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Bath, Southampton, Lancaster, &c. are lic art a ftudy; and it is much to be

honoured upon pieces of general circulation; on this department, however, it must be observed with regret, that the portraits are, in general, far from being accurate; though perhaps, not lefs fo than the effigies of Roman Emperors, are given by the degenerate mintages of the lower Empire; the fcarce ones of which are collected with fo much eagerness and expence, without regard to the contemptible or deteftable characters of their proto-types. Ours are not lefs worthy of being styled the Concifum argentum in titulos, facicfque mi

nutas*.

In this refpect alfo, Scotland creeps at more than her ufual distance behind the Sifter Kingdom. Why are the features of Buchanan, Napier, the admirable Crichton, Hume, Robertfon, Cullen, and Reid, configned to the fugitive materials, and faithlefs charge of paper and canvas, and not a fingle medalt recording their likeneffes to pofterity?

wifhed, that particular injunctions were given to the engravers, to have the figures on the piece much bolder and higher raifed than is ufually done, which is effected by having them more deeply cut into the dye; and the dotted circle by which the figures on the field are protected, should be much stronger, and more elevated; the fhapes of even moit of thefe pieces which I have commended, are too thin and broad; they should be increased in thickness, even though their circumference fhould be thereby diminished.

There has juft now been communicated to me a fall copper coin; thes part of a rupee, done for the Eaft India Company by Mr Bonftone of Birmingham, upon a new principal, admirably calculated to preferve both the figures, and legend from being foon defaced by attrition :-the whole field of the piece is protected by a circle, broad, plain, and confiderably elevated, into which the letters are indented in intaglio, in the fame form as they ufually are round the external rim.

V. Some, laftly, are merely curious; the engraver James has been very fuccefsful in two landícapes upon the op- It may, perhaps, be objected, that pofice fides of his Dudley token; and his elephant upon the Pidcock exhibition pieces, is at leaft as well reprefented as the fame animal is by old Roman artifts, upon denarii, of the family Cacilia, or upon thofe of Julius, and of Auguftus. I fhall conclude this paper, with earneftly foliciting the attention of all companies and individuals, who may henceforth be difpofed to employ the artifts of Birmingham, London, &c. to fabricate coins for them, to the foregoing obfervations, which, I humbly flatter myfelf, will be approven by every perfon of tafte who has made the medal*Juvenal, in his Vth Satire.

Befides the meed of merit given to diftinguished Englishmen on provincial coins, many elegant medals have been fruck of them. See Snelling's plates.

thefe improvements will occafion an ad-
ditional expence, and confequent reduc-
tion of the profits of circulation; but
it is to be confidered, that even if lefs.
weight of copper were given in that
form, the public would be no lofer, be-
caufe the pieces would be greatly less
liable to wear by friction, than when
almoft the whole rough furface is expof
ed to continual rubbing, as by the pre-
fent ftyle of infipid bas relief. Let it
be impreffed upon the mind of every
citizen, that this is a fubject in which,
as a great mafter* of it has told us,

66

THE PERPETUAL GLORY OF THE NATION IS INTERESTED."

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CIVIS.

* Pinkerton's ffay, vol. 2. (note) p. 143.

OB

OBSTACLES TO HUSBANDRY.
COUNTY OF ESSEX.

AS the honourable Board has condefcended to ask our opinion, of the fuppof.d obftacles to improvement in agriculture, it is humbly fubmitted to their attention, whether the moft ufeful fcience would not be greatly affifted, if the opuent manufacturers were made to contribure, in a larger proportion, to the necies of their weavers, when driven to their parith by distress, than is the cafe at prefent; for although it may be replied, that there is already a law for this purpofe, it is found fo difficult to be put in practice, that it is not attempt rd here at prefent.

Other obftacles may be the total want cflafes, or the short terms and ftrict and penal covenants fometimes infifted pon by gentlemen of property, which prohibits that return which is neceffary, to induce a man to difburfe his property in the improvements of the natural foil; and were the land owners to confider, that, except in a very few inftances of converting meadows and old leys into tillage, deftroying timber, &c. their and their tenants real interests are the f.me, for the greater part of a leafe; they would fee it to be their own and the public advantage, to fuffer their tepants to manage the land in fuch way, as would best enable them to pay their rents with punctuality, and almost give them their own covenants, till the term came within five or fix years of its expiration; when, perhaps it might be nothing more than policy, to guard againft the poffibility of abufe, by laying down fome rules to govern their conduct, in thole particulars, where their intereft ilitates against that of their landlords; but any certain fixed method, or rotaton of management, will ever be disad. vantageous to the growth of corn, fo long as feafons are uncertain, and the many cafualties a farmer is liable to, (which no art or industry can prevent) continue to perplex him. If it should be thought this liberal conduct on the part of the landlord, might lay his good

nature open to the defigns of an artful tenant, who might think himself at liberty to crop his land, as long as it would pay him for the tillage, and then refign or fell his leafe; it may be an fwered, that, if the certainty of lofing his character, would not operate fufficiently upon him, to prevent fuch impolitic meafures in a tenant, they might easily be provided againft by a claufe in the leafe, calculated for that end; or, by an indemnification of fome, other fort, before the leafe was granted.

Another circumftance which would aid the plough, it is conceived, is liberty to the poor to feck a livelihood wherever work offers, or inclination leads them to feek for it, inftead of being fubje&t to be taken up, if found out of their own parish, and carried, to what is called their place of fettlement, at the caprice of an overfeer, to fit at home, or what is worfe, while they have any credit left, at the ale-houfe, for want of employ : labourers will then, it is prefumed, naturally be led to refide, where they could render most fervice to the community, and have a prof pect of fupporting themfelves and families, without being reduced to the mortifying application of an unfeeling parish officer. The rates would be lefs heavy, the land better tilled, at a fmaller expence than at prefent, and both the rich and poor would feel the benefit.

Another hindrance to the improvements, which men of property and fpirit might otherwife make, particularly in regard to wafte and uncultivated land, is the prefent mode of rewarding the labours of the clergy. Could the honourable Board fuggeft fome fair equivalent, which would make that most valuable member of fociety, the farmer, fecure in all the juft gains of his laborious endeavours, without injuring the legal rights of the church, it would confer the most fubftantial benefit on the landed intereft in general, aflift morality and good neighbourhood, and give comfort to the tithe-gatherer, as

well

well as to the landlord and the hufbandman, all of whom, were the fubject properly understood, it would not be difficult to fatisfy.

cording to their own difcretion, by which means, the neglect of an individual, may caufe not only ruin to himfelf, but to many of his more careful neighbours, and fpread a general dif

A farther improvement, which feems to follow that of a commutation of trefs around him. tithes, and would increase the growth of the neceffaries and conveniencies of life, would be, empowering the clergy, to grant leafes of the church lands, for fuch terms, as would infure their tenants à reasonable time to reap the fair returns of the best modes of husbandry; for as they are now circumstanced, no permanent improvements are attempted, the land lics half cultivated, and feems, in almost every parish you go through, to plead for better treatment, by the unexampled poverty of its appearance.

An object, not perhaps beneath the notice of this moft ufeful institution, is thought to be a general commiffion of fewers, for the repairs and prefervation of the fea-walls along the coaft, which protest the lands moft capable of improvement, from the deftructive inundations of the falt water, which is known to leave fuch fatal effects behind it, that the land is not worth the tillage for feveral years after it has been overflows; befides, that the expence and trouble which may have been laid out upon it, are for ever loft. At prefent, it is common for the owners of land, to manage their own walls, ac

It cannot, we flatter ourselves, be thought foreign to the present subject to remark, that, as the juftice done to the labourers, by thofe with whom they lay out their little earnings, must, in fome degree, affect the price of work here; officers are appointed to fecure that defireable end, not known in every county in the kingdom. Two men are nominated for that purpose, at a certain annual falary (251. each), whom we call public weighers, whofe bufiness it is to go to the feveral parts of the county, and examine the weights of all millers and fhopkeepers, and make returns of thofe in whofe poffeffion any light weight is found, to the quarter feffions, by whofe authority they act whenever complaint of this fort is made, the fufpected dealer is fummoned to appear at the following feffions, where, if he is unable to acquit himfelf of the charge alleged against him, he is fure to be expofed, and otherwife punifhed, in proportion to his demerits.

