XVEST DEVONSIliRE. 109 



of there being no fixed time or place 

 OF HIRING them : a circumftance which, 

 I believe, prevails throughout the Wefl of ' 

 England. They are hired either for' the 

 year, the half year, or by the week ,• the 

 lafba veryunufual method of retaining houfe 

 or indoor farm fervants. When a fervant 

 is out of place, he makes enquiries among 

 his acquaintances, and goes round to the 

 farm houfes, to offer himfelf. 



In the Rural Economy of the Mid- 

 land Counties, I made fome obfer- 

 vations on this^fubje(fl (fee note, page 19, 

 Vol. II.) before I had any knov/ledge' of 

 the practice of this Diftrid. ¥/hat I have' 

 iince feen of it inclines me to decide in its 

 favor. It is certainly more convenient to 

 the farmer : and it is Icfs degrading to the 

 fervants, than the pradice of expofmg 

 themfelves, for hire, in a public market ; 

 "though it may not, perhaps, be fo fpeedy 

 ^nd certain a way of getting into place. 



The w A G E s o F s E R v A N T s, as thofe of la- 

 borers, are low, compared with thofe of moft 

 other Diftrifts. The yearly v/ages of men 



run 



