ON THE CORN: LAWS. 249

}: ES._=. ei x lai per day, to every individual in Britain, But if, at any time, LETT. HET.

from the increafe of luxury in the nation, every inhabitant was VTT 02, to confume one ounce more per day; in that cafe it would re-

quire an additional 803, 79 acres of fertile land, one halfin rich OZ, paîture, and nearly the other half in turiup, to fatten and pro- duce the neceffary quantity; four-fevenths of which, or 458,900 acres, were annually carrying luxuriant crops ofcorn. But even, computing thefe crops at the low average of two quarters per acre, it would occafion an annual failure of 917,800 quarters, which will account for the difference between the moft flou- rifhing period of the Corn Trade, and the deficiency of latter times. Whoever, therefore, confiders with attention the in- creafed confumption of animal food in Britain, within thefe fifty years laft paît, and particularly fince the peace of 1763, will fee good caufe for the growing fcarcity of corn.

Before I leave this part of my Inquiry, I muft mention an- other effect of luxury, in adding to the fcarcity both of ani- mal and vegetable food, viz. the great degree of fatnefs to which the people in England now require to have their beef

and mutton fed, till, as Milton defcribes the cattle in Para- dife,

On the grafs, Couch’d, and now fill d with pañture, gazing fat,

they can hardly ftand on their legs, or travel a few miles to ire be flaughtered. There is reafon to believe, that half the quan- od üuty. of land would feed cattle moderately fat, that is required to put them in condition for flaughtering in England; and it t 15 ET

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