(To be continued.)

and

From the Report delivered to the Board of Agriculture.

ON THE CULTURE OF POTATOES. Cultivation of the Early Potatoe. CUT the fets, and put them on a room floor, where a ftrong current of air can be introduced at pleafure; lay them thin, about two or three lays of depth, cover them with oat-fhells of faw-duft, to the thickness of about two or three inches: this, at the fame time that it fcreens them from the froft, affords a moderate degree of warmth, which causes them to vegetate; but, at the fame time, admits air enough to harden the shoots: the doors and windows are to be open as often as the weather is mild enough to admit of its

being done with fafety. The fets must be frequently examined, and when the fhoots have sprung an inch and a half, or two inches, the covering is to be carefully removed, either with a wooden rake, or the fingers. In this manner they must remain until the planting feafon, taking care to give them all the air poffible by the doors and windows when it can be done with safety; by this method the fhoots will become broken, put out leaves, and be moderately hardy. In this way four crops have been raised, upon the fame ground, in one year; taking care always to have

fets

fets from the repofitory ready to put in more labour than dropping the fets into

as foon as the others are taken up. A
crop of winter lettuce is fometimes raif-
ed afterwards from the fame land.
We are enabled to fay, from expe-
rience, that two crops may be obtained
from the fame ground yearly, with great
eafe, and afterwards a crop of cole-
worts or greens.

To raise two good Crops in one Year. THE method that has, from experience, been found most fuccefsful, is, to plant the ground in the spring, with the best early potatoe (managed in the way already quoted*) thefe will be ready in the beginning of fummer: the foil fhould then be ploughed once, and planted either with the large white Kidney or Killimanca, the fets of which fhould be cut at leaft fix weeks or two months before they are planted. They fhould be kept in a place where both air and light may have free access to them, by which means their fhoots will be strong and vigorous; and as they will then have no frofts to encounter, they will grow immediately when they are put into the earth. The operations of planting fhould be performed with the greatest care, in order to preferve the shoots from being broken, as in that cafe the crop will be rendered confiderably later.

Perhaps there is no way of doing this fo completely as with a stick; in this way the plant is not only placed at a proper depth, but the fhoot is preferved and fet upright in fuch a way, that the top is equal with the furface. It will certainly be objected to this mode of planting, that it requires more labour than the ordinary method of dropping the fets into the furrow; but, when properly confidered, this objection will vanifh, as three people with dibbles will plant as many in one day, as two perfons could do in the ordinary way.

the furrows; to balance which, the young tender fhoots are preserved, none of the plants are liable to be bruifed by the horses feet, and the work is regularly and accurately performed.-N. B. The Royal or Cumberland early, is most recommended for the first crop, it being of a large fize, very prolific, of an excellent flavour, and ripens early enough to admit of another crop.

The reafon for preferring the Kidney or Killimanca, for the fecond crop, is obvious; both of these are more productive than any of the early potatoes; and as the price, at an advanced period of the feafon, is always confiderably lower, any potatoe that will produce a greater bulk will be more profitable.

There is, befides, another reason of confiderable weight; it is found, from experience, that when fucceffive crops of potatoes are taken from the same land, the fecond and fucceeding crops are always more abundant when a different kind of potatoe is planted. This circumftance is well worth the attention of farmers, as, by a due obfervance of it, they may plant potatoes for years upon the fame foil, with profit to themfelves, and without injury to the property.

