172 
THE RAT. 
made tbeir escape, that would make the number 1,500, which, 
at the wine-glass standard, would destroy three quarters of 
grain every eight days ; that is sixty-eight quarters three 
bushels and a half in six months. ISiow these were killed 
when corn was, and had been, fetching from seventy-five to 
eighty-five shillings per quarter ; we will divide the dif- 
ference, and set it down at eighty shillings per quarter. 
Now what did it cost the farmer to keep his rats for six 
months, at this calculation ? No less a sum than £273 7^. 
"Yes," it maybe said, "but corn does not always fetch eighty 
shillings per quarter." Agreed ; and now, to meet this point 
fairly, I will reduce the price to one-half, say forty shillings 
per quarter, instead of eighty, and then what would it cost to 
keep these rats for six months? — why, £136 175. 6d. 
Now let me put it in another shape, and suppose that in 
the broad day the Government of the country called upon 
the same man to give away this amount of corn in the shape 
of bread to the poor of his district, that would be a two- 
pound loaf each every day for six months to ninety-six poor 
people, or forty-eight poor people the year round. Do you 
think he would do it ? or would he rather reach down his 
<sword and blunderbuss and strike for a revolution 1 Yet, at 
the same time, he loses the same amount of corn in the dark 
by rats, and says little or nothing about it. But let me put 
his losses in the third shape ; that is, if ten rats will eat and 
waste as much as an ordinary man can eat, then he was 
keeping equal to 150 men for six months in the year, or 
seventy-five individuals the year round, in laziness. 
I will now put your losses into something like shape. 
According to the same calculations, the farmer who 
estimates his rats at only 250, loses only eleven quarters 
three bushels and a peck in the half-year, which, at forty 
shillings per quarter, amounts only to £22 I6s. 3d., which, 
to say nothing of the odd peck and bushels, is equal to giving 
sixteen men a two-pound loaf each per day for six months, 
or eight men a loaf each per day the year round. But if Ave 
allow ten rats to eat as much as an ordinary man, why then 
he is keeping equal to twenty-five men for six months out ot 
the twelve, or twelve men and a boy in laziness the year 
round. The farmer who estimates his rats at 500, loses just 
double the amount, namely, £45 125. 6d., which is equal to 
