APPENDIX. 231 



their having taken tenures of their lands at a rent proportion- 

 ed to high prices ; nor is this the only circumftance, labour 

 ought to fall with other commodities, but government having 

 four hundred thoufand men in pay, and confequently to be 

 recruited, bids high in the market againfl the farmer. Poor 

 rates alfo ought to fall, but there is fo much folly, knavery, 

 and infatuation, in every part of that abominable adminiftra- 

 tion, that I am not at all furprifed at feeing them rife, which 

 is the fact. Thefe three circumftances eafily account for the 

 diftrefs of the farmer. 



We may in future, I apprehend, expect to fee more accu- 

 rate ideas of what has been called dear and cheap rates of pro- 

 ducts, and never more to hear of great farms, engroffers of 

 farms, commanding and monopolizing markets, or enclofures 

 condemned for doing that which we now find them fo utterly 

 incapable of doing, that the farmers are ruined and in gaol 

 for want "of the power to effect matters, for which they were 

 before fo execrated. We at leaft gain fomething, if the 

 prefent experience gives the lie direct to all that folly, nonfenfe 

 and abfurdity, with which the public was fo repeatedly pefter- 

 ed. And there is the more reafon for this, becaufe if fuch a 

 peace fucceeds the prefent war, as leaves us a wealthy and 

 profperous people, prices will aifuredly rife, when that folly 

 might again be met with, if not at prefent difplayed in the 

 true colours. 



I know there are perfons, who attribute both the former 

 high, and the prefent low prices, to difference of crops, fpeak- 

 ing much of "plentiful and fcarce years ; I have been uniform- 

 ly of opinion, that the difference of product, upon an average 

 of all foils, to be extremely fmall, fo fmall as not to operate 

 upon price ; and even upon particular fpots the difference is 

 not nearly fo great, as to account for any confiderable rife or 

 fall. If this was a proper place I could offer many reafons 

 and facts for this opinion; but if we accept the idea, then 

 there is at once an end to great farms and. enclofures as the 

 caufe of the rife, which are the two circurnilunces the mod in- 

 lifted on. 



" I have lately received an account of a large common 

 field inLeicefterfhire, which ufed to produce annually 800 qrs, 

 of corn, be lides maintaining 200 cattle, but which now in 

 confequence of being inclofed and getting into few hands , produces 

 little or no corn ; and maintains no' more cattle than before, 

 though the rents are confiderably advanced." Dr. Price 1 ) 

 Supp. to Of>f. on Rev. Pay. p. 388. *' In Northamptonfhire 

 and Liecefterfhire, enclofing has greatly prevailed, and molt 

 of the new enclofed lordihips are turned into pafturage, in 

 confequence of which many lordlhips have not now 50 acres 

 ploughed yearly, in which 1 500, or at leail 1000 were plough- 

 ed 



