the practicability of commercial intercourse through the Continent between the Eastern and Western coasts.

Mr. M. has drawn up some brief observations concerning the geography, the climate, and the fur trade of North America; which are inserted in the latter part of his volume, and serve as an appendix to the voyages. In his remarks on the geography, he considers both the political divisions, and those which have been formed by nature. The climate, it is stated, is much more severe on the Eastern than on the Western coast; which the author attributes to the former being exposed to the North-west winds that blow from the Frozen Sea.-The following passage affords matter for reflection: but we will not undertake to determine whether or not it is founded on a sufficient length of experience:

It has been frequently advanced, that the difference of clearing away the wood has had an astonishing influence in meliorating the climate: but I am not disposed to assent to that opinion in the extent which it proposes to establish, when I consider the very trifling proportion of the country cleared, compared with the whole. The employment of the axe may have had some inconsiderable effect; but I look to other causes. I myself observed in a country, which was in an absolute state of nature, that the climate is improving; and this circumstance was confirmed to me by the native inhabitants of it. Such a change, therefore, must proceed from some predominating operation in the system of the globe which is beyond my conjecture, and, indeed, above my comprehension, and may, probably, in the course of time, give to America the climate of Europe. It is well known, indeed, that the waters are decreasing there, and that many lakes are draining and filling up by the earth which is carried into them from the higher lands by the rivers: and this may have some partial effect.'

The writer concludes his work with considerations respecting the fur-trade; which, he is of opinion, would be productive of more advantage both to the public and to the merchants, if the Hudson's-Bay and the North-West Companies were to unite.

Experience, however, (he says,) has proved that this trade, from its very nature, cannot be carried on by individuals. A very large capital, or credit, or indeed both, is necessary; and consequently an association of men of wealth to direct, with men of enterprise to act, in one common interest, must be formed on such principles, as that in due time the latter may succeed the former, in continual and progressive succession. Such was the equitable and successful mode adopted by the merchants from Canada, which has been already described.

The junction of such a commercial association with the Hudson'sBay Company is the important measure which I would propose, and the trade might then be carried on with a very superior degree of ad

vantage,

vantage, both private and public, under the privilege of their charter, and would prove, in fact, the complete fulfilment of the conditions on which it was first granted.

It would be an equal injustice to either party to be excluded from the option of such an undertaking; for if the one has a right by charter; has not the other a right by prior possession, as being successors to the subjects of France, who were exclusively possessed of all the then known parts of this country, before Canada was ceded to Great Britain, except the coast of Hudson's Bay, and having them. selves been the discoverers of a vast extent of country since added to his Majesty's territories, even to the Hyperborean and the Pacific Oceans?

If, therefore, that company should decline, or to be averse to engage in, such an extensive, and perhaps hazardous, undertaking, it would not, surely, be an unreasonable proposal to them, from government, to give up a right which they refuse to exercise, on allowing them a just and reasonable indemnification for their stock, re gulated by the average dividends of a certain number of years, or the actual price at which they transfer their stock.

By enjoying the privilege of the company's charter, though but for a limited period, there are adventurers who would be willing, as they are able, to engage in, and carry on, the proposed commercial undertaking, as well as to give the most ample and satisfactory se curity to government for the fulfilment of its contract with the company.'

With these observations, the author has given a sketch of the mode which he would recommend as the most eligible for con ducting the trade...

It seems superfluous to add to the foregoing account, that we regard the expeditions of Mr. Mackenzie as of considerable importance to geography and commerce; and that his narrative contains much information and entertainment. It is accompanied with three maps, which are well executed :* one, general, of the Northern part of America, from 40° to 70° Ni latitude; and a separate map for each voyage.

ART. II. Letters from his Excellency General Washington to Arthur Young, Esq. F. R.S.: Containing an Account of his Husbandry, with a Map of his Farm; his Opinions on various Questions in Agriculture; and many Particulars of the Rural Economy of the United States. 8vo. pp. 172. 3s. sewed. Richardson, &c.

ACCURACY is peculiarly desirable on all matters of practical

importance, and every branch of rural science comes. under this description. When our inquiries respect the state of agriculture in distant countries, it is necessary to consider. the authority on which our information rests, and the medium through which it comes to us. Of the Rural Economy of the United States, we have heard various accounts: but perhaps

none

us.

none are more clearly exhibited, and rest on more satisfactory evidence, than the details contained in the pages now before General Washington deservedly ranks among the most eminent characters of the eighteenth century; and while history delineates his political and military character as inferior to none in virtue and the noblest fame, these letters will serve to prove that he possessed those estimable qualities which constitute the amiable man and the useful citizen. We recollect, indeed, no individual in antiquity, who must not lose by a comparison with Washington: but, if we were to make such a parallel, it would be with the Elder Cato; who is described by Cicero as cultivating his mind and deriving pleasure from agriculture in his old age.

It is a species of mental luxury to follow this founder of a great and flourishing empire into his rural retirement, and to hear him indulging in the following noble sentiment: How much more delightful to an undebauched mind is the task of making improvements on the earth, than all the vain glory which can be acquired from ravaging it, by the most uninterrupted career of conquests!' This is a reflection, as Mr. Young observes, which does honour to the heart of this truly great man; and we will add that the world would be more happy, if all, who are placed in the situation occupied by Washington, felt like him its full effect. Though there be not much to warrant romantic expectations of human felicity from this source, we may be allowed to say, with Mr. Y., that

It must be a pleasing spectacle to a reflecting mind, to see so close an attention paid to the practice of Agriculture, by men in the highest situations; who, from commanding Armies, and presiding in Senates, can descend to the humble walk of Husbandry, and find it an employment sufficient to interest the most splendid talents; and an amusement that can animate the best affections of the heart.'

