An account of the translation was given in a periodical publication, (Bulletin des Sciences Agricoles et Economiques), which closes with a very flattering compliment, both to the original author and the translator. "Il serait à desirer qu'il

parût souvent des ouvrages pareils, et qu'ils eussent pour auteurs des Sir John Sinclair, et pour traducteurs, des hommes comme M. Mathieu de Dombasle."

III.

BARON VOGHT.

Since the death of the celebrated Thaer, Baron Voght of Hamburgh is justly considered at the head of German agriculture. He had spent some months at Edinburgh, when I had the pleasure of cultivating a friendly intercourse with him, and we have since occasionally corresponded. One of the first letters with which he favoured me, was the following:

MY DEAR SIR,

Hamburgh, 18th February 1796.

I feel great pleasure in repeating to you, that I think myself peculiarly fortunate in having made your acquaintance during my stay in your country. It adds not a little to my satisfaction, that your kindness has laid me under obligation to a character, whom I so sincerely revere, and upon whom posterity will look with gratitude.

If ever agriculture, hardly yet an art, becomes a science ;if useful practices, the slow achievements of age, have been explored and made universal ;-if your country comes to know its own strength, and the bloodless conquest it can still make in its interior ;-if more and more nations do unite in liberal communication of their discoveries, and vie with each other in applying them towards the comforts and the happiness of

the members of society;-whenever these events take place, (and the period cannot be distant), not only your countrymen, but even distant nations will look upon you, as the founder of this new science, and the promoter of public happiness.

As yet, you have only begun your glorious career. Only one part of your avowed plans is begun upon. The pale of the surface only of your island has yet been attended to. The riches hidden in the bowels of your soil, those neglected on your shores, will, at a later period, be better known, and worked with becoming spirit.

I would gladly have acknowledged the liberality with which you did communicate to me the different county reports, by returning them with the humble tribute of my remarks; but my stay in most of the counties has been so short, that my observations with regard to agriculture could have been but very superficial.

I have already expressed to you my desire of paying my debt another way. I wish to establish, in some part of Germany, an investigation like that you have occasioned all over England and Scotland. I hope, indeed, to succeed under some few governments, who will not think it high treason to lay before the public a picture of their interior. I shall, in all probability, begin with Holstein, the country where my estate lies, and which enjoys the mild government of a young Prince, desirous to do every thing in his power to promote the happiness of his subjects, and who is supported by a council, whose wisdom and philanthropy has shewn itself in most critical circumstances.

This small country would be interesting enough, as it contains at once the most barren and the richest soil in the Continent; some spots where Flemish and Dutch colonies, since a century past, have worked the soil with industry, capital, and excellent principles which they brought along with them, and something like a free constitution, which their descendants still enjoy. Next to those happy spots, all the horrors of feudal government exist in its full force. The estates are

unoccupied, and yield but little. Population is in proportion. In those tracts, 1s. 4d. and 5s. 6d. an acre, for inclosed land fit for wheat, is thought an exorbitant rent:-the gross produce, on an average, never amounts to 20s. ;-and estates of 7000 acres are sold for about L.31,000. I need not say, that these lands are cultivated by slaves, whose property belongs to the lord, who at the same time has full jurisdiction over them.

I have planned a series of chemico-botanico-agricultural experiments, which, with the assistance of Messrs Schmeisser and Wattinbach, I intend to carry on upon a farm I just now bought near my estate for that purpose. The experiments shall be made with care, and described with accuracy.

I will feel very happy in laying before you and the Board of Agriculture, the result of my endeavours in both ways; and rejoice in being instrumental in adding a link to that chain of good-will and communicated information, by which, I trust, all nations will soon be united with each other.

I see, with infinite pleasure, that you have great probability of succeeding in your motion for a general inclosure act, which, modified as it may be, will still serve to diminish the expense and loss of time attending private applications to Parliament, whose success still may be made doubtful by particular influence. Could you add to this wise measure, a commutation of tithes at a fixed sum per acre, the effect upon rural industry would be incalculable. After that, the state of your labourers requires your attention, and I do not hesitate in saying, that this is the most important point of all.

May still increasing prosperity attend that happy island, where I have spent so many comfortable hours, and been taught to love and revere so many characters, that do honour to humanity. May you continue to shew to the world, that the blessings you enjoy are the never-failing effects of liberty well understood, and limited by wisdom in your public, by virtue in your private transactions; and at my return amongst you,

may nothing strike my eye but sights of bliss! This is the fervent wish of, Dear Sir, your most obedient servant,

VOGHT.

When I raised a regiment of fencibles in 1795, I sent an engraving of a soldier of the corps, in the Highland uniform, to my friend Baron Voght, on which occasion he wrote to me the following letter:

DEAR SIR,

Edinburgh, 1st May 1795.

I am much obliged to you for the very handsome specimen of Highland soldiery, upon whom I look, indeed, in the very respectable light, of the defenders of their country, and of the best of all constitutions.

I will take it with me, to shew to my countrymen, the union of the two exertions, by which a man can be most well deserving of this country-both to feed and to protect it; and if I was to draw your picture, one hand should lean upon the plough, when the other was wielding the sword. That you may soon have occasion to turn it into a coulter, is my most sincere wish.

I herewith send you a few copies of an imperfect account of an excellent establishment *. It is an object so nearly related to public happiness, that I make no apology for troubling you with them, nor for begging you to communicate them to such of your friends as employ themselves in pursuits of this kind. I am, with true respect, your very humble and faithful servant,

VOGHT.

Connected with the management of the poor in Hamburgh.

IV.

ROBERT PATTERSON, ESQ. OF AMERICA.

Among the distinguished natives of America, with whom I became acquainted in the course of my agricultural pursuits, there was none who seemed to be better entitled to regard and esteem, than Robert Patterson, Esq., from whom I had the pleasure of receiving the following communication:

DEAR SIR,

Park Corner, 23d June 1820.

I am obliged to you for the Prospectus, and have no doubt that it will be well received in America. Your Code of Agriculture has been published in America,

and is in the hands Indeed it has exci

of every intelligent agriculturist there. ted a degree of attention to that useful science, never felt by us before.

I shall have pleasure in meeting with you at Holkham. Yours very sincerely and faithfully,

ROBERT PATTERSON.

V.

G. W. FEATHERSTONHAUGH, ESQ. OF NEW YORK.

This zealous agriculturist visited Scotland, for the purpose of ascertaining the state of husbandry in that country, and he furnished me with very satisfactory accounts of the progress of agriculture in America. In answer to the inquiries I had made, regarding the establishment of a board of agriculture in the State of New York, I had the pleasure of receiving from him the following communication: