ART. X. Essays on Miscellaneous Subjects. By Sir John Sinclair, Bart. 8vo. pp. 467. 88. Boards. Cadell and Davies. 1802.

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F all the kinds of ambition which fire the human breast, that is intitled to the highest praise which prompts us to seek fame by exertions directed to the benefit of our fellow-creatures. Every noble mind will feel it to be its duty to extend its regard beyond the narrow circle of selfish gratification, and will count that life to have been spent in vain which has not been, more or less, devoted to public utility. Men of this stamp will seek their chief pleasure in the discharge of social duties; and the labour of doing good will be preferred by them to sordid and sensual gratification. In proportion to the diffusion of this sentiment through the individuals which compose the superior classes of a state, will be the chance of its progress in improvement; it is therefore of infinite importance for men of rank and influence to set examples of active virtue, and to evince by their conduct a real and predominant solicitude for the comfort and happiness of the general mass of society. When, however, luxury and dissipation prevail, when the mode of living is generally artificial and refined, the nerve of social virtue among the great becomes relaxed, the case of the inferior orders excites no lively interest, and the poor are abandoned to the care of Providence. We are happy in meeting with every exception to the truth of this remark; and it is some consolation to know that there are exceptions, among which we may venture to reckon the Author of these essays. National improvement, extending even to the cottage and its comforts, has been with him a favourite object; he has laboured to advance it; and whenever he quits the theatre of this life, we think that he may demand, like Augustus, to be dismissed. with applause. We do not mean by this commendation to esponse all Sir John Sinclair's sentiments and measures, but merely to express our sincere approbation of his general conduct, and of the liberal and patriotic tendency of his writings.

The subjects discussed in the volume before us are of great national importance; and they derive, if possible, additional interest from the manner in which this intelligent Baronet has exhibited them. The first Essay, intitled, Observations on the Nature and Advantages of Statistical Inquiries; with a Sketch of an Introduction to the proposed Analysis of the Statistical Account of Scotland; is intended to explain the use to which the author purposed to apply the materials contained in the Statistical Reports of all the Parishes in Scotland, published in 21 volumes 8vo; and it gives an enumeration of the sources of human happiness, under the general heads,-Animal, or IndiREV. MARCH, 1803. U vidual

vidual Pleasures,-Social Gratifications,—and Mental Enjoyments; the first including Food, Clothing, and Shelter ;-the second, Family Connexion and Personal Friendship, Marriage, Property, Useful Occupations, and Political Institutions ;and the last embracing the Exercise of the Mental Faculties, and the Pleasures resulting from Religious and Moral Exertions. As it is evident that these blessings are best enjoyed in a civilized state, the author proceeds to consider the Means of extending the advantages of Political Society and the blessings of Human Life. Here he contends for the necessity of Legislators being minutely acquainted with the state of the country which they are desirous of improving:

Without a knowledge of facts, connected with any intended alteration in the laws, or in the political establishments of a state, how is it possible to judge whether the change can be brought about, without inconvenience or to much advantage? For the important purpose of legislation, therefore, inquiries on a great scale are essential. Real patriots, and practical stratesmen, can be no longer satisfied with partial and defective views of the situation of a country, but must wish to know the actual state of its agriculture, its manufactures, and its commerce, and the means of improvement of which they are respectively capable;-the amount of the popula tion of a state, and the causes of its increase or decrease ;-the manner in which the territory of a country is possessed and cultivated;the nature and amount of the various productions of the soil;-the value of the personal wealth or stock of the inhabitants, and how it can be augmented;-the diseases to which the people are subject, their causes and their cure ;-the occupations of the people,-in what cases they are entitled to encouragement, and where they ought to be suppresed;-the condition of the poor, the best mode of exciting their industry, and furnishing them with employment ;-the state of schools, and other institutions founded for the purposes of public utility; the state of villages and towns, and the regulations best calculated for their police and government ;-and above all the state of the manners, the morals, and the religious principles of the people; and the means by which their temporal and eternal interests can best be promoted.

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I know that some political authors have maintained very opposite principles, and contend that matters should be left to themselves, that things will always find their own level, or, in other words, that a government should think of nothing but of war, of foreign intrigues, and of internal taxation and I am ready to confess, that much benefit cannot be expected from any information thus accumulated, unless the rulers of a nation are not only able men, and well disposed to promote the happiness of the people, but that the frame of the government is such, as to impose proper checks upon those who govern, otherwise almost every information thus obtained, may not merely be lost, but may, in the progress of human affairs, be perverted to the worst of purposes. But the principle that I maintain

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is this, that as no individual can improve his private property, without knowing exactly its extent, the soil of which it consists, the number of farmers by whom it is occupied, the state of the buildings erected on it, the crops which it is capable of producing, the best means of cultivating it, &c. &c. &c. neither can any govern ment improve a country, nor better the situation of its inhabitants, without entering into minute inquiries of a similar nature, for the purpose of at least removing all obstacles to improvement. For what is a nation but a great estate? What is a country but a large farm? and the same principles which are applicable to the improvement of the one, must necessarily be calculated to promote the interests and happiness of the other.

If, therefore, a wise and truly beneficent government, were desirous of promoting the happiness of the country over which it is placed, its wishes could not be properly attained, without a laborious and extensive inquiry into the state of the country, and the means by which it might be improved; and if we were to suppose, that the facts necessary to enable any government to judge what measures it ought to attempt, were once collected, it would probably be desirous of having them arranged, nearly in the following order.

