172 



nufacture for itself: and this i)rincii)le, like many others, 

 we transfer to America, without rah'uhiting the ditfer- 

 ence of circun)<tance which .-^hoiihl ufieii piodtice a dif- 

 ference of resnh. \n Murcjpe the lands^ are either cul- 

 tivated, or h)cked up against the cuhivator. IMannl'ac- 

 ture must tlierefoie be resorted to of nec(^ssity not of 

 choice, to support the sur|»hjs of tlieir people. Hut we 

 liave an immensity of land courting the industry of the 

 Iiushanduian. Is it best then that all our citizens 

 should be employed in its improvement, or that one 

 half should be calle(J off from that to exercise manufac- 

 tures and handicraft arts for the other? Those who 

 labour in the earth are the chosen people of God, if 

 ever he had a chosen people, Nvhose breasts he has 

 made his j)eculiar deposite for substantial and genuine 

 virtue. It is the focus in which he keeps alive that 

 sacred fire, whicli otherw^ise might escape ironr the 

 face of the earth. Corrujition oftnorals in the mass of 

 cultivators is a pha^nomenon ol" which no age nor na- 

 tion has furnished an example. Jt is the mark set on 

 those, who not looking U[) to heaven, to their ovvti soil 

 and industry, as does the husbandman, for their sub- 

 sistence, depend for it on casualties and caprice of cus- 

 tomers. Dejjendence begets subservience and venaliiy, 

 suffocates the germ of virtue, and prepares fit tools I'or 

 the designs of ambition. This, the natural progress 

 and consequence of the arts, has sometimes perhaps 

 been retarded by accidental circumstances : but, gene- 

 rally speaking, the |)roportion which the aggregate of 

 the other classes of citizens bears in anv state to that of 

 its husbandmen, is tlie [)roportion of its unsound to its 

 healthy jnu'ts, and is a good enougli barometer where- 

 by to measm-e its degree of corruption. While we 

 have land to labour then, let us never wish to see our 

 citizens occujjied at a work-benclj, or twirling a distaff. 

 Carpenters, masons, smiths, are wanting in hiisbandr}' : 

 but, for the general operations of manutactiire, let our 

 workshops remain in I^urcjpe. It is better to carry 

 provisions and materials to workmen there, than bring 

 thein to the provisions and materials, and with them 



