52 AGRICULTURAL SURVEY OF chap. IT. 



How far this mode of settling the succession 

 of heritage is wi'se and proper, may deserve con- 

 sideration. To assume the power of determin- 

 ing just now, who shall possess the estate 500 

 years hence, when the present proprietor shall 

 have as little interest in it, as he had 500 years 

 ago, has at least the appearance of absurdity. 

 Perhaps ambition to perpetuate the existence of 

 a family called by his name, at least for many 

 generations to come, is the motive.- But is va- 

 nity a principle of conduct which a virtuous and 

 dignified mind would wish to adopt or to avow ? 

 Or, is it his object, in securing to his posterity 

 the unalienable possession of his lards, that they 

 may be enabled to support, with greater dignity 

 and splendor, the titled rank to which he has 

 raised them ? But is it certain that the possession 

 of the estate will prevent them from disgracing 

 the nobility fairly and perhaps hardly won by 

 the illustrious deeds of a worthy ancestor ? 



It merits consideration, also, whether entails 

 may not be unfriendly and injurious to the pro- 

 sperity of a great commercial and manufactur- 

 ing nation. The free circulation of land pro- 

 perty is a powerful spur to enterprise and exer- 

 tion ; as by that mean, the merchant or manu- 

 facturer has it in his power to retire, when he 

 thinks proper, from a hazardous employment, 

 and to convert the profits of his successful in- 

 dustry into a more stable and permanent inhe- 

 ritance. But were all the estates in the king- 

 dom guaranteed by entails to the present pro- 

 prietors and their posterity for ever, this would 

 be rendered impossible. 



