purfue my defign, I must call in affiftance, and devote much more time to the fuperintendance of the business.

"If my fcheme is carried into execution, the eventual fuccefs of

the enterprize fhall be communicated to you, by Sir,

Your moft obliged humble fervant, HENRIETTA RHODES."

Cann Hall, Aug. 24, 1785.

CA

"COM

OMMERCE and manufac ture have declined in the Auftrian Netherlands, but agriculture is undecayed. The populouf nefs of the cities is diminished, but the number of inhabitants in the country is augmented beyond the parallel of past times. Even in the mott flourishing time of thefe provinces, under the dukes of Burgundy and the first princes of the Auftrian line, the appearance of the country in regard to culture and population did not equal its prefent

ftate.

"The natives of this region betook themselves at an early time to the art of husbandry, to which they were invited by a foil well adapted to vegetation, and by the happy temperature of the climate. In ages when only a rude tillage was known in the neighbouring countries, agriculture had attained here to a great degree of perfection, and had gained that firm poffeffion of the foil which it has fince kept. The fertility of Flanders was not fubdued by the ravages of war itfelf. Even in the last century, in that most unprofperous period when the other arts of the Flemish provinces funk and fell into decline, agriculture still retained its vigour: but during the long tranquillity which the prefent century has af. forded, this art has acquired a new

activity, and has advanced these lands to a ftill higher ftate of improvement. Where the tillage was imperfect, a more complete hufbandry has taken place: large tracts that were formerly waste have' been fubjected to the plough: the villages have increased in extent and in number, and a degree of populoufnefs is found in fome of these provinces, that is not perhaps furpaffed in any part of Europe.

"The rural fcene prefents here pleafing profpects on all fides, fields crowned with fruitful crops, meadows covered with numerous herds, neat and commodious farm-houses fet fingly or in groupes, chearful and crowded villages embowered among trees, and divided from each other by fmall intervals. Between fuch fair landfcapes wind the rivers, or extend the clear canals of Flanders and Brabant. The bounty of the land is diffused in decent competence through all the multitude that inhabits it; and the looks of the labourer, his wholesome fare and neat dwelling, exprefs that he has his fhare of that plenty with which his induftry crowns the fields.

"Agriculture flourishes greatly in Brabant and Haynault, but it is in the province of Flanders that this art has attained its highest praise. Here were made the earliest improvements of hufbandry. In the fe

rich plains, the plough, long held in veneration, has left the fewest fpaces waste or unemployed; and the husbandman's art, aided here by long experience and purfued with conftant induftry, exhibits most the extent of its power in the copious productions that it calls forth from the earth.

"The fields of Flanders never repofe or lie fallow, yet the rich foil fails not to repay the care of the farmer by a conftant fucceffion of fruitful crops. Nor is he fatisfied only with the crops that the fummer ripens. Soon as the harvefts are gathered, the earth receives again into its bofom new feeds or plants, and new crops of greens and vegetables arife, that cover the fields through the autumn and the winter months, till the fpring warns to prepare the ground for the enfuing feafon. Such is the fertility which thefe lands derive from the natural goodnefs of the foil, from the rich manure which numerous cities and villages beftow, and from excellent methods of agriculture; but above all, from the patient toil of the hufbandman, who labours in these fields with unequalled industry and pains;

Exercetque frequens tellurem, atque imperat arvis.

"The farms in Flanders are fmall, rarely exceeding fifty acres, and frequently contracted within a narrower bound. Set at a small distance from each other in the center of their respective farms, as is often the cafe here, the farm-houses, when feen from fome eminence, prefent a continued village, and exhibit a picture of great population. The fmall extent of the farms has been thought, and not without reafon, to have contributed much to the exact culture and

populoufnefs of Flanders. In a fall farm, each part feen by the eye of the mafter has its due tillage: the work of hufbandry is chiefly performed by the farmer and his family, who fpare no pains to cultivate that field which affures their fubfiftence; and the glebe, fubdued and manured with affiduous care, makes a large return to that labour which is beftowed on its culture. A vaft population fprings up, and the land is covered with the dwellings of a multitude of cultivators, who find each in the produce of that small farm which he tills, a decent and comfortable maintenance. It happens otherwife in a country where the farms are of a wide extent. In a large farm, many parts are overlooked or neglected, and a more negligent culture is bestowed by hired labourers, more remifs and less interested in the crop. The great farmer is placed in a state of higher plenty, and his dwelling, his furniture, and table exprefs his opulence; but while he enjoys this affluence, and while luxury gains admittance among a rank of men to whose condition it is ill-fuited, the populoufnefs of the country decays, the number of induftrious cultivators is diminished, and extreme indigence is often found in the dwellings of the cottagers that inhabit around.

