I have had a great hand in many works relating to almoft every branch. I have made up the far greater part of most books of voyages and travels, the authors of which are known to be very intimate with me even to a proverb: I have compiled many volumes of impartial hiftories; I have furnished many new systems in philofophy, and have carried on many a warm controversy in polemical divinity. As for poetry, my talent has lain chiefly in panegyric, though I have not frequently dabbled in fatire. I will not pretend that I ever affifted the Laureat in his fublime odes; but I declare that I never dictated a fingle expreffion in any of Mr. ---------`'S compofitions.

In Politics, Mr. Printer,---in Politics--- aye, there indeed, I fhine. During the prefent political fquabbles, I have been of infinite fervice to both parties; and in every thing that has been published, it has plainly appeared, that I have had no fmall concern. Nor have I thought it beneath me to supply materials even for common News-papers. Maubert could not have cked out his Bruffels Gazette without me; and you yourfelf, Mr. Printer, have received from me many wonderful para graphs. To conclude quite in character---I am,

Dear Mr. Printer,

Your moft obliged, and affectionate humble fervant,

LYE.

IT T is often remarked that there is fcarce any Art more capable of improvement than that of Hufbandry; therefore the Editor, in order to affift in an affair so very advantageous to the Public, has inferted the following hints.

Α

S the harvest approaches, and the weather is catching, it may not be amifs to acquaint all fuch as are concerned in wheat lands with the following remarks.

On the banks of the Rhine, almost all over Flanders, and of late in France, they mow their Wheat with a feythe, inftead of reaping it with a fickle, because it is better and more eafily performed, and at much lefs expence. A good reaper in France will cut fix tenths of an English acre in a day; a good mower will cut an English acre and a half in a day.

The reaper leaves ftubble fix or eight inches high; the mower leaves his stubble but two inches high, by which he gains more ftraw.

In France, to reap 112 acres of wheat, English measure,

with

with a fickle, they commonly allow to to men 20 days, that is, 200 days to one man. To cut the fame quantity of acres of wheat with a fcythe, they allow feven mowers and seven binders ten days, equal to 140 days of one man, by which they fave 60 days work.

Befides that, the binders have les wages than the mowers and reapers; for the binders are children of twelve or fifteen years of age, old women, and men not able to stand hard work; the mower therefore does three fifths more than the reaper. The different poftures of the mower and reaper are to be attended to. That of the former is much the eafier, and his hands are not fo much expofed to thistles, nettles, &c. And when Wheat is mowed the corn fheds lefs. And as the mower can difpatch his bufinefs in fo much lefs time, that method is more peculiarly serviceable in an uncertain and catching feafon.

It is to be obferved the mower of oats has always the Atanding corn on his right hand, and the corn cut on his left; on the contrary, the mower of Wheat has the standing corn always on his left, and the corn cut on his right.

The mowing Wheat is more particularly useful where the ground does not lie flat, but is raised in ridges or lands, as is generally the custom in Northamptonshire, and alfo in rainy feafons, for the ear will not be fo apt to shoot. The ftraw indeed, as being in a greater quantity, is more difficult to thresh, but then the additional ftraw fufficiently pays for that labour. And after the Wheat is mowed the grafs fooner grows up again, and the stubble does not prick the nostrils of the cattle as it does when it is reaped.

It is true, the fcythes ufed are of a different form from thofe commonly used in England. The blade of every one of them is fix inches fhorter than that of the English scythe. The Brabant scythe refts on the infide of the fhoulder; the Hainault on the lower joint of the arm, and fometimes on the thigh, 'tis the most like the fickle of any. The French is a direct cradle fcythe, only the handle is quite straight. Now when the crop is cut, it may not be amifs to shew how it is stacked to preserve it from the wet, in which fituation it may remain in the field fix weeks or two months, without any danger from the inclemency of the weather. They fet one fheaf upright with the ears uppermoft, and round that they place a circle of many other fheaves with

the

the ears uppermoft, inclining on the first fheaf; and when fo placed they look like the figure of an extinguisher.

Then they lay an horizontal circle of fheaves, with all the ears in the center, and they cover those ears in the middle with a loose fheaf or two.

Thus placed, they are protected from all wet, and may remain in the field fix weeks or two months as fafe as they would be in a barn; and this method of stacking has been adopted in Suffex, Surry, Kent, and many other fouthern counties, to the great benefit of the Farmers and the Public.

N. B. The French arpent, or acre, according to Mr. Greaves's calculation, conftsts of 100 perches of 22 feet each, making in all 48,400 fquare French feet, and is equal to 51,691 English fquare feet, or one acre, 29 poles, nine paces one yard two feet and one half fquare, that is to fay, to very near an acre and three quarters of a rood English measure. The French meafure is according to this proportion, reduced in the account above to the English measure.

CONTINUATION OF

REFLECTIONS on COURTSHIP and MARRIAGE.