A crop of this kind of potatoes will be ready to take up about the beginning or middle of October. Indeed, if the real kidney is planted, they will be ready in September, when fufficient time will remain either for a crop of greens, coleworts, or a broad caft crop of turnips, to be eaten off in the fpring with fheep. These are not matters of conjecture: the Author of the prefent memoir had, last year, two very abundant crops of potatoes from a patch of ground in his garden, which was afterwards planted with coleworts, which were very large before the winter fet in. No If this comparison as to the difference manure was made ufe of for the first of expence is juft, and we believe it crop of potatoes, and only a fmall quan is very near the truth, it will appear, tity of new earth (part of the fub-foil that dibbling requires only a third of the fame garden) was given to the • See vol. 57. p. 17. method in Lancashire. fecond. It is worthy of remark, that D d VOL. LVIII.

the

the fecond crop was not planted till the end of June; and though the season was exceedingly dry throughout, the crop was very productive.

As the extending the culture of potatoes, and in particular the obtaining an early crop, must be extremely beneficial to the poor, it is humbly fubmitted to the gentlemen of every parish, whether it will not be humane and politic to furnish, at their expence, feed, to all

fuch poor as may be inclined to cultivate the fame; and in order to make fuch cultivation as extenfive as poflible, will it not promote that end greatly, by fuffering the poor to plant upon all the head-lands, and fuch other places where corn cannot be fown; and alfo on the road fides, and all other wafte lands, as the poor will take the trouble of breaking up? Report of the Committee of Board of Agriculture.

OF THE SENTIMENTS OF THE SOUL.
CONCLUDED FROM PAGE 92.

Of the Sentiment of Admiration. THE fentiment of admiration tranf ports us immediately into the bofom of Deity. If it is excited in us by an object which infpires delight, we convey ourfelves thither as to the fource of joy ; a terror is roufed, we flee thither for refuge. In either cafe, admiration exclaims in these words, "Ah, my God!" This is, we are told, the effect of education merely, in the courfe of which frequent mention is made of the name of God; but mention is ftill more frequently made of our father, of the king, of a protector, of a celebrated literary character. How comes it, then, that when we feel ourselves ftanding in need of fupport, in fuch unexpected concuffions, we never exclaim, "Ah, my King!" or, if fcience were concerned, "Ah, Newton!

It is certain, that if the name of God be frequently mentioned to us, in the progrefs of our education, the idea of it is quickly effaced in the ufual train of the affairs of this world; why then have we recourfe to it in extraordinary emergencies? This fentiment of nature is common to all nations, many of whom give no theological inftruction to their children. I have remarked it in the Negroes of the coaft of Guinea, of Madagascar, of Caffraria, and Mofambique, among the Tartars, and the Indians of the Malabar coaft; in a word, among men of every quarter of the world. I never faw a fingle one who, under extraordinary emotions of furprize or of ad

miration, did not make, in his own land guage, the fame exclamation which we do, and who did not lift up his hands and his eyes to heaven.

Of the Marvellous.

The fentiment of admiration is the fource of the instinct which men have, in every age, difcovered for the marvellous. We are hunting after it continually, and every where, and we diffuse it, principally, over the commencement and the close of human life; hence it is that the cradles and the tombs of fo great a part of mankind have been enveloped in fiction. It is the perennial fource of our curiofity; it discloses itfelf from early infancy, and is long the companion of innocence. Whence could children derive the tafte for the marvellous? They must have fairy-tales; and men must have epic poems and operas. It is the marvellous which conftitutes one of the grand charms of the antique ftatues of Greece and Rome, reprefenting heroes or gods, and which contributes, more than is generally imagined, to our delight, in the perufal of the ancient hiftory of thofe countries. It is one of the natural reasons which may be produced to the Prefident He nault, who expreffes aftooifhment that we fhould be more enamoured of ancient hiftory than of modern, especially that of our own country: the truth is, independently of the patriotic fentiments which ferve, at leaft, as a pretext to the intrigues of the great men of Greece and Rome, and which were fo entirely

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