48 CEASES. 



Sorry I am to perceive, that contrary ideas seem to be 

 gaining ground in this county ; tha^t some landlords will 

 give no leases, and others onty for 7 or 9 years. That 

 the agvicultine of the country will suffer in proportion as 

 these ideas prevail, I have not a doubt ; and it is a very 

 fortunate circumstance, that Mr. Coke, the possessor of 

 the largest estate in it, adiaercs steadily to those principles 

 which improved his noble property, never giving a 

 shorter term tlian 2 1 years. 



The views of landlords who a6t otherwise may easily 

 be conceived ; they have a quicker return of those oppor- 

 tunities for advancing their rents tlian occur with longer 

 terms ; and the late scarcities, among their other evils, 

 have added much to this. The tenants' profits (supposed 

 to be greater than in fa(5l they were), glittered in the 

 eyes of landlords, who were apt to think they had not a 

 fair proportion of the produ£^. But if such temporarv 

 flucSluations are to have weight in regulating the rent of 

 land, the medium short of a corn rent will be difficult to 

 find ; and no lease? at all are likely to be the consequence: 

 what such maxims would produce z« Norfolk, are easily 

 conceived. 



But in the main objedl of raising rents, confining my- 

 self to the county I treat of, 1 have great doubts whether 

 an estate, in 43 years, will not be let for much more 

 after two leases, than after six. Every sort of improve- 

 ment, and what is of as much consequence, the common 

 course of the husbandry, in points which no covenants 

 can touch, will tend to improve the land in one case ; 

 ■while, in the other, the tenant will look to the duration 

 of his term before he spends a shilling, or gives an order 

 for a cart or a plough to move. The silent operation of 

 such a constantly influencing motive, will gradually afFc6t 

 the farm in a manner that must be severely felt ; and is a 



perfect 