But in young minds, for of fuch only I fpeak, where there are commonly docile and pliable difpofitions, is it an infuperable talk to raife in them an ambition for good fenfe, and a judicious tafte? There are many paffions to work upon, which a nice and gentle hand may manage to his purpose. There are the feeds of reflexion; and though they may lie under rubbish, it is to be cleared away: They may be fown in good ground; and, by minding times and feafons, and dealing tenderly with them, they will bring forth a crop of happy and useful reflec

tious.

But fuller me, gentlemen, to go yet farther. Allowing what we have fad on the education of young ladies to be all true; does not our fex too often compleat what that has begun? Do we not in general flatter them with a heap of bombast stuff, and then laugh at them for feeming pleafed with it? Do we not blow up their vanity and conceit, with notions of that merit to which they have no juft title? And gloss over their filly airs and follies with falfe applaufe, and epithets of approbation? Do we not generally converfe with them in a language of rhodomontade and nonsense?

How

How then is it poffible for them to improve, how to difcern real from falfe excellence, who feldom hear a word of fenfe, and lefs of truth? 'Tis this fort of treatment young ladies meet with in common life; and too much of this kind we carry with us when we make our matrimonial addresses; to which, and our fubfequent imprudences after marriage, I cannot but afcribe the many just fatyrs that are thrown out against it. But would we" Here the difcourfe was interrupted by a circumftance which I doubt not you well remember. Had the gentleman proceeded, your opinion might poffibly have been determined, and prevented me an attempt, for which I fear I am not sufficiently qualified. However, I will not add to the trouble of your perufal any further apologies, which are in general the effects more of vanity than modefty. I am then of that gentleman's opinion, whose discourse was broke in upon :

That unhappy matches are often occafioned by mere mercenary views in one or both of the parties, or by the headftrong motives of ill-conducted paffion.

That by a prudent and judicious proceeding, in our addreffes to a young lady of a good natural temper, a probable foundation may be laid for making her an agreeable companion, a fteady friend, and a good wife

And that after marriage, by continuing in the road of prudence and judgment, we may erect a fuperftructure of as much real felicity, and as refined an enjoyment of life, to its latest period, as any other scheme can juftly lay claim to.

I fhall give you my deliberate thoughts on these four particulars; the firft, fecond and third, will be the fubject of this, the fourth that of another letter; and, to be the lefs confused, I fhall put them under a fort of method.

SECT. I. Many unhappy matches are occafioned by mercenary views in one or both of the parties.

T

HAT luxury, and an expensive manner of life,, is not lefs the attention than the ambition of most people in their feveral claffes; and that fuch a turn of mind must naturally and neceffarily carry with it a violent and insatiable thirst for riches; to any perfon of obfervation and reflection, is as obvious on the one hand, as it is confequential on the other.

It is as certain, that a paffion so prevalent, will, of course, weigh down and stifle every noble, generous, and difinterested fentiment.

We fee but too often, like a destructive torrent, it hurries away all the principles of humanity, friendship, and honour.

In

1

In short,------whenever luxury, and an ambition for fhow and grandeur, becomes our ruling paffion, the love of money, as being the neceffary means for attaining the other, will be proportionably ftrong: And whatever is our ruling paffion, it will fwallow up all the reft, and be the governing principle of our actions.

A great philofopher, and a poet, that has, I think, no equal in our language, tells us:

The ruling paffion, be it what it will,

The ruling paffion conquers reafon ftill*.

Every man of obfervation and thought does, I believe, find, that exterior fhew, and the poffeffion of wealth, is become the common standard of merit; that a flavifh obfequioufnefs is paid to it, at the expence of all that is truly great and manly.

The fame little, fneaking, and felfifh fpirit, is crept into our matrimonial pursuits; and not, I think, lefs with the fair than our own fex.

What abominable proftitutions of perfons and minds are daily to be feen in many of our marriages! How little a share has real friendfhip and efteem in most of them! How many proftitute themselves for a good fettlement, under the legal title of a wife! And how many facrifice themselves to repair a broken fortune, or to gain one!

Are thefe muckworms to expect any focial happinefs with each other! Shall their wretched experience be quoted as inftances to prove matrimony unworthy our choice!

So two rich mountains of Peru +

May rufh to wealthy marriage too.

The real felicity of marriage does undoubtedly confist in an union of minds and a fympathy of affections; in a mutual efteem and friendship for each other in the highest degree poffible. But in that alliance, where intereft and fortune only is confidered, thofe refined and tender fentiments are neither felt nor known. And what are they exchanged for? Why, to make a glare in the eyes of the little and great vulgar; to be hurried through fcenes of ridiculous and treacherous ceremony; to raise envy in the weak and filly part of the world, pity and contempt in the wife and judicious.

And what are the confequences to the parties themselves? Why, at best, a cold, flat, and infipid intercourse; void of the exquifite relifh of a fincere esteem, and the divine pleasures of a reasonable and honourable friendship.

Pope's Epifle to lord Bathurst.

† Watts.

[To be continued.]