land, in such a state, that it will no longer bear exhaufting crops of grain, laid down for pasture, probably but of little more value to the individuals immediately interested, and to the community, than it was in its ftate of common.

An embankment of many thousand acres of falt marth, fronting the parish of Gedney, and its vicinity, is carrying into effect, which will be of infinite advantage to the proprietors, and the community. Mr Drake, member for Amerfham, is a principal promoter of this undertaking, by his judicious agent, Mr Kent of Ful ham.

It is a matter of great public concern, that in every scheme of drainage, the interior parts of the country fhould be brought into the measure on the outfet; for, by constructing works for drainage, nearest to the outfall, in the first instance, they are often found afterward to be incompetent to effect the general good: by reafon of which an after expence is incurred, of which more than a moiety might have been faved in the first inftance, as well as the general im provement of the country effected, instead of a partial one,

The drainage of the manors of East and West Deeping, with their extenfive commons, might, probably, be found, upon a proper furvey, to be affected in the direction of the new cut, by proper tunnels laid for that purpofe, under the river Welland, &c. But thofe manors are held by his Grace the Duke of Ancaster, under a leafe from the crown, which is nearly expired; and unlefs his Grace had a renewal of it, for a competent length of time, in which he might be at least repaid the expences of fuch an undertaking, it is improbable that he should promote it.

As we proceed northward, the marthes ftand very much in need of a better drainage, and for want of

which the most profitable use of the land in fummer is very much delayed, and in winter, almoft denied.The fewers and drains, which ought to be competent to conduct the water immediately from the high land to the outfall, at all times, as well as the outfalls themselves, are too much cramped or confined, and a falfe principle in drainage, by long custom, is established, viz. not to open or cut ftrait the fewers and drains nearest the high land, lest the water fhould come down too rapidly, and be forced over their banks, in its way to the outfall, where it cannot get away fast enough to promote the drowning of the intermediate lands.

The fea banks, according to the law of fewers, ought to be repaired and amended from time to time, by the occupiers of lands in the frontage towns; and whenever any banks are neceffarily to be erected, the whole diftrict is chargeable therewith; and it is cuftomary to charge the expences by an acre-tax, and not according to the yearly value of the lands, which is certainly, in many inftances, where the value of the lands vary, extremely oppreffive. But it fometimes happens, that well-timed applications of a small expence, in the due repairing of parts of the banks, might be the means of fupporting them for ages; but it is not always confidered the interest of the occupiers of frontage towns to repair the banks thereof, and they would rather, in fome inftances, when they become very bad by neglect, render new ones neceffary, to the expence of which they would only contribute a proportionate share with an extenfive district.

It is not a custom for gentlemen of extenfive landed property, who are most interested, (Sir Jof. Banks, and a few other gentlemen, excepted) to attend the meetings of com. millioners of fewers, and to take the

nec ef.

neceffary views in this part of the country; and, therefore, the bufinefs of importance, in which the prefer vation and even falvation of a rich and fertile country is involved, is too frequently carried into execution, upon the votes of thofe gentlemen, who are not well verfed either in the laws or customs which ought to be observed; nor poffeffed of that practical kuowledge, which a decifion upon objects of so much importance requires; for, however skilful the officers employed may be, it ought not only to be a fatisfaction to them, that their judges understand their demerits, but a great fhare of the refponfibility and ill opinion of the country, even in cafes of miscarriages that might occur, which no human forefight could prevent, would thereby be taken off their shoulders.

A work of confiderable importance, in the bank near Saltfleet, was lately blown up by a tide; which, in the first inftance, recently. coft the country from fifteen hundred to two thousand pounds fterling, and which is now to be replaced in a more skilful and fubftantial manner. More discernment in the commiffion. ers, or in their agents, might probably have prevented, or rendered this expence unneceffary.

It has, in fome inftances, been a practice, in erecting new banks, to retreat fome way from the fites of the former bank, as if fuch retreat was giving a degree of cafe to the preffure of the water. This measure ought not to be attempted, but in cafes of extreme neceffity. I fhould rather recommend the standing firm to the fites of the ancient banks, until the fea fhall fo far gain upon the fhore, that the whole works must neceffarily be abandoned, for new ones, in a more remote fituation. The fea certainly gains upon fome parts of this coaft, and retreats from other parts; and in the frontage of the parish of Summercotes and Marsh

Chape, fome thousands of acres of falt marshes may now be fafely embanked from the fea.

