LIFE of Br BUTTON. 43 



The motives which determined him in the choice of the lat- 

 ter, cannot now be traced with certainty. He inherited from 

 his father a fmall property in Berwickshire, and this might fug- 

 geft to him the bufinefs of hufbandry. But we ought rather, I 

 think, to look for the motives that influenced him, in the fimpli- 

 city of his character, and the moderation of his views, than in 

 external circumftances. To one who, in the maturity of under- 

 Handing, has leifure to look round on the various employments 

 which exercife the fkill and induftry of man, if his mind is in- 

 dependent and unambitious, and if he has no facrifice to make to 

 vanity or avarice, the profeflion of a farmer may feem fairly en- 

 titled to a preference above all others. This was exactly the 

 cafe of Dr Hutton, and he appears to have been confirmed in 

 his choice by the acquaintance which he made about that time 

 with Sir John Hall of Dunglafs, a gentleman of the fame 

 county, a man of ingenuity and tafle for fcience, and alfo much 

 converfant with the management of country affairs. 



As he was never difpofed to do any thing by halves, he de- 

 termined to ftudy rural economy in the fchool which was then 

 reckoned the beft, and in the manner which is undoubtedly the. 

 mod effectual. He went into Norfolk, and fixed his refidence for 

 fome time in that country, living in the houfe of a farmer, who 

 ferved both for his landlord and his instructor. This he did in 

 1752 ; and many years afterwards I have often heard him men- 

 tion, with great refpect, the name of John Dybold, at whofe 

 houfe he had lived with much comfort, and whofe practical 

 leffons in hufbandry he highly valued. He appears, indeed, to 

 have enjoyed this Situation very much : the fimple and plain 

 character of the fociety with which he mingled, fuited well 

 with his own, and the peafants of Norfolk would find nothing 

 in the ftranger to fet them at a diftance from him, or to make 

 them treat him with referve. It was always true of Dr Hut- 

 ton, 



