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the estimate would be a fraction less than twenty- 

 two shillings sterling the English acre. The other 

 kinds of arable land, of superior qualities, vary. The 

 great mass is of the second class, or worth about 

 thirty shillings ; but some is estimated at five thou- 

 sand florins the huff, or five pounds ten shillings ; but 

 little however is in this class, and that little is in the 

 vicinity of the cities on the banks of the great rivers, 

 or in some favoured spots in the southern provinces. 

 This estimate was rather founded on the state of 

 affairs three or four years ago, than on their present 

 condition ; for I was told that such a number of 

 estates had lately been offered for sale, that no price 

 could be obtained for the greater part. All the 

 inquiries I was enabled to make, in various parts of 

 the country, led me to the belief, that the estimation 

 here stated was, in the main, as correct as could be 

 expected to be framed. 



The Jews are almost exclusively the dealers in 

 money. They are precluded from becoming landed 

 proprietors, and their exclusion from the market 

 tends to depress the prices in a very great degree. 

 Though some of the richer individuals of that people 

 pass through the ceremony of baptism, especially 

 when they have mortgages on large estates, and mean 

 to foreclose ; the whole number of those who thus 

 become qualified to purchase, bears but a small pro- 

 portion to that of the properties that are offered for 

 sale. I was assured from so many, and such various 

 quarters, that I have no reason to doubt of the report, 

 that almost every estate is deeply involved in debt. 

 The fact is so notorious, that few proprietors feel any 

 delicacy in acknowledging themselves to be partakers 

 of the common lot of their neighbours. More than 

 one, without any reserve, spoke to me on the sum 

 annually required to pay interest on his mortgages, 

 with as much coolness as an English farmer would 

 speak of his rent, tithes, and taxes. 



