x PREFACE. 



mining into their fituation and way of 

 livinp* — ihe information I procured in 

 this line, I apprehend to be of confe- 

 quence : in England we know pretty 

 well the ftate of the poor, but their cir- 

 cumftances in other countries ought to 

 be one of the firft objects of a travel- 

 ler's attention, iince fr m their eafe or 

 oppreffion, a multitude of conclufions 

 may be drawn relative to government, 

 wealth, and national profp.-rity. 



That the agriculture of both thefe 

 iflands is of the higheft importance, no 

 one will deny, and perhaps, when the 

 prefent ftate of Europe is well conflder- 

 ed, it will in a political light be deemed 

 more fo than ever it was at any former 

 period. It is true we are at prefent in 

 a war with France, but I muft own, the 

 period appears to me faft approaching, 

 when all the weftern part of Europe 

 will find an abfolute neceflity of unit- 

 ing in the cl *feft bands. If the fcene 

 which has annihilated Dantzick, was 

 now acting at Hamburgh and Amster- 

 dam, 



