it was impossible even to conjecture the cause of so sudden a change in the sentiments of Ministers, on so plain a subject. Upon the spot, however, as I afterwards found, there were only two opinions respecting it; and these two led to the same point: namely, that it turned on what, in the familiar language of politicians is termed a job; and the only doubt that remained appeared to be, whether the measure (weighty as it might be) was adopted to avoid the importunities, and quiet the still more ambitious cravings of the President, or to embrace a fair opportunity of rewarding a recent change of political sentiments, in the Secretary.

Thus fled my hope of credit (which I really expected) and all chance of profit (which I had not entertained) from my proposed Board of Agriculture. But as it did not appear, in any direct way, to interfere with my other plans, but might in one way or other assist in promoting them, its appointment gave me not much concern :-until I found, by a note from the President, in September following, that he had adopted my plan of provincial surveys: and, with a firmness of nerve which few men are endowed with, inclosed a list of surveyors,-myself among the rest! urging me to take a share in his attempt to supersede a work, in the prosecution of which the most valuable part of my life had been expended!!

My indignation having abated, I returned the following answer:-Mr. Marshall's compliments, &c. &c. "It gave him great satisfaction to hear of the establishment of a Board of Agriculture: an institution which Mr. M. has long been anxious for; as it will give a degree of sanction to rural pursuits, which hitherto they have not had; and may prove useful to the general work which he has now been so long and laboriously executing. It will of course give him great pleasure to aid the laudable exertions of the Board, in any way that will not clash with his own undertaking. But to render this incomplete, by tearing from it any part of his General Survey of the Rural Affairs of these Kingdoms, would he thinks be alto

gether improper. If, as he intimated in London, his general knowledge of the practices of the island (Wales excepted) can be rendered beneficial in revising the collections of the raw observers whom the Board must necessarily employ, he shall be happy in lending his assistance.* Taymouth, 11 Sept. 1793."

On more maturely considering this evidently insidious at tempt, it occurred to me that the proposed plan of the Board might become subservient to my own design; by affording me valuable assistance in carrying it into effect. Hence, on further importunity (and a highflying lure thrown out!) I complied with the request to furnish an account of the mountain district, in which I then was residing.+ Several of the proposed surveyors were respectable; and I now began to consider them, not as rivals, nor even as fellow laborers, but as a numerous band of assistants, which unforseen circumstances had thus fortunately thrown in my way; to aid me in the more perfect cultivation of my own field! and I am now about to reap the fruits of their labor-not for myself; but for my country.

Before I quitted the CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, I made excursions into the more recluse and sequestered parts of them (having previously examined the more fruitful and habitable districts, in going over the widely extended estates of the EARL of BRAEDALBANE, in that strongly featured and interesting part of the island); in order to be the better enabled to draw up the promised REPORT; which, in February 1794, I had the honor of presenting to the Board; of which I was soon afterward chosen HONORARY MEMBER; and, during a short stay in London, attended its meetings; as well as the more private consultations of the President.

In

*The above noticed intimation related, not to agricultural, bút tó statistical, surveys; which alone were held out, in London.

And this notwithstanding a man (who ought to have judged better) travelled far out of his way, to persuade me to the contrary; and to prevail on me to join him in opposing the Board,

In August following, I was first apprized, by a letter from the President, himself! that, during my absence from town, he had declared war against another and more important part of my avowed design. It was not enough to try to overrun, with his levy en masse, my PROVINCIAL REGISTERS; but he must attempt, with another posse comitatus, to overthrow my GENERAL WORK; which, for twenty years preceding, I had not only been progressively laboring to accomplish; but which I had been undisguisedly, and unsuspectingly promulgating; so that it was impossible for the President of the Board of Agriculture to be ignorant of my intentions.*

Nevertheless, in that happy unembarrased manner which exclusively belongs to the first President of the Board of Agriculture, he sent me his chaotic syllabus; requiring to know how many of its chapters I could conveniently undertake !

