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have, in fact, induced thousands of farmers to turn their landsfrom tillage to pasturage.

“ That the lands of this kingdom, if they were all cultivated asthey might be, would maintain one third or one half more inha-bitants than they do at present, is a proposition of which I haveno doubt; but I do doubt extremely whether, in the presentcircumstances of the country, they will ever attain that desirabledegree of cultivation.

“ I have heard much, and I have read much about the pro-priety of passing a general enclosure bill; but if it were passedto-morrow, the present high price of labour would almost whollyobstruct the bringing waste land into cultivation, and unlesswaste lands are brought into cultivation, the enclosure of com-mon fields will, as to the production of grain, do more harmthan good.

“ Whilst we continue masters of the ocean, and whilst ourcommerce supplies us with foreign wealth to purchase corn inforeign markets, it may seem to be a matter of indifferencewhether we grow corn or buy corn, whether our people aremanufacturers or peasants. There is some truth in this position;yet our security as a nation, (as far as that security is connectedwith the feeding of the people,) ought, I think, to be bottomedon a more solid foundation.

“ The government, in my opinion, would well employ tenmillions of money, or a much larger sum, if a larger should befound necessary, in bringing into cultivation every acre of wasteland in this kingdom and in Ireland . By cultivation I mean,Tillage , Pasturage, and Plantation. . I consider this as an objectof the very first political importance, and most deserving the

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