XCt. PI. THE COUNTY OF FIFE. IOJ 



and there are cases where it canriQt be regularly 

 let otherwise ; when lands, for instance, are 

 under the management of guardians, or a judi- 

 cial factor, &c. But, in general, though this 

 may be esteemed a fair method, it certainly is 

 not the best plan for either of the parties. 

 Some, from ignorance, or from necessity, or 

 from resentment, may be led to offer more than 

 the land is worth : and let the offerer be what 

 he will, if he can only find means to fulfil the 

 conditions of the roup, he cannot be rejected. 

 The landlord can have no power of selection ; 

 and the offer of a few pounds more rent may 

 bring a very bad tenant upon his estate. 



The practice most commonly followed, at 

 present, is to roup the farms behind the curtain, 

 by advertising for concealed proposals* Though 

 this plan may put it in the landlord's power to 

 please himself in regard to the tenant's character 

 and circumstances, yet it seems liable to many 

 objections, and has been foudly complained of. 

 The man of character, of substance, and ability, 

 offers such a rent as, in his judgment, will ena- 

 ble him to pay his master regularly, and, at the 

 same time, secure to himself a reasonable return 

 for the stock of money, industry, and skill, 

 which he is able to employ. But he is opposed 

 in the dark by a person of directly opposite cha- 

 racter and circumstances, a desperate bankrupt, 

 perhaps, or a speculative ad venturer, whose name 

 is intentionally concealed, whilst his offer is not 

 infrequently employed as a handle to draw a 

 higher offer from the other. Thus does the 

 proprietor leave the valuation of his lands to be 

 determined by a competition not of the fairest 



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