6 Mr. Belsham, on Correction of Errors 
her? Has her connexion with France, 
@ nation hitherto fo fatal to her, produced 
an elettrive movement which leads her 
to objects of real utility? Piedmont 
poflefies many flocks both of the pure 
and improved native breeds. Count 
Granerie, aman of genius, and a found 
patriot, a warm protector of arts and of 
commerce, becoming a member of ad- 
miuniftration, on his return from his em- 
baffy to Spain, conceived the project of 
fecuring to Piedmont this fource of 
wealth; for which purpofe he obtained 
from the court of Madrid permitfion to 
take from that country one hundred and 
fitty of the beft Segovian breed, felected 
by the Prince of Mafferaw. The war, 
which prevailed at this period, did not 
permit the government to purfue the pro- 
grefs of this new ettablithment; and the 
fofs of the minifier would have been fol- 
lowed by the lofs of the fine-wooled race, 
but for the interference of the Academy 
of Agriculture, and {pinited individuals, 
who have thereby encreafed the prefent 
fiock to five thoufand; and unanimoufly 
affert that the fleece is not infericr in 
quality to that of the animals originally 
iaported ; that in no other refpeét has it 
degenerated; that the crofs with the Ro- 
man, Neapohtan and Paduan breeds, 
has been moft fatisfactory in its refults ; 
and that the flefh of the Mermos is in- 
finitely more delicate than that of the 
native fheep. 
“GREAT BRITAIN. 
* England, which has of late years fhone 
fo pre-eminent in her various improve- 
ments, mutt, neverthelefs, be charged 
with neglecting almof to the prefent mo- 
ment the improvement of fine wools, 
Thofe for combing, not lefs ufeful in cer- 
tain kinds of manufacture, have had the 
preference in that country, and the per- 
teverance of breeders has been rewarded 
by producing admirable wool of its kind. 
‘The prejudices of other countries have 
found their way hither; and it has been 
contiantly afierted that the finenefs of 
the fleece depended upon climate, foil, 
and patturage; confequently that im Eng- 
land, the quality of Spanith wool mutt 
degenerate. The merchants and manu- 
faciurers, mifled by the fame prejudices 
as the breeders, have embraced the fame 
opinion; but the firft were guided, in fume 
degree, by difierent motives: they feared 
that imterior fuccefs might diminifh the 
advantages which importation preduced 
to them. Little more than a dozen years 
azo the Iinehth nation did not know the 
Merino breed, in its living fiate; fince 
which, fome tew of that valuable race 
(Feb. 1; 
have been introduced. When the com- 
mercial fpirit and patriotifm which ani- ’ 
mate this nation are confidered, no doubt 
can exift but that the Merino theep will 
ipeedily be naturalized.in that ifland, and 
become a new fource of wealth to a 
people ever ready to avail themfelves of 
fources opened to their habitual induftry. 
‘Phe papers on tls fubjeét, publifhed by 
the Board of Agriculture, the efforts ef 
various Agricultural Societies, as well as 
of individuals, prove that a breed, fo in- 
tmmately connected with the profperity 
of their manufaétures, will meet with the 
reception due to its vaft utility. The 
late Duke of Bedford, a powerful patron 
of agriculture, Lord Somerville, the King’ 
of England, and fome other agriculturitts, 
have procured Merino fheep, from which 
the ttock is beginning to inereafe. It is 
gratitymg to fee the head of a govern- 
ment, as well as the men moft diftin- 
guifhed by their influence, their wealth, 
and their knowledge, encourage, by all 
the means in their power, the moft ufeful 
of the arts.” 
As I thall here, Sir, conclude my fketch 
of Montieur Lafteyrie’s publication, it 
remains for me only to point out (which 
I do with a blufh) that Great Britain is, 
not from any apparent national antipathy 
on his part, but dejervedly placed the laft . 
in his aceount. Great Britain, whote 
fuperfine manufactures are far more ex- 
tenlive than thofe of any ether nation, 
whole vital interefts are therefore mate- 
rially connetted with the internal produce 
of the article, which forms the fubjeét of 
this paper—Great Britain is full inadfive, 
when the difficulties of proeuring the ar- 
ticle muft, to all appearance, annually 
increafe, and the power to grow it at 
home, in full perfection, as well as with 
immenfe advantage, is become incontro- 
vertible.* Your's, &e. 
BrnsaMin THoMPson, 
Hill. Lodge, near Nottingham, 
January 4th, 1807. 
a ’ 
Yo the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, : 
Tilt Hittory of the County of Bed- 
ford, given by the Rev. Mr..Lyfens, 
in the Lt vol. recently publithed, of his 
Magna Britannia, a work of immenfe 
* Every Britifh patriot will readily acknow- 
ledge the obligations of the Country to Mr. 
Thompfon, for his well-timed publication on 
a fubjeét fo important to our Commercial and 
Agricultural interefts, but which at this mo- 
ment is rendered of fuch fingular coafequence 
by the reftri€tions recently adopted in Spain. 
exteng 
