Arthur Young. 
21 
no more idea of practising agriculture and making it an object 
of conversation, except on the mere theory, than of any other 
object most remote from their habits and pursuits.” 
On his third journey, in 1789, he finds on June 10 “that 
everything conspires to render the present period in France 
critical ; the want of bread is terrible. Accounts arrive every 
moment from the provinces of riots and disturbances, and calling 
in the military to preserve the peace of the markets ; 2 ^d. a 
pound for white bread, and 2d. for the common sort eaten by 
the poor, are rates beyond their faculties, and occasion great 
misery.” After being present and consulted at a meeting of 
the Royal Society of Agriculture, he says, “ I am never present 
at any Societies of Agriculture, either in France or England, 
but I am much in doubt with myself whether they do most good 
or mischief.” He seems to think the perfect example of good 
husbandry in the culture of a large farm might be more useful, 
but then “ Query, whether many good cooks would not spoil a 
good dish.” 
He looks for a course of crops in France in vain ; “ They sow 
white corn twice, thrice, and even four times in succession.” 
At the Royal Society of Agriculture he votes with the 
rest for the electing of General Washington as honorary member, 
on Young’s assurance that the General was an excellent farmer. 
The next day he inspects the Society’s farm and their prepara- 
tions for turnips, and remarks, “ What a sad thing for philoso- 
phical husbandmen that God Almighty created such a thing as 
couch ! ” 
At Nangis (Seine-et-Marne), the magistrates — such is the 
insufficiency of food — have ordered that no person should be 
allowed to buy more than two bushels of wheat at a market, to 
prevent monopolising ; and he saw the wheat sold out under this 
regulation, with a party of dragoons drawn up before the market 
cross to prevent violence. 
In July 1789 he meets at an inn a seigneur, his wife and 
family, three servants and an infant, escaped from his chateau, 
half naked, at night ; the family valued and esteemed by their 
neighbours, and no oppression to provoke their enmity. His re- 
flection is that a real system of liberty might have been secured 
without the regeneration of fire and sword, plunder and bloodshed. 
He urged Mons. de Mirveau, the first chemist of France, 
to apply his science experimentally to agriculture. Mirveau 
chilled him by replying that he had no time for such inquiries. 
Thereupon Young laid down the maxim that in any branch of 
experimental philosophy reputation can only be sustained by 
experiment. To the truth of this maxim Rothamsted bears 
