THE CULTURE OF THE GEAPE. 177 



especially a commodity so heavj', bulky, and difficult of 

 transport as wine. This, we conceive, quite accounts for 

 the numerous attempts that were formerly made to ob- 

 tain wine in the north of Europe, and for what is called 

 the success attending such endeavors. But, us communi- 

 cations between country and country became easy, such 

 a necessity ceased to exist ; people's taste, moreover, be- 

 came refined, and, by degrees, all such cultivation as that 

 of the vine, in English vineyards, was discontinued. If 

 this was not the reason of vineyards being abandoned, 

 we ai-e at a loss to know what it could have been. It 

 would hardly have been abandoned, if profitable ; and, 

 if it was unprofitable formerly, how much more so must 

 it be at the present day. 



" But it is alleged, that an ' improved climate, greater 

 skill in cultivation, and general advancement in science,' 

 would cause vines to be grown to higher perfection in 

 England now than formerly. May be ; not that we 

 know any thing of the alleged improvement in climate. 

 No one can have greater respect for the skill of English 

 gardeners than we have; we are perfectly ready to re- 

 cognize the claims of science, and the advantages that 

 have attended its application to rural economy ; but 

 there are things which neither horticultural skill nor sci- 

 ence can efiBct : and among them is included an exercise 

 of control over seasons. We cannot raise the tempera- 

 ture of our summer the minutest fraction of a degree; 

 we cannot increase the heating power of the solar rays ; 

 we cannot prolong their period of action ; in short, we 

 cannot give Kent the climate even of Normandy. And 



