7。ItisfromFrance，thatimpressionsunfavourabletopeasantpropertiesaregenerallydrawn;itisinFrancethatthesystemissooftenassertedtohavebroughtforthitsfruitinthemostwretchedpossibleagriculture，andtoberapidlyreducing，ifnottohavealreadyreducedthepeasantry，bysubdivisionofland，tothevergeofstarvation。itisdifficulttoaccountforthegeneralprevalenceofimpressionssomuchthereverseoftruth。TheagricultureofFrancewaswretchedandthepeasantryingreatindigencebeforetheRevolution。Atthattimetheywerenot，souniversallyasatpresent，landedproprietors。
Therewere，however，considerabledistrictsofFrancewheretheland，eventhen，wastoagreatextentthepropertyofthepeasantry，andamongtheseweremanyofthemostconspicuousexceptionstothegeneralbadagricultureandtothegeneralpoverty。Anauthority，onthispoint，nottobedisputed，isArthurYoung，theinveterateenemyofsmallfarms，thecoryphaeusofthemodernEnglishschoolofagriculturists;whoyet，travellingovernearlythewholeofFrancein1787，1788，and1789，whenhefindsremarkableexcellenceofcultivation，neverhesitatestoascribeittopeasantproperty。\"LeavingSauve，\"
sayshe，（32*）\"Iwasmuchstruckwithalargetractofland，seeminglynothingbuthugerocks;yetmostofitenclosedandplantedwiththemostindustriousattention。Everymanhasanolive，amulberry，analmond，orapeachtree，andvinesscatteredamongthem;sothatthewholegroundiscoveredwiththeoddestmixtureoftheseplantsandbulgingrocks，thatcanbeconceived。Theinhabitantsofthisvillagedeserveencouragementfortheirindustry;andifIwereaFrenchministertheyshouldhaveit。Theywouldsoonturnallthedesertsaroundthemintogardens。Suchaknotofactivehusbandmen，whoturntheirrocksintoscenesoffertility，becauseIsupposetheirown，woulddothesamebythewastes，ifanimatedbythesameomnipotentprinciple。\"Again:（33*）\"WalktoRossendal，\"（nearDunkirk）
\"whereM。leBrunhasanimprovementontheDunes，whichheveryobliginglyshowedme。Betweenthetownandthatplaceisagreatnumberofneatlittlehouses，builteachwithitsgarden，andoneortwofieldsenclosed，ofmostwretchedblowingdunesand，naturallyaswhiteassnow，butimprovedbyindustry。Themagicofpropertyturnssandtogold。\"Andagain:（34*）\"GoingoutofGange，IwassurprisedtofindbyfarthegreatestexertioninirrigationwhichIhadyetseeninFrance;andthenpassedbysomesteepmountains，highlycultivatedinterraces。MuchwateringatSt。Lawrence。Thesceneryveryinterestingtoafarmer。FromGange，tothemountainofroughgroundwhichI
crossed，theridehasbeenthemostinterestingwhichIhavetakeninFrance;theeffortsofindustrythemostvigorous;theanimationthemostlively。Anactivityhasbeenhere，thathassweptawayalldifficultiesbeforeit，andhasclothedtheveryrockswithverdure。Itwouldbeadisgracetocommonsensetoaskthecause;theenjoymentofpropertymusthavedoneit。Giveamanthesecurepossessionofableakrock，andhewillturnitintoagarden;givehimanineyears’leaseofagarden，andhewillconvertitintoadesert。\"