BILLINGTON ON PLANTING. 



183 



to introduce intelligent cultivators, possessing the 

 knowledge of more favoured nations, may be ne- 

 cessary to teach and stimulate the ignorant Copt to 

 raise a new production : And here, where discovery 

 in every branch of knowledge almost exceeds the 

 progressive — here, where so many public and govern- 

 ment fixtures stand out, as if left on purpose to 

 indicate the recent march of mind, contrasting so 

 strongly with private and individual attainment in 

 science and art, — with every thing the reverse of what 

 affects the Egyptian's conduct ; or, at least, with no 

 excuse beyond affording a cover for a wasteful expen- 

 diture of the pubhc money ; — will our Government 

 continue the system, heedless of reason or ridicule ? 

 or will they not at once end these practices, and im- 

 mediately commence sales of every acre of ground to 

 which the Crown has claim, excepting what is neces- 

 sary for the use of royalty, abolishing Woods and 

 Forest Generals, Rangers — every one who has taken 

 rank under Jacques' Greek, or the devil's own invo- 

 cation, and pay off a part of the debt which is crush- 

 ing the energies of the first of nations ? 



Yet it is not of individuals that we complain ; 

 perhaps nobody could have had a stronger desire to 

 do his duty, than the late Surveyor-General. It is 

 the system that is naught ; where, to the lowest la- 



