VIU. PREFACE. 



glance into its nature, and enable us to see, that, while 

 some amusing fictions have been printed on the subject, 

 its history has yet to be wi'itten. Only from treatises 

 like the present can the materials of that history be 

 derived ; and, probably, many such are in existence, 

 kept with the old title-deeds, flung among the lumber, 

 or jealously hoarded up among the heir-looms of our old 

 families. Perhaps, however, the main value of this book 

 consists in its language, which abounds in curious words. 

 Some were evidently introduced only that they might be 

 explained. The father, who can quote Aristotle with 

 readiness, does not disdain to comment upon " the shep- 

 heard's phraise," that none of their uncouth expressions 

 might puzzle the young farmer, for whose guidance the 

 treatise was composed. He labours to include all that 

 may be useful, as if apprehensive such written instruc- 

 tion would soon be necessary ; in fact, three years after 

 the date of the treatise, death summoned him from his 

 estate. Whatever credit the agi-icultural maxims may 

 deserve, he is ftiirly entitled to, for the dii'ections to his 

 son are eminently local, and di-awn from the peculiar 

 circumstances of the estate ; and where he brings forward 

 conflicting opinions, he takes care to decide in favour of 

 that which his o^vn experience approved. 



Tt is not a little singular that the following notice 

 should appear in the "Alumni Etonenses": — "1540, 

 John Best, was a very skilful farmer." We would gladly 

 know whether there was any connection between the 

 two ; whether agriculture was a family taste ; whether 

 any written precepts descended thence to the author of 

 the Rural Economy ; or whether the coincidence be one 