The first part would naturally state the geographical circumstances of the country, its situation, extent, soil, climate, divisions, advantages natural and incidental, and other points of a similar nature.

The second object would be to ascertain the population of the country, comparing the present with the former state of its popula tion, explaining the causes of its increase or decrease in the different districts, pointing out the manner in which the people were divided, according to their sex, age, professions, and other particulars.

The third point would be to discover how the people acquire the means of their subsistence, to what extent they depended on agriculture, fisheries, manufactures, or commerce, and what were the indirect sources of income on which they relied.

The next point would naturally be to inquire into the laws and public establishments of the country, and to see how far they were ca pable of improvement; how the people were governed; what checks there were to prevent bad government or oppression; whence arose the public revenue; how the laws were administered; how the sanctions of religion were observed; how the health of the people was watched over; and what institutions were established for the education of youth, and other public purposes.

There are also many miscellaneous objects of inquiry which such a government would be desirous of having under their view, namely, the language of the people, the arts and sciences cultivated by them, their morals, manners, customs, &c.

And if all these important particulars were laid before a wise and beneficent government, in one connected report, drawn up on proper data; permit me to ask, would there be any difficulty for them to ascertain the ultimate object of the whole inquiry, namely, how the interest of their nation could best be promoted, and how the general state and circumstances of the people could best be improved?

The plan which Sir John purposes to follow, if his health and other circumstances will permit, in arranging the materials of the Statistical Reports of Scotland, nearly resembles that which has been adopted in the County Surveys made under the direction of the Board of Agriculture.

Essay II. consists of Observations on the Means of enabling a Cottager to keep a Cow, by the Produce of a small Portion of arable Land. We have so often stated our opinion of the national policy of encouraging the Poor in the Cottage mode of life, that it is unnecessary to specify our approbation of this part of the author's labours. He was induced, he informs us, to draw up this paper by a premium offered by the Board of Agriculture, to each of five persons who shall, in the most satisfactory manner, prove by experiment, the practicability of Cottagers being enabled to keep one or two milch cows, on the produce of land cultivated with the spade and hoe only, and who shall send to the Board, on or before the 1st of January, 1803, the best accounts of such experiments, detailing,

1. The expence of erecting the cottage, shed, and any other building thought necessary.

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2. The expence of providing the stock and tools necessary.

3. The extent of land, and nature of the soil occupied.

4. The expence of digging and fencing the land.

5. The rent, taxes, &c. paid for the same by the cottager."

6. The course of cropping that has been adopted.

7. The quantity and value of each of the different crops. 8. How the cottager and his family are maintained, and how they manage to cultivate the ground, and to harvest the different crops?

9. How the cow is maintained during the year, and what profit is derived from it?

10. What profit is derived from pigs, poultry, and other articles?

11. How many days they were enabled to labour for other people? and,

12. How, on the whole, the plan has been found to answer?'

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The object of the writer is to prove that the cottage system is applicable to arable as well as to grazing districts. the detailed observations, we must refer to the essay, which thus admirably terminates:

Í shall conclude with asking, if any one can figure to himself a more delightful spectacle, than to see an industrious cottager, his busy wife, and healthy family, living in a comfortable house, rented by himself, cultivating their little territory with their own hands, and enjoying the profits arising from their own labour and industry?

or whether it is possible for a generous landholder to employ his property with more satisfaction, or in a manner more likely to promote, not only his own, but the public interest, than by endeavouring to increase the number of such cottagers, and encouraging, by every means in his power, the exertions of so meritorious, and so important a class of the community?"

Essay III. Hints as to the Advantages of Old Pastures, and on the Conversion of Grass Lands into Tillage.-These remarks, we apprehend, have appeared in Vol. III. Part I. of Communications to the Board of Agriculture, the whole of which was devoted to this subject. See M. R. Vol. xxxix. N. S. p. 59.

Essay IV., intitled Hints regarding Cattle, offers many judicious remarks on the principles to be adopted in breeding cattle: the result of which is that cattle ought to be,

1. Of a moderate size, unless where the food is of a nature peculiarly forcing.

2. Of a shape the most likely to yield profit to the farmer. '3. Of a docile disposition, without being deficient in spirit. · 4. Hardy, and not liable to disease,

5. Easily maintained, and on food not of a costly nature. 6. Arriving soon at maturity.

7. Producing considerable quantities of milk.

8. Having flesh of an excellent quality.

9. Having a tendency to take on fat.

10. Having a valuable hide; and,

Lastly, Calculated (should it be judged necessary) for working.'

An Appendix is added, on the different kinds of Cattle Farms, which is also replete with information. We can only purloin from it the following note relative to butter and cheese:

Though fresh butter must be made with great care, yet salt butter requires, if possible, still greater attention, as it must be cal culated for preservation; and though salt is indispensable for that purpose, yet if the butter is properly prepared, and the salt properly mixed, the quantity required is not considerable. It is said that the butter made in the months of May, June, July, and August, is the fittest for salting; and that butter made in the latter part of the season will not take salt so well. In regard to cheese, in order to make it rich, they sometimes mix fine tallow with it, and sometimes butter: the latter mode is practised in the northern parts of Scotland. Sometimes also, farmers, in the northern parts of England, make what are called egg cheeses, which are famous for toasting. After the curd is thoroughly prepared, they make this cheese, by putting five yolks of eggs to every pound of curd, mixing the whole properly, and put ting it into the cheese-press as usual. As to whey, it is sometimes used for making butter, sometimes for feeding swine or calves, and sometimes prepared in the north of England, in the following manner.

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