ON RURAL ECONOMY.

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CHAP. XV.

ON RURAL ECONOMY, AND THE RELATIVE PRICES OFPROVISIONS AND LABOUR.

BY ROBERT HOPE, FARMER AT FENTON, IN EAST-LOTIHAX.

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS.

Before entering into any particular detail regarding thesubjects to be here treated of, it is proper to remark, that bysome antiquated statutes, the Justices of the Peace wereempowered to fix the prices of every kind of rural labour.It does not appear, however, that this authority was often ex-ercised ; these magistrates, with much wisdom, having com-monly left the price of labour, like any other commodityin a well regulated market, to find its own level. Labourersin Scotland , were thus enabled to obtain the means of com-fort, and of subsistence, proportionally to the state of agri-cultural improvement in the different districts, without beingindebted to the interference of magistrates, or the arbitraryand vexatious regulations of poor or settlement laws, so pre-valent in a neighbouring country. It is certainly for the in-terest of every state, that the relation between its differentmembers, should be founded upon the justest, clearest, andmost honourable principles, and more especially that betweenmaster and servant. Fortunately therefore, in this country,the connexion between the labourer and his employer, is fixedupon the basis of perfect liberty, and rational equality. Theprice of labour is thus left to the settlement of those most ca-

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