feel. f. THE COUNTY OF FIFE, j 



to breed their children to husbandry, by putting 

 them into the service of the farmers ; whilst the 

 desire of attaining the object in view, as speedi- 

 ly, and with as much advantage as possible, 

 will render such servants sober, industrious., and 

 attentive to their duty. 



Small farms thus passing into the hands of 

 those who have acquired skill and experience 

 on extensive farms under a proper system of 

 husbandry, will form excellent nurseries for 

 farm servants both to gentlemen and principal 

 farmer?. But should farms be generally of such 

 magnitude as to preclude every hope of this 

 kind, parents will seek .independence for their 

 children, by breeding them manufacturers, trades- 

 men, or mechanics. 



In short, either extreme would be attended 

 with bad consequences. On the one hand, to 

 mince down all the land in the kingdom into 

 small tenements, whilst this could neither en- 

 crease population nor add to the strength of the 

 state, would, most probably, check the progress 

 of improvement, and prevent its being ever 

 brought to any degree of perfection. On the 

 other hand, to throw the whole estates of the 

 kingdom into the hands of a few great farmers, 

 as it might be equally hurtful to the progress of 

 agriculture, would certainly be highly impolitic, 

 as it would weaken, in a considerable degree, 

 that support and security which the constitu- 

 tion of the country, as well as public order and 

 tranquillity, derive from the general diffusion of 

 property. That amorpatrlce^ that public spirit, 

 that strong sense of national honour, which, ia 

 former times, animated the breasts evsn of the 



