THE CORN LAWS. 15

=, à° e 2 re 6 ù D} obférvations, computes that two millions went out of the king- CHAP. E ’ ec ab Les.) dom at one time for corn*.

Nor did Enoland ever fupply herfelf with corn, till after [æ) LE

the fyftem of corn laws, begun by King William in 1088,

== HR| li bg. were COMPIELECL HAS rF7OO.

{

In Scotland, the iron rod of purveyors, was alfo exercifed with great feverity. Their conduét in early times has been trafimitted to. us by an aét of che Chamberlain Air(circuit

court) c. 177.

Agriculture has now become the chief manufadture of Great Britain: itis that upon which all others depend, and in which many more people are employed, than in any other

manufacture whatever.

The confequence of agriculture to the ftate, from the num- bers of people employed in it, 1s highly increafed by the nume- rous and vigorous offspring which they produce, by whom the waîte, made in the human fpecies by every other manu- facture, is fupplied.

We find no manufadturer returning his fon to the plough, while almoft every ploughman endeavours to breed up, at leaft one of his fons, to what 1s vulgarly called a trade, as giving him a higher rank in fociety. Prejudices remain long after their caufes have ceafed; and perhaps this fentiment con-

* Hume’s Hit, vol. Se Ps.127

15