of rent is often very great, I have never feen an 

 inftance of any tenant leaving him, unlefs grown 

 too far in years to be able to continue. The 

 flipulations and refervations in his leafes are 

 founded, too, upon principles of equity, and con- 

 fid in no unneceffary repetition, or unreafonable 

 exactions, being couched in plain terms, fuch as 

 ought to compofe a liberal contract between a 

 gentleman and an induftrious tenant ; which may 

 be worth imitation, in thofe who are fond of 

 crowding their leafes with overbearing compulia- 

 toiy claufes, tending more to create obedience and 

 fervility in their tenants, than to promote good 

 huibandry (c). There are fome few eflates, in this 

 county, of a very confiderable fize, where leafes are 

 entirely withheld; but it is evident, that thefe 

 eftates are obliged to be let for, at leafl, 20 per 

 cent, lefs than what they would be, if leafes were 

 granted (d). In many other counties the prejudice ( 

 is fo ftrorig, that an owner would almoft as foon 

 alienate the fee fimple of his eftate, as demife it 

 for a term of years. I will not be fo harm as to 

 fay, that this diflike to leafes arifes from obftinacy 

 or want of fenfe, but it is certainly an unfortunate 

 prejudice, which the proprietor takes up, and 

 tends greatly to injure the public. One of the 



arguments 



D 



