Having thus invalidated the Letter-Writer's reasons for rejecting Guadeloupe, our Author confiders the value of Canada, in comparison with our other acquifitions. If we compare the value of the returns of Canada, fays he, even while it flourished moft by its encroachments on us, with thofe of Guadeloupe we fhall find them in no degree of competition. The Furr trade is its whole trade to Europe: but Guadeloupe befides the great quantities of fugars, cotton, indigo, coffee, and ginger, which it fends to market, carries on a trade with the Caraccas, and other parts of the Spanish Main; the returns for which are almoft wholly in ready money. Without eftimating the land, the houfes, the works, and the goods in the ifland, the flaves, at the loweft valuation, are worth upward of one million two hundred and fifty thoufand pounds Sterling. It is a known fact, that they make more Sugar in Guadeloupe than in any of our islands, except Jamaica. This branch alone, befide the employment of fo much shipping, and so many feamen, will produce clear, three hundred thousand pounds per ann. to our Merchants. Having fufficient from our own iflands for our home confumption, the whole Sugar-produce of Guadeloupe will be exported, and confequently be fo much clear money to Great Britain: and the whole produce of Canada, though it were all exported from England, and exported compleatly manufactured, would not amount to the value of that fingle article unmanufactured; nor would it employ the twentieth part of the shipping and the feamen.

For these reasons, and others which feem extremely cogent, our Author is againft facrificing Guadeloupe to Canada. Nay, he goes fo far as to fay, that if we might have Canada without any facrifice at all, we ought not to defire it. For that, if the people of our Colonies find no check from Canada, they will extend themselves, almoft without bounds, into the inland parts, which may be productive of ill confequences.

With regard to Senegal and Goree, he concurs with the Letter-Writer in not making them the principal objects of our negociations at the Congrefs for a Peace because he thinks we ought to be as moderate in our terms, as is confiftent with a reasonable indemnification; and becaufe in the nature of things, it is impoffible for us to retain all. Upon the whole, he concludes, that if we gain Guadeloupe, we gain as great an acquifition as ever this nation gained by any Treaty, or any War, and that, if it is poffible to retain this, we need not ask for more.

The

The Remarker controverts many other particulars in the Letter, which our limits will not allow us to take notice of. But the epitome we have made, will be fufficient to give the Reader a general idea of this little piece, and excite his curiofity to peruse it entire.

R-d

ACCOUNT OF FOREIGN BOOK S.

Effai fur l'Adminiftration des Terres. 8vo. Paris. Heriffant, 1759. Or,

An Effay on the Management of Landed Eftates.

HOULD we judge of the merit of books, by the utility they are likely to be of to Society, there are few we should prefer to the tract before us. It is, indeed, a judicious and fenfible performance, founded on the trueft principles of civil polity, and calculated to ferve the most important purposes.

As the Populoufnefs of a State, fays our Author, contributes to its ftrength, fo doth the culture of its foil contribute to its population. In a country well-peopled alfo, the value of land increafes in proportion to its divifion, or the number of landholders and hufbandmen; as the quantity of provifions, their confumption, and exportation, unless prohibited, increases in the fame proportion with the number of those who are employed in the cultivation of the foil.

In proportion alfo, as money becomes plenty, the price of commodities is raifed, and the produce of land becomes more valuable. Hence the proprietors of land have a confiderable advantage over Annuitants and Stock-holders; the income of the latter being fubject to many accidents, and, at best, incapable of fuch augmentation as that of Landholders; whofe principle is more fecure, and whofe profit increases with the confumption and rife of provifions: a circumstance that impoverishes the poffeffors of Funds, whofe intereft remains the fame, however dear the neceffaries of life.

After thefe, and other general obfervations, our Author proceeds to examine the advantages of letting lands on lease: a cuftom that, however convenient it is to the proprietor, by afcertaining his income, he thinks ought not to obtain univerfally. There are fome eflates which, he thinks, it is the intereft of the Proprictor to leafe out, and others which

it were better he kept in his own hands; or, at least, had under fome direction. It were proper, for inftance, to leafe out lands that, though rich in themselves, require confiderable labour and time in their cultivation and improvement: always obferving, however, to let no more to one Tenant than he can fufficiently attend to, and occupy.

In Eftates too extenfive, a Farmer cannot drefs and improve the more diftant parts; it would cost him too much time and labour. He, therefore, generally turns them into pafturage, and can afford to hold fuch land only at the low price of poor ground, altho', with proper cultivation, it might produce as good crops as any on the Estate.

This Writer hence advises the Proprietor, to divide fuch extenfive farms into fmaller ones. At the fame time, however, he is not inattentive to the inconveniences of having them too fmall. A too great number of little farms, fays he, fhould be carefully avoided. The repairs they require, diminish confiderably the profits arifing from the rent; and befides, the poverty of the Tenants is an invincible obftacle to their improvement; as they can neither keep a fufficient stock of cattle, or be at the neceffary expence of manure and tillage. There is alfo little encouragement to induftry among people fo extremely poor. Our author is for confining farms to fuch an extent, as that each fhall be manageable with one plough. This method, however, is not very definite, unless the quan tity of pafturage be determined.

