turally leads us into fome Reflections upon that Oc

cafion.

Though Mines of Gold and Silver should be exhausted, and the Species made of them loft; though Diamonds and Pearls fhould remain concealed in the Bowels of the Earth, and the Womb of the Sea; though Commerce with Strangers be prohibited; though all Arts, which have no other Object than Splendor and Embellishment, fhould be abolished; yet, the Fertility of the Earth alone would afford an abundant Supply for the Occafions of an industrious People, by furnishing Subfiftence for them, and fuch Armies as fhould be mustered in their Defence. We, therefore, ought not to be furprized, that Agriculture was in fo much Honour among the Ancients : For it ought rather to feem wonderful that it should ever cease to be so, and that the most neceffary and most indifpenfible of all Profeffions fhould have fallen into any Contempt.

Agriculture was in no Part of the World in higher Confideration than Egypt, where it was the particular Object of Government and Policy: Nor was any Country ever better peopled, richer, or more powerful. The Satrapa, among the Affyrians and Perfians, were rewarded, if the Lands in their Governments were well cultivated; but were punished, if that Part of their Duty was neglected. Africa abounded in Corn; but the most famous Countries were Thrace, Sardinia, and Sicily.

Cato, the Cenfor, has juftly called Sicily the Magazine and nurfing Mother of the Roman People, who were supplied from thence with almost all their Corn, both for the Ufe of the City, and the Subfiftence of her Armies: Though we alfo find in Livy, that the Romans received no inconsiderable Quantities of Corn from Sardinia. But, when Rome had made herself Miftrefs of Carthage and Alexandria, Africa and Egypt became her Store-houses: For

thofe

thofe Cities fent fuch numerous Fleets every Year, freighted with Corn to Rome, that Alexandria alone annually supplied twenty Millions of Bufhels: And, when the Harvest happened to fail in one of these Provinces, the other came in to its Aid, and fupported the Metropolis of the World; which, without this Supply, would have been in Danger of perifhing by Famine. Rome actually faw herself reduced to this Condition under Auguftus; for there remained only three Days Provision of Corn in the City: And that Prince was fo full of Tenderness for the People, that he had refolved to poison himfelf, if the expected Fleets did not arrive before the Expiration of that Time; but they came; and the Prefervation of the Romans was attributed to the good Fortune of their Emperor: But wife Precautions were taken to avoid the like Danger for the future.

When the Seat of Empire was tranfplanted to Conftantinople, that City was fupplied in the fame Manner: And when the Emperor Septimus Severus died, there was Corn in the publick Magazines for feven Years, expending daily 75,000 Bushels in Bread, for 600,000 Men.

The Ancients were no lefs induftrious in the Cultivation of the Vine than in that of Corn, though they applied themselves to it later: For Noah planted it by Order, and difcovered the Ufe that might be made of the Fruit, by preffing out, and preferving the Juice. The Vine was carried by the Offspring of Noah into the feveral Countries of the World: But Afia was the first to experience the Sweets of this Gift; from whence it was imparted to Europe and Africa. Greece and Italy, which were diftinguifhed in fo many other Refpects, were particularly fo by the Excellency of their Wines. Greece was most celebrated for the Wines of Cyprus, Lefbos, and Chio; the former of which is in great Efteem at prefent: Though the Cultivation of the Vine has

M 2

been

been generally fuppreffed in the Turkish Dominions. As the Romans were indebted to the Grecians for the Arts and Sciences, fo were they likewife for the Improvement of their Wines; the best of which were produced in the Country of Capua, and were called the Maffic, Calenian, Formian, Cacuban, and Falernian, fo much celebrated by Horace. Domitian passed an Edict for deftroying all the Vines, and that no more fhould be planted throughout the greatest Part of the Weft; which continued almost two hundred Years afterwards, when the Emperor Probus employed his Soldiers in planting Vines in Europe, in the fame Manner as Hannibal had formerly employed his Troops in planting Olive-trees in Africa. Some of the Ancients have endeavoured to prove, that the Cultivation of Vines is more beneficial than any other Kind of Hufbandry: But, if this was thought fo in the Time of Columella, it is very different at prefent; nor were all the Ancients of his Opinion, for feveral gave the Preference to pasture Lands.

