“404- An Humble Petition.

_[Dec-

Although ſome individuals have adopted this”pradtice, yet, as it is not generally known, T conceive the communication may with propriety find a place in your Magazine, and'am, Sir,

Your humble ſervant, A. WILKINSON, M.D.

White Webb Farm, Enfield Chace,

Dec. 18th, 1800. Li Sud THE HUMBLE PETITION OF 500,000 FRUGALLY DISPOSED HOUSEKEEPERS, RESIDENT IN THE UNITED KINGDOMS OF ENGLANN, SCOTLAND, AND IRELAND.; To the Editor of the Commercial and. Agricultural Magazine. SIR,» AN Y of us have peruſed Mr. T. Weſton'’s letter inſerted in your laſt Magazine, intimating that the next graud ſhow of overgrown cattle will be far grander, greater, and overgrown than any of the former exhibitions; which hath excited in us no ſmall degree of concern and alarm—lefſt this mania-—this folly- feeding ſyſtem ſhould ſpread throughout theſe dominions and be the utter ruin of us, and twenty times our number beſides.

We have hitherto vainly flattered ourſelves with the hope‘this raree ſhow would have been wiſely confined to narrow limite, or only been purſued by a few fanciful folk, in reſemblance to our floriſts who amuſe themſelves with the how of auriculas and carnations, which, however filly, is happily very harmleſs—and the fewacres of territery which could be more uſefully employed, afford them a very ample ſcope in the indulgence of ſuch trifles. But, Mr. Editor, the ſubje& of complaint we make, is of a more ſerious caſt; for ſhould the hopes of Mr. T. Weſton, the feeding ſocicties, and‘other amateurs of this deſcription be able to give ample effe@ to their wiſhes and their views, we ſhould not have a pound of butchers meat which either ourſelves or families could eat.

This is a fa, Sir; aſk thoſe perſons or houſekeepers who ever aB purchaſed this choice meat(perhaps at two ſhillings a pound by| the bye) what good they have got out of it, and they will tell you a waßſteful tale indeed. One third of it no chriſtian can eat, or Enows how to eat—it hath often times been reduced to the one

- third of its original value; and inſtead of being the food of man

the food of coach wheels and other machinery; or, handed to Mr. Glimnmer-light and moulded into a dapper-looking fellow— a tender hearted, melting ſoul—the“ Fabric ofa Vißion;” and a RUNAWAY-ralſcal, that ought to be bound down more firmly by| the ieziſlature—but he ſhamefully ſinks off before we can by| his aſûiſtance, get to the bottom of a page of your Magazine, or ſcribble’ out this our petition.

In vain have we puzzled ourſelves to do better—we have pored over the writings of old mother Glaſs, whoſe cookery book is faid to have been written by the noted old Dr. Hill; but we