f 369 ] 



dering either landlords or clergy. Which 

 of theie three ranks of people expend their 

 income moil: to the public good ? 



Thofe expences which are productive of 

 riches, are, of all others, the moil benefi- 

 cial : Such are the additions which people, 

 in any kind of trade or bufinefs, make to 

 that bulinefs -, or the expenditure of money 

 in improving eftates, &c. Now, upon an 

 average of farmers and landlords (for the 

 clergy, in this view, are out of the queftion,) 

 the former clafs undoubtedly expends a 

 much greater proportion of additional in- 

 come in the improvement of culture, the 

 increafing of cattle, &c. &c. than land- 

 lords in the improvement of eftates. And 

 this fuperiority is fo great, that it is 

 almoft beyond the power of calculation. 

 It would be very extraordinary if it was 

 otherwife. Landlords are engaged in no 

 bulinefs, or purfuit, which gives them an 

 idea of a profitable expenditure of their 

 money ; and this circumftance is the moft 

 unfortunate that can befal any fett of people. 

 The eftates of fome are fully improved ; 

 and many that pofTefs wafte lands, or foils 

 in indifferent order, from cuftom, inatten- 

 tion, and want of fpirit, never think of 

 employing any additions that may be made 

 to their income in fuch works. On the 

 contrary, farmers are conftantly engaged in 

 Vol. IV, B b a pro- 



