THE LOWLANDS. 315 



while only the other half is composed of labourers and 

 servants. Even in the second half, servants, paid by the 

 year, and living in the house of the master'"" by whom 

 they are employed, form by far the greater number. 

 The day-labourers, properly so called, make rather the 

 exception than the rule. 



It appears to me that this system is preferable to that 

 in England, where the number who live solely upon day- 

 wages is still too numerous ; and for us in France, it is 

 easier to imitate the Scotch than the English system. 

 We have, besides, an element which is wanting in Scot- 

 land, and which I maintain is useful to a certain extent- 

 small property. With this, provided it be not pushed too 

 far, and that the farming be healthy in other respects, a 

 better combination still may be attained. 



For the moment, it is the Scotch system which is, in 

 my opinion, the better of the two, and that notwithstand- 

 ing the want to which I have just alluded. But if they 

 have not there the good element of small property, neither 

 have they the bad. The Scotch farmers, with more in- 

 telligence than any other of the same class, are careful to 

 undertake only what they are in a condition to do well. 

 In that country not only are they not ambitious to become 

 proprietors, when they have only capital sufficient to be 

 farmers, but they take care not to rent a hundred acres 

 when they have capital only sufficient to work fifty. They 

 have the sense to live rather below than above their in- 

 come; and such as with us would pretend to be gentle- 

 men, do not mind putting their hand to the plough. 

 They prefer in everything realities to appearances. That 

 unfortunate false pride which finds so many victims in 

 France, has disappeared before the natural good sense of 

 the Scotch. A trip to Scotland would be no less useful 



* Or rather supported from the produce of the farm in separate houses. J. D. 