This correspondence gives a very satisfactory, because authentic and accurate, account of the Central States of the American Union; yet, since the details which it contains were the result of queries known to have been proposed by Mr. Young, it is fair to suppose that the American reporters consulted by General Washington made the best of the subject to the Transatlantic inquirer, without violating the truth. The first letter is dated, Mount Vernon, August 6, 1786; and the last, Philadelphia, December 12, 1793; so that the correspondence occupies a space of rather more than seven years. To put Mr. Young in possession of various facts, besides communicating the result of his own extensive experience, the President of the United States addressed a circular letter, containing a string of questions, to several intelligent farmers in the States of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,

Maryland,

Maryland, and Virginia, respecting the fee-simple value, rent, and produce of land in their districts; together with the price of labour, of articles of growth and consumption, and the amount of taxes; inclosing to his British correspondent copies of the several answers.

In a letter dated Hope-Park, Fairfax County, Virginia, Nor. 18, 1791, we have the following account:

I never entertained very high opinions of our system of farming, but what I had is certainly lower than it was. Our farms are, in general, too large to admit of much nicety, and, I believe, it would be unhappy for us to have any great desire to be so, with our black labourers, and the more worthless wretches we employ to overlook them. The manner too, in which our attention has been engrossed by the cultivation of tobacco, and large quantities of Indian corn, has, no doubt, had some share in rendering us slovenly farmers. Having had, hitherto, plenty of fresh land for these articles, we have disregarded every means of improving our opened grounds, either by manure, or laying them down in grasses--but as we begin now to set some store by our woods, and tobacco has declined so much in value, that people are generally exchanging tobacco for wheat, I Hatter myself, the face of our country will soon assume an appearance, that will not only do honour to our climate, but ourselves→→ indeed it has long been evident to me, that our sagacious northern brethren not only considered our climate as superior to their own, but our lands too as capable of being made so, from their constant annual emigrations among us.'

In another letter dated in 1790, we find a list of taxes, which we are told may be relied on :'

Philadelphia county, 80

none

16s. 1o8. - 226. 5d. —158. 2d.a

From the letters of General Washington, we shall make some interesting extracts, which shew the true state of American husbandry:

An English farmer must entertain a contemptible opinion of our husbandry, or a horrid idea of our lands, when he shall be informed that not more than eight or ten bushels of wheat is the yield of an acre; but this low produce may be ascribed, and principally too, to a cause which I do not find touched by either of the gentlemen whose letters are sent to you, namely, that the aim of the farmers ip this country (if they can be called farmers) is, not to make the

...moss

most they can from the land, which is or has been cheap, but the most of the labour, which is dear; the consequence of which has been, much ground has been scratched over, and none cultivated or improved as it ought to have been: whereas a farmer in England, where land is dear, and labour cheap, finds it his interest to improve and cultivate highly, that he may reap large crops from a small quantity of ground.

That labour in this country is higher than it is in England, I can readily conceive. The ease with which a man can obtain land in fee, beyond the mountains, to which most of that class of people repair, may be assigned as the primary cause of it. But high wages is not the worst evil attending the hire of white men in this country; for being accustomed to better fare than, I believe, the labourers of almost any other country, adds considerably to the expence of employing them; whilst blacks, on the contrary, are cheaper, the common food of them (even when well treated) being bread made of Indian corn, butter-milk, fish (pickled herrings) frequently, and meat now and then; with a blanket for bedding.'

You seem surprized, and no wonder, to hear that many of our farmers, if they can be so called, cultivate much ground for little profit, because land is cheap, and labour is high; but you will remember, that when I'informed you of this fact, I reprobated, at the same time, both the practice and the principle. The history, however, of it is this-a piece of land is cut down, and kept under constant cultivation, first in tobacco, and then in Indian corn, (two very exhausting plants,) until it will yield scarcely any thing;-a second piece is cleared, and treated in the same manner; then a third, and so on, until, probably, there is but little more to clear. When this happens, the owner finds himself reduced to the choice of one of three things either to recover the land which he has ruined, to accomplish which, he has perhaps neither the skill, the industry, nor the means-or to retire beyond the mountains or to substitute quantity for quality, in order to raise something. The latter has been generally adopted, and, with the assistance of horses, he scratches over much ground, and seeds it, to very little purpoзe, as you may suppose, and have been informed; for I presume an English farmer would bestow more labour on one acre, by deep and fre quent ploughings, besides the dressings he gives to the land, than the other does on five acres. It is but justice, however, to Pennsylvania, to declare, that her husbandry (though not perfect) is much better, and her crops proportionably greater. The practice above-mentioned applies more particularly to the Tobacco States, which, happily, are yielding more and more every year to the growth of wheat; and as this prevails the husbandry improves. Instances could be enumerated, and where no extraordinary, dressings or management has been used, of land yielding from 30 to 40 bushels of wheat per acre, that has been very much exhausted.

Your mode of calculating the taxes in this country, being unusual with us, I may not accurately understand and as the Virginia method was, if I recollect rightly, detailed in my former accounts, I know not how to give you a more distinct idea of them, than by exhibiting the items of the specific charges on every species of taxable

property,