,31)2 KURAL ECONOMY OF ENGLAND. 



rupled, and the proprietor's rent will rise in proportion. 

 The nominal rent of this immense property is 9000, 

 of which the poor-rate still takes nearly the half. For 

 several years to come, the greater part of the remainder 

 will be absorbed by assistance afforded to emigrants, the 

 erection of new farm-houses, cost of implements, new roads 

 and fences, and stocking with cattle. These expenses 

 will all tell by-and-by, and so will it be wherever the 

 proprietor can come forward with similar advances. 



Everything in Ireland is now approaching to a solu- 

 tion : the mysterious designs of Providence oftentimes 

 bring good out of the excess of evil. 



And now I bring to a close the task which I had 

 imposed upon myself namely, to give a summary 

 account of the rural economy of the three kingdoms. 

 What I have said regarding Ireland appears to me to be 

 not the least useful in an instructive point of view ; for 

 although it does not show us what good farming is, it 

 warns us of the troubles and dangers resulting from bad. 

 In no part of France do we find anything quite identical : 

 the state of warfare between two nations, which brought 

 on the misfortunes of Ireland, has no analogy with us. 

 Still we find, on several points of our territory, other 

 causes producing similar effects, though with less inten- 

 sity. We have all the evils resulting from absenteeism, 

 middlemen, excess of population, crushing debt upon the 

 land, misery of the farmer, and exhaustion of the soil. 

 We see to what these lead when pushed to extremes. Let 

 us learn, then, from this example, not to slumber with 

 such an abyss under our feet ; and let us take care, 

 especially, how we speculate upon low wages through a 

 superabundance of hands. There is no greater or more 



