[320]J

fort of life.‘This was ſo evident, that ſome neighbouring incloſures have followed the example, and it appears to me to be adviſeable that ſuch a plan ſhould be generally made known.

The firſt idea was to ſell the land, and place the money in the publick funds, in order to produce a larger incomes but I found that was not underſtood by the poor: they ſaid they might at any time be deprived of the money, and they had no intereſt in the land incloſed; whereas, in the mode purſued, they conſidered themſelves as having a permanent and improveable eſtate, which their children would inherit.

..®.* Theſe prejudices are valuable; as in their conſequences they

produce, if attended to, induſtry and content.

I have had occaſion to obſerve, as to fuel, which is cer- tainly an important article to the poor, that where there are commons, the ideal advantage of cutting flags, peat, or whins, often cauſes a poor man to ſpend more time after ſuch fuel, than, if he reckoned his labour, would purchaſe for him double the quantity of good firing.