"The other provinces have remarked the advantages which Flanders has derived from the fmall extent of the farms, and have imitated that example. The States of Haynault have, by an exprefs law, limited the extent of the farms in that province, and have ordained, that no farm fhall contain a larger space than a hundred and fifty acres. The good effects of this regulation, which was made about thirty years

ago,

ago, have been fenfibly found. Since that time, the fields in Haynault are inore completely cultivated, the lands are not permitted to lic fallow, the country has become more populous, and the villages increafing, draw nearer to each other. The States of Brabant and Namur meditate by a fimilar law to circumfcribe the extent of farms in thefe provinces. That part of Brabant which is called the Walloon Brabant, is a country call into large farms, and from that circumstance is lefs populous, and more imperfectly cultivated, than other parts of that province where the small farms obtain.

A contrary practice has for fome time paft prevailed in England, where the number of fmall tarms is diminished, and where the proprietors of clates have in frequent inftances adopted the plan of laying many fml farms into one large farm. Agriculture has not profited by this alteration. The glebe, ftinted in its tillage where a tingle matter grafps a large extent of fields, has not yielded more abund ant harvests; and the markets, lefs amply provided in fome important articles, mifs that fapply which they were accustomed to draw from the fmall farms. The populoufnefs of the country has fallen. While the mantion of the great farmer has rifen more oftentatiously, thofe numerous tenements that were feattered through the fields, or that encircled the cheatful green, have di appeared, and the deferted village has furnished a theme for the poet's fong. The ancient tenant, finding no occupation in the fields where he has spent his youth, and not caring, as a mercenary, to plough that land which he former ly rented, forfakes his native thore, and feeks with his family another 1786.

climate where his induftry may be better requited. Other difadvantages may be numbered, that have flowed from this practice. Let it be remarked as an article of fome moment, that the firm and independent fpirit of a bold peafantry is better nourished among that rank of men by whom finall farms are occupied, than among fervile la bourers who perform the tasks of husbandry in large farms.

The country of Wafs, a diftrict lying along the northern bank of the Scheld below Ghent (the fcene antiently of wars between the Counts of Flanders and of Holland, and through which in latter times' the Prince of Parma, in the memor able fiege of Antwerp, drew a ca nal that till remains), is the pride of Flanders in refpect of culture and population. Yet the foil of the country of Wafs is in many parts ungrateful, and equals not in ge neral the goodness of foil of other parts of Flanders: but, divided into flender heritages, and parcelled out into fmall farms that often do not exceed twenty acres, fertilized by rich manure, and fubdued by the unceasing labour of the peasant, who here, imitating the gardener's fkill, applies the fpade and the hoe, no less than the plough, to the culture of his narrow field, this difə triet furpaffes all the tracts of this fruitful region in the abundance of its crops. A val population is found in this territory, whose villages are equal to large cities. St. Nicholas, and Lockeren, villages of the county of Wals, con tain each not lefs than 10,000 inhabitants.

The Province of Flanders, now fo cultivated, wore anciently a far different afpe&t. The vaft forest of the Ardennes, of which there are yet fome fleader remains here M

in

and other finaller woods, then overspread all that region: the first Counts of Flanders, on account of the deep forefts that covered their domain, were named the forefers of Flanders. Man fhes alfo and flagnant waters abounded. A moit ky added to the natural humidity of the foil; and the Scheld and other rivers, as yet unreftrained by dykes, and keeping no certain bed, overflowed the level face of the country.

Agriculture and the art of man have wrought the mighty change that is now feen. The monks, who in early times united ruftic labour with contemplation and prayer, in troduced the first rude tillage. Thofe fertile fields that furround the monaftic houses were in their original ftate wild and favage tracts, that were cleared of their woods, and fubdued to culture by religious hands. The violence of a barbarous age refpected the labour of holy men feudal lords beheld with furprize the effects of industry, and lands were bestowed on the monaf terics, as the charters by which they are granted exprefs, that they might be rendered fruitful by the skill of the monks. The fathers of the convent, extending their lands and gaining new fields from the wilderness, affociated other hands in their toil; and around the monastery rofe frequent cottages, the habitations of labourers, the beginning of populous villages, and fometimes of flourishing cities.