I remonstrated with him on the folly of attempting any thing in the shape of a general work, while the Board remained destitute of materials, of its own, for such an undertaking; many, or most, of the Reports being extremely deficient; and to compile from books would ill become the Board.

But no matter. The order was issued :-" make books: good ones if you can: if not, make books." And, in truth, this order was operated upon, until the rooms of the Board had more the appearance of booksellers warehouses, than the offices of a public Board; which might then have been well entitled the Board of Bookmaking, rather than of Agriculture. t

The two chapters, which I was perseveringly urged to undertake, were those of the dairy and of semination,—or a comparative view of the drill and the broadcast modes of husbandry. My reply was "I am still clearly of opinion that a general work, at present, must fall very short of being worthy of the Board. To instance the articles you have been pleased to allot

* And see page xxiii.

me :--

†The books of the Board were poured in so fast upon a certain personage, that he was heard to exclaim-" I shall be beggared in the binding of them."

me-in the reports of the two first dairy counties, Glocestershire, and Northwiltshire, the reporters are in a manner silent on the subject; alledging that it has been already fully treated of by myself; and the only thing I can do or say, with propriety, in a general Report, will be to refer to my own books. Again, with respect to drilling, the provincial Reports afford little information which has not been foisted into them by drill-makers, &c. &c. &c. Nevertheless, if you think it right to bold out a general Report, and will favour me with some guide, as to quantity and quality, I will endeavor to say something to the purpose on the subjects you have assigned

me."

In consequence of this reluctant compliance, I set about composing a general article on the subject of the dairy :-not that I saw much probability of its ever appearing as a part of the projected scheme of the President of the Board; but because, should that prove abortive, my time would not be thrown away; as it might, eventually, form a section of my own general work:-otherwise, I should have been highly culpable (as an accepted laborer in the service of the public) to have spent, even a few months, on so ill-judged and unpromising an undertaking.

During the whole of 1795,-for it was little more than one long session of the Board,-I was pretty constant in my attendance;-not only at the public; but in the more select meetings: offering my advice, and answering enquiries, without reserve; and, I must add, receiving great civility and politeness from the President: for reasons, however, which were too obvious not to be perceived. But I was willing, while I saw any hope of the Board's becoming permanently useful, to give it every assistance in my power.

At length, however, seeing, in the wildness and instability of the plans of the President, and the undisguised opposition that was constantly given to the proceedings of the Boardwhether wrong or right-by the very power which gave it

birth

birth!-that there was no hope left of its being under such circumstances advantageous to the public, my attention, to it, became relaxed, and reverted to its wonted channel; from which, it had been unfortunately led astray.

Nevertherless, I still continued to attend, occasionally, the meetings of the Board:-particularly while the GENERAL INCLOSURE BILL was first agitated, in 1797: this appearing to be by far the most laudable measure which the Board of AgriA culture had adopted.

Still, the President persevered in his bookmaking plan; and, though I had long withdrawn my assistance, sometimes sent me crude productions to be criticized:-thus still wiling me on, to assist him in the destruction of my own design; which he now began to acknowledge he had adopted; and proposed a sort of compromise offering, if I would fix any time for bringing out my general work, he would bring his out, before or after that time!

This I smiled at: seeing, in the sort of materials he was collecting, no probability of his rivaling me in a general work, Yet the inundation that he was causing, by the quantity of books about Agriculture, which he was throwing into the market, operated of course in lessening the diffusion and sale of my own works ;-hard as I had labored to produce them: and I now had to contend with a hired corps (paid by that public whom I had long been gratuitously working for) single banded.

For all this, however, I could have granted him forgiveness, had he not afterward interfered with what I have more at heart, even than my general work: I mean a RURAL INSTITUTE, or SEMINARY OF RURAL ECONOMY. But the base attempt which he unsuccessfully made to rob me of this too! is a crime which it would be a crime in me to forgive.

SECTION 2.