We shall pass over the particular rules and methods laid down to improve the different kinds of foil, mentioned by this Writer; as well as the application of them to different uses, i. e. the planting of trees, vines, &c. these being more particularly applicable to his own country. Both the Gentleman and Farmer, however, are interested in his general obfervations on Agriculture, and its improvements. The prefence of Landholders of large property, he thinks, indifpenfably neceffary to the well-being of their eftates: for which reafon they fhould refide chiefly on fome part of them. For fince Noblemen and Gentleman of confiderable fortunes have quitted their country-houfes, and flocked in fhoals to large cities, to indulge themfelves in luxury; their eftates, and the country in general, have degenerated.

It is impoffible, continues he, to drefs the foil without a number of people; and the domeftics of a la ge family, living on the eftate, befide adding immediately to the number of labourers, make work for the fubfiftence of many others: all which

now

now live huddled up in large cities, drawn together by the general concourfe of the great to those unhealthy and diffolute theatres of vice and diffipation.

The manufactories alfo, and the profits arifing from trade, attract too many of our husbandmen, who too often engage themselves, or bring up their children, in them; thinking it a much easier life to work under cover, than to bear the hardfhip of the feafons in the open air. Hence, fays our Author, la compagne eft devenue deferte. There is no doubt alfo, but in every country, as well as in France, where the fame causes operate they will produce proportionable effects.

The protection and encouragement, which it is the intereft of every Landholder of importance to give his Tenants, is ftrongly infifted on by this Writer.

To relieve the poorer fort in their real neceffities, as loffes, fickness; &c. to furnish them, by way of loan, with money or provifions, to enable them to go on with their labour; to infist on the repayment, on the first appearance of their ability; to facilitate as much as poffible the means of that ability; and to purchase their grain and commodities, at particular seasons, when they cannot find a market: these, says our author, are the means to animate them to labour, and to attach them as well to the intereft of their patron, as their own. With refpect to the flothful and idle, he advifes, and very juftly, that no affiftance whatever be afforded them; while, at the fame time, no means fhould be spared. to induce the induftrious labourer, or artifan, to fettle on the spot. Industry and emulation increase by the concourfe of different occupations; and there are a thousand ways of employing families to advantage.By their number, alfo, both provifions and their price are augmented, and the value of eftates fo cultivated, proportionably increased.

As to the farmer in particular, we are told, he ought to be encouraged to make new experiments, or to repeat fuch as have been elsewhere made with fuccefs; and, in cafe his firft effay does not fucceed, the landlord fhould indemnify him, enable him to repeat it at his own expence, or to try fome other method more promifing of fuccefs; by which means he will, in time, enable his tenants to bear difappointment, without giving up the hopes of fucceeding another time; and convince them that, fooner or later, the land will certainly provide well for thofe, who cultivate it affiduously. This method is, indeed, neceflary; for, fays our Author, the husbandman is generally timid; his capacity too limited

to

to judge of confequences he has not experienced; or to prevent his difcouragement when unfuccefsful. Inftructed by his father to go one way to work, he would as foon change his religion as take another. There have been two cows in his family, ever fince he could remember, and he does not fo much as dream of the poffibility of his having

four.

With a view to the encouragement of this clafs of people, as the immediate ftrength of the ftate, it is obferved, that it is among them only, that proper recruits are to be found for our armies, in time of war. Accuftomed, fays he, to work in the open fields, they are hardy, and will eafily fupport the fatigues of a campaign. Whereas, manufacturers,, mechanics and artifans, being used to a fedentary life, their conftitutions are lefs ftrong, and, unable to bear the inclemency of the seasons, the first march in a shower of rain, or in the heat of the fun, lays them up in the hospital.

Our Author feems to intereft himself in a particular manner, in the fupport and encouragement of this useful and laborious part of mankind. He would have fathers of families among them poffefs fmall portions of land, by a diffolution of thofe immenfe fortunes, which tend only to fupport a few individuals in extravagance, idlenefs, and infolence, at the expence of the labour and abject fervitude of thoufands.

We fhall clofe this article with an obfervation that he makes on this head, founded on true republican principles; and which may ferve, at the fame time, to give the reader fome idea of the Author's ftile and manner.

Les grandes fortunes, dit il, font dans un etat comme un gros chêne au milieu d'un taillis: il ôte la nourriture á tout ce qui reçoit fon ombre. Otez le gros arbre, tout le taillis croit enfemble. Retranchez de la focieté, avec du temps et de la patience, ces fortunes opulentes qui anèantiffent, par leur eclat, les maifons les plus anciennes, vous otez plus de la moitié de la mifere. L'egalité des habitans ne laifle point appercevoir á ce payfan la diftance immenfe, qu'il y a entre lui et ce riche: il n'envie que la fortune de fon voifin; il a les mêmes reflources pour y parvenir, cette efperance le foutient, il ne'ft point pauvre, parce qu'il ne voit pas de riches; il n'a pas les bras caffés par l'indolence de ce voifin puiffant: tout lui donne l' exemple du travail, 'il fait le fien fans murmurer.'

6

REV. Jan. 1760.

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