On Leafes. The gentlemen of landed property, who fhould make a refolution not to grant any part of his eftate upon a leafe, would commit as great an error, as he who grants the whole in that way. There are but few eftates, that are fo circumftanced, as not to admit of improvement ; few on which an occupier of abili. ties might not lay out a confiderable part of his property, for the fake of future advantages to his landlord, as well as himself. On this account it is reasonable, that he should be fecured in his expectations, as far as human forefight will allow; and this is most effectually done by a lease. Though a gentleman's word may be as binding to him as a bond, his fuc ceffor is not bound by it; therefore a farmer cannot be expected to lay out his money, which is often the dependence of a family of children, upon the uncertainty of an occupa tion from year to year. Such gentlemen as are determined not to grant leases at any rate, must be content towe let their eftates beneath their real value, and neglect many useful improvements, which would tend to their own, the tenant's, and the public advantage.

Many gentlemen of this temper, poffefs a pride in not raifing their rents, and esteem all others poor, who attempt to make a fair income of their poffeffions. The tenants upon fuch farms, are not found to be ricker than thofe on improved estates, for as they rent the land at half the real value, they are content to exert but half their induftry, and confequently jog on in an antedeluvian ftyle. There is no great danger of fuch eftates being reduced in value by felf-interested tenants, on which account leafes are unneceffary for the landlord's fake, while their farms are confidered as hereditary poffef

fions,

fions, lineally defcending from father to fon. The trouble or difficulty of agency, under fuch gentlemen, is comparatively small. A fuperannuated domeftic may do their bufinefs as well as any other perfon. An advance of rent would give a spur to industry, by roufing the whole body of farmers into action.

Where an estate is let according to its whole value, a leafe is as neceffary to fecure a landlord's intereft in the premises as a tenant's. Where a farmer occupies land from year to year, particularly arable lands, if he is felf-interested, indolent, or injudicious, a farm may almoft imperceptibly become impoverished before any alarm is taken. Indeed fuch farms generally fall into the proprietor's hands in the most wretched condition. I have frequently heard gentlemen of landed property complain, that they are confiderable lofers by farming; and it may reasonably be accounted for, fince the land ufually comes into their hands in a reduced state, and in that cafe, let who will be occupier, two or three years rent must be funk to reftore it. Rent is an annual fum paid by the tenant to the landlord, without diminishing the value of his property; and when the value of an estate is reduced, it cannot be called rent, but fo much de. ducted from the real worth of the poffeffion. Proprietors of land, do not all of them confider this matter in a true light, and when they can advance the annual income of their eftates, confider it as rent, while the property is fuffering in an equal proportion to the annual fum received during the demise.

In the course of my experience, I have had applications from people to take farms confifting of arable and pasture, who have fet out with a determination not to be bound by what I conceived to be the rules of good husbandry, but to do as they pleased with the premises during the intend

ed demife: I always refufed to treat upon fuch terms, well knowing the value of the land must be reduced. But when fuch matters have been reprefented to a principal, who was not a judge in these things, he confidered fuch denial as foregoing his intereft, by refufing what appeared to him to be a great rent.

There are particular fituations where long leafes are unneceffary and improper, especially when farms confift wholly of rich pasture land, which will admit of no improvement, or farms lying near to gentlemen's feats or parks, where a difagreeable neighbour, for a term of years, would be a great inconveni ence. Where gentlemen forego their own intereft, and that of the community, by not granting leafes, by which it may poffibly be imagined fuch tenants would become independent of their landlords, they are guilty of a grofs error, because when leafes are properly drawn, it must always be highly to a tenant's prejudice to offend his landlord. Fortuitous circumftances ever produce fome indulgence to be folicited from a landlord; even exacting rent on the day it becomes payable, would be an inconveniency, which many tenants could not bear. All farms fhould be let upon agreements, whether for one or twenty-one years, in a judicious manner, as near as poffible for the mutual advantage of landlord and tenant, always preferving the value of the land at least. Whatever agreements or leafes are not made with fuch views, or directed to fuch ends, it would be better that no fuch leafes or agreements fubfifted. Though the value of the land would be likely to be diminished, yet abuses would not be fo fpecioufly practifed, as when they are admitted by ftipulated terms, reciprocally established between the proprietor and his tenant.

I cannot take leave of this fubject, without recommending to all gentle

men

men of landed property, as well as perfons defirous of hiring farms, to be cautious that farmers do not take more land, than their circumstances will admit of stocking, improving, and managing, to the greatest advantage. Though the ill confequences

attending fuch practices both to landlord and tenant are flagrant, yet they are but too frequent; by which procedure, many very induftrious farmers have been ruined, and many ef tates undeservedly brought into difrepute.

THE

This, certainly, is in one fenfe literally true; and from this fource, combined with the imperfection of the criminal code, have arifen all thofe preffures, enormities, and frauds, which have been detailed in the courfe of this work.