The Breeding of Cattle has always been confidered as an important Part of Agriculture. The Riches of Abraham, Laban, and Job, confifted in their Flocks and Herds. We alfo find from Latinus in Virgil, and Ulyffes in Homer, that the Wealth of thofe Princes confifted in Cattle. It was likewise the fame among the Romans, till the Introduction of Money, which put a Value upon Commodities, and established a new Kind of Barter. Varro has not difdained to give an extenfive Account of all the Beafts that are of any Ufe to the Country, either for Tillage, Breed, Carriage, or other Conveniencies of Man. And Cato, the Cenfor, was of Opinion, that the Feeding of Cattle was the most certain and Ipeedy Method of enriching a Country.

Luxury, Avarice, Injuftice, Violence, and Ambition, take up their ordinary Refidence in populous Cities: While the hard and laborious Life of the Husbandman

Husbandman will not admit of thefe Vices. The honeft Farmer lives in a wife and happy State, which inclines him to Juftice, Temperance, Sobriety, Sincerity, and every Virtue that can dignify the human Nature. This gave Room for the Poets to feign, that Aftrea, the Goddefs of Juflice, had her laft Refidence among Husbandmen, before the quit-. ted the Earth. Hefiod and Virgil have brought the Affiftance of the Mufes in Praife of Agriculture. Kings, Generals, and Philofophers, have not thought it unworthy their Birth, Rank, and Genius, to leave Precepts to Pofterity upon the Utility of the Hufbandman's Profeffion. Hiero, Attalus, and Archelaus, Kings of Syracuse, Pergamus, and Cappadocia, have compofed Books for fupporting and augmenting the Fertility of their different Countries. The Car

thaginian General, Mago, wrote twenty-eight Volumes upon this Subject; and Cato, the Cenfor, followed his Example. Nor have Plato, Xenophon, and Ariftotle, omitted this Article, which makes an effential Part of their Politicks. And Cicero, fpeaking of the Writings of Xenophon, fays, How fully and excellently does he, in that Book called his Oeconomics, fet out the Advantages of Husbandry, and a 'country Life?'

When Britain was fubject to the Romans, the annually fupplied them with great Quantities of Corn and the Isle of Anglefea was then looked upon as the Grainary for the Western Provinces: But the Britons, both under the Romans and Saxons, were employed like Slaves at the Plough. On the Intermixture of the Danes and Normans, Poffeffions were better regulated, and the State of Vaffalage gradually declined, till it was entirely wore off under the Reigns of Henry VII. and Edward VI. for they hurt the pld Nobility by favouring the Commons, who grew rich by Trade, and purchafed Eftates.

The Wines of France, Portugal, and Spain, are now the best; while Italy can only boast of the Wine made in Tuscany. The Breeding of Cattle is now chiefly confined to Denmark and Ireland. The Corn of Sicily is still in great Efteem, as well as what is produced in the Northern Countries: But England is the happiest Spot in the Universe for all the principal Kinds of Agriculture, and especially its great Produce of Corn.

The Improvement of our landed Eftates, is the Enrichment of the Kingdom: For, without this, how could we carry on our Manufactures, or profecute our Commerce? We fhould look upon the English Farmer as the moft ufeful Member of Society. His arable Grounds not only fupply his Fellow-fubjects with all Kinds of the beft Grain, but his Industry enables him to Export great Quantities to other Kingdoms, which might otherwise starve; particularly Spain and Portugal: For, in one Year, there have been exported 51,520 Quarters of Barley, 219,781 of Malt, 1920 of Oatmeal, 1329 of Rye, and 153,343 of Wheat; the Bounty on which amounted to 72,433 Pounds. What a Fund of Treasure arifes from his pafture Lands, which breed fuch innumerable Flocks of Sheep, and afford fuch fine Herds of Cattle, to feed Britons, and cloath Mankind? He rears Flax and Hemp for the making of Linen; while his Plantations of Apples and Hops fupply him with generous Kinds of Liquors.

The Land tax, when at four Shillings in the Pound, produces 2,000,000 Pounds a Year. This arifes from the Labour of the Hufbandman: It is a great Sum: But how greatly is it increased by the Means it furnishes for Trade? Without the Induftry of the Farmer, the Manufacturer could have no Goods to fupply the Merchant, nor the Merchant find any Employment for the Mariners: Trade

would