SP SEE Oe ee

LER E DP 2a eRe 173

tion, This evil, in faét, refolves into another, viz. the inadequate fize of fatms, which will come to be treated under the fourth head above enumerated; and, till care be taken to obviate this difhculty, there will be fo many interefts deeply affected by any propofed change in the {tate of commonadle lands, that innumerable ob- ftructions will accur, in attempting hattily to aba- lift the practice by law, without taking judicious precautions to guagd againit the difficulties that may be expected to arife.

And it deferves to be particularly adverted to on this occafion, that however detrimental to the public at large, the practice of occupying com- monable lands may be; or however much the income of the owners of fuch lands muft there- by be diminifhed; it is a matter of comparatively {mall importance to the tenants, or occupiers of fuch lands: for to the tenant, efpecially if a te- nant at will, or one having a leafe renewable by fine upon lives,(under which two kinds of tenure the greateft part of commonable lands are occupied,) it is a matter of very little confe- quence, whether the land he occupies yields on an'average, ten quarters per acre, or ten bufhels only: for, under thefe circumftances, the rent that another perfon would be willing to give for

VAG Id Greene) C9 he Cc

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