Agriculture thus introduced by the monks, made a rapid progrefs as the yoke of feudal oppreflion became lighter, and as the peafants acquired privileges, by which they were fecured from the violence of their Lords. The cities of Flanders rifing in trade and arts, affordS

culture. The merchant, adventurous in commerce, by which he was enriched, exerted the fame enterprifing fpirit in cultivation: the nobies, that they might procure thofe luxuries which the commerce of the cities prefented, turned their care to the improvement of their demefnes; and the husbandman, who in the large confumption of crouded cities found a ready market for the produce of his fields, was tempted on that account to redouble his industry. The Princes allo beheld the progrefs of this ue. ful art with peculiar favour; and the Counts of Flanders, as it is faid bestowed rewards on those who excelled in agriculture. Already in the twelfth century, the deep foretts of Flanders were cut down, and the foil laid open to the rays of the fun: fpacious canals were formed, which, whilft they drained the lands, opened the communication of the country. The Scheld, compelled to yield up fruitful fields that had long been hidden under his wave, was reftrained by dykes, and obliged to keep a certain bed. landers bec me the most cultivated and most fertile domain of Europe; and though he has fince been imitated by other nations her praife has not fallen. England, where tillage was long in an imperfect fiate, and which took from this country leffons of husbandry as well as f other arts, far furpaffing Flanders in commerce and manufactures, has not yet furpaffed her in agriculture.

Liberty, which firft animated the industry of the husbandman in these parts, fil! futains his labous. The prefent fovereign, by acts that add fignal luftre to his reign, feeks to promote agriculture in other parts of his wide empire, by the enfran. chifement of the peasants from that

feud:I

feudal bondage in which they have been long kept by the nobles. A like attention has not been needed in this country, where the pealant, no lefs than the lord, poffeffes rights that may not be invaded with impunity, and where tho'e feudal fervitudes, that fill difgrace fome parts of this ifland, have been long unknown. Concious of his privileges, the Flemish pe fant refuines his toils, nor repines whilst the laws fecure to him his property in that field which he cultivates. The feafon that renews his labours brings alfo along the appointed days of fport and recreation. A religion indulgent to her votaries gl ddens him with her returning holi days, that are accompanied by fports and games, and exercifes, confecrated by long ufage. The Kerre-Meffe, or festival of the faint who is the patron of the parifh-church, diffolves all the vil lage in mirth and oblivion of care, and the jocund neighbourhood exhibits thofe feftive fcenes, which the pencil of the Flemish painter has fo often fought to imitate. Restored by this remiffion of toil, the husbandman rifes more vigorous to purfue his talks, and the year is crowned with plenty by his redoubled activity

All the various kinds of grain are cultivated happily in this country. Years of fearcity that affect other parts of Europe are little known here, where the crops of ordinary feasons yield a much larger ftore than the fubfiftence of the inhabitants, though numerous, requires, and where the exportation of grain to other countries lefs fortunate, forms a principal branch of Gommerce. The flax of Flanders not only fupplies to that province its chief manufacture, but yields allo a profitable article of traffic with other nations. Many valu

ab'e plants adapted to various ufes are raifed with fuccefs: tobacco may be ranked among these plants: legumes and all the tribe of efculent roots grow in abundance, and have lent to England most of her vegetables of that clafs. Vines were formerly trained in Flanders and Brabant; but the vine, lefs grateful to the planter's care, has given way to products that are better fuited to the clime and foil, and in which the husbandman finds a greater advantage.

Agriculture, whilst it fupplies materials to commerce and manufacture, is alfo more permanent than either, and affords a more folid bafis of national profperity. The manufactures of Louvain have failed, and the trade of Antwerp is fallen; but the fields of Flanders keep a conftant fe.tility. Agriculture alfo entertains a race of men, temperate, hardy, fimple, that withftand the attacks of luxury, and among whom virtue lingers long, when corruption has gained the other ranks of the ftate. Even in the improved ftate which husbandry has attained in this island, England has fill caufe to make it a reproach to her inhabitants, that they have not enough relpected agriculture, and that, intent on colonies and foreign poffeffions, they have neglec ted the due improvement of her foil, the best fource of wealth. Hence, while a defective tillage is found in many places, and while in other parts vaft trats of ground are yet unfubdued by the plough, her natives have paffed into foreign clines, where them elves with their indu!try have been loft to the parent country, or where, with impaired health, and too often with impaired virtue, they have acquired Indian gold, returning to advance the reign of luxury at home, and extend the corruption of a fliding age.