Attached as the author is to the laws and government of his country, even to a degree of enthusiasm, he will not be too prone to feek for greater perfection in other nations, or to quote them as examples to be imitated in the metropolis of the British Empire, and ftill less if fuch examples fhonld tend, in the slightest degree, to abridge that freedom which is the birth-right of every British subject; but as all true liberty depends on thofe fences which are established in every country, for the protection of the perfons and property of the people, against every at tack whatsoever; and as prejudices ought to be banished from the mind in all difcuffions tending to promote the general weal, we ought not to be afhamed of borrowing good fyftems from other nations, wherever fuch can be adopted, confiftently with the

In France, under the old government, however much many parts of the fyftem of that country was justly reprobated by all who were acquainted with the bleflings of freedom, yet in the management and regulation of what was denominated the police, there exifted that kind of establishment, with regard to perfonal fecurity and protection against the depredations of the moft depraved part of the community, which Englishmen have certainly never enjoyed; and which inconveniences and preffures have been suffered from an idea (certainly a very erroneous one) ' that we must endure these public wrongs, and expofe our property and lives to the attack of murderers, robbers, and highwaymen, as the price of liberty.'

When preffures are felt, it is our duty to look at them with difpaffion, to face them with fortitude, and to difcufs them with intelligence-divefted of all thofe prejudices which are generated by habit and education.

By pursuing this mode of inveftigation, it will be difcovered, that in other governments there may be fome establishments worthy of imitation, and which, perhaps, might in part be adopted, not only perfectly confiftent with the freedom of the fubject, but with the advantage of extending to the mafs of the people who are not in a courfe of delinquen

cy,

cy, more real liberty than they at prefent enjoy.

At the commencement of the troubles in France, it is a curious fact, that the lieutenant-general of the national police, as well as that of the metropolis, had upon his regifters not less than twenty thousand names of fufpected and depraved characters, whofe pursuits were known to be of a criminal nature, and yet by making this branch of police the immediate object of the close and uniform attention of one branch of the executive government, crimes were much less frequent than in England, and the fecurity extended to the public, with regard to the protection of life and property against lawlefs depredation, was infinitely more. To elucidate this affertion, and to fhew to what a wonderful height the fyftem had advanced, the reader is referred to the following anecdotes, which were mentioned to the author by a foreign minister of great intelligence and information, who refided some years at the court of France.

A merchant of high refpectability in Bourdeaux had occafion to vifit the metropolis upon commercial bufinefs, carrying with him bills and money to a very large amount.

On his arrival at the gates of Paris, a genteel-looking man opened the door of his carriage, and addreffed him to this effect: "Sir, I have been waiting upon you for fome time; according to my notes you were to arrive at this hour; and your perfon, your carriage, and your portmanteau, exactly anfwering the defcription I hold in my hand, you will permit me to have the honour of conducting you to monfieur De Sartine."

The gentleman, aftonished and alarmed at this interruption, and ftill more fo at hearing the name of the lieutenant of police mentioned, demanded to know what manfieur De Sartine wanted with him; adding, at the fame time, that he never had

committed any offence against the laws, and that he could have no right to interrupt or detain him.

The meffenger declared himself perfectly ignorant of the caufe of the detention; ftating, at the fame time, that when he had conducted him to monfieur De Sartine, he should have executed his orders, which were merely ministerial.

After fome further explanations, the gentleman permitted the officer to conduct him to the hotel of the lieutenant of police.

• Monfienr De Sartine received

him with great politeness; and, after requesting him to be feated, to his great aftonishment he deferibed his portmanteau, and told him the exact fum in bills and fpecie which he had brought with him to Paris, and where he was to lodge, his usual time of going to bed, and a number of other circumftances, which the gentleman had conceived could only be known to himself.-Monfieur De Sartine having thus excited attention, put this extraordinary queftion to him. Sir, are you a man of courage?"..The gentleman ftill more aftonished at the fingularity of such an interrogatory, demanded the reafon why he put fuch a ftrange queftion, adding, at the fame time, that no man ever doubted his courage. Monfieur De Sartine replied, “Sir, you are to be robbed and murdered this night!-If you are a man of courage, you must go to your hotel, and retire to rest at your usual hour: but be careful that you do not fall asleep: neither will it be proper for you to look under the bed or into any of the clofets which are in your bedchamber, which he accurately def cribed-you must place your portmanteau in its ufual fituation, near your bed, and discover no fufpicion. Leave what remains to me. If, how ever, you do not feel your courage fufficient to bear you out, I will procure a perfon who fhall perfonate

you,