380 Of the Checks to Population Bk. ii. 



For the state of population in Spain, I refer the 

 reader to the valuable and entertaining travels of 

 Mr. Townsend in that country, in which he will 



versally, les manages prematures, and les manages multiplies par la 

 crainte des loix militaires, are particularly noticed. 



Willi respect to the state of agriculture, out of 78 reports, 6 are 

 of opinion that it is improved ; 10, that it is deteriorated ; 70 de- 

 mand that it should be encouraged in general ; 32 complain de la 

 multiplicity des defrichemens; and 12 demand des encouragemens 

 pour les defrichemens. One of the reports mentions, la quant itepro- 

 digieuse de terres vagues mise en culture depuis quelque terns, et les 

 travaux multiplies, au deld, de ce que peuvent executer les bras em- 

 ployes en agriculture ; and others speak of les defrichemens multi- 

 plies qui ont eu lieu depuis plusieurs annecs, which appeared to be 

 successful at first ; but it was soon perceived that it would be more 

 profitable to cultivate less, and cultivate well. Many of the reports 

 notice the cheapness of corn, and the want of sufficient vent for 

 this commodity ; and in the discussion of the question respecting 

 the division of the biens communaux, it is observed, that, "le par- 

 " tage, en operant le defrichenient de ces biens, a sans doute pro- 

 " duit une augmentation reelle de denrees, mais d'un autre c6te, 

 " les vaines patures n'existent plus, et les bestiaux sout peut-etre 

 " diminues." On the whole therefore I should be inclined to infer 

 that, though the agriculture of the country does not appear to have 

 been conducted judiciously so as to obtain a large neat produce, 

 vet the gross produce had by no means been diminished during the 

 revolution ; and that the attempt to bring so much new land under 

 cultivation had contributed to make the scarcity of labourers still 

 more seusible. And if it be allowed that the food of the country 

 did not decrease during the revolution, the high price of labour, 

 which is very generally noticed, must have operated as a most 

 powerful encouragement to population among the labouring part 

 of the society. 



The land-tax. or contribution fonciere, is universally complained 

 of; indeed it appears to be extremely heavy, and to fall very un- 

 equally. It was intended to be only a fifth of the neat produce ; 

 but, from the unimproved state of agriculture in general, the mini- 



