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180 RIESBECK’S TRAVELS THROUGH GERMANY,
from their burthens, if, according to the King’s paternal requifition, they will abflain
from luxury. It is the manufacturers, artilts, petty tradefmen, and above all, the lower
and middling inhabitants of the great citiés, who are compelled to confume the produc-
tions of the country, and the farmer has all the benefit of it; indeed, the whole Pruffian
fyitem of cuftoms is adapted for the peculiar advantage of the latter; for inftance, the
objeét in the extravagant duties on foreign wines, is to compel the people to drink the
beer of the country, in the making of which the farmer employs his barley and his hops.
‘The foldier gives every thing to the farmer 5 his clothing, his eating, his drinking, all
contribute to the profperity of the inhabitants of the country. An evident reafon why
the Pruffian farmers mult be the very people who can know no want of money, is, that
the produétions of the country are much dearer than they are in any of the neighbouring
countries, though the fale is much greater.
I have read ina German review the account of a work, the author of which attempts
to prove, that the advantages enjoyed by the Pruffian farmers over the other orders of
the fate, will fome time or other prove dangerous to the conflitution ; but is it not na-
tural, is it not republican, is it not confonant to the dignity of man to conceive, that the
moft ufeful, and moft numerous part of a community fhould have the greateft authority
in it? Shalla parcel of lords poflefs all the advantages of that freedom which the farmer
is obliged to give his blood to defend?
Mr. Pilati, who often contradidts what he has proved, and often proves what he has
contradicted, makes a remark in his account of Sicily, which, though it does not agree
with what he himfelf had faid before of the {tate of agriculture in Pruffia, does great ho-
nour to the Pruffian adminifiration. After having contrafted the profufe bleflings of
nature in this ifland, with her {ftep-mother treatment of the countries under the Pruffian
dominions, he tells us, that notwithftanding this, the Pruffian farmers are happier than
thofe of Sicily. What a god-like adminiftration muft that be, which makes the inha-
bitants of a fandy wafte happier than the pofleflors of a country, which both ancient and
modern writers extol as a miracle of fruitfulnefs and wealth! The land in Sicily pro-
duces a hundred fold, and in Pruffia it is a miracle when the mays yields feven or eight
times, and the corn twelve or fifteen times, what has been fown. ‘The Sicilians, befides
the corn trade, have oil, filk, wine, citrons, oranges, fugar, and feveral other moft va-
luable articles. ‘The Pruflians have only a few turnips, crab-apples, and nuts; and yet
the latter are richer than the former: and is it not far more honourable to the admi-
niftration of Pruffia, that notwithitanding the niggardlinefs of nature, the greateft part of
the inhabitants are happier than if it poffefled a dozen Lords Clive, Cavendifh, and Bal-
timore, and three fcore Dukes Pignatelli, Monteleone, and Matalone? If one confiders,
as it isjuft to do, the very unfavourable foil that was to be worked upon, it will appear
that the King has done wonders in agriculture. I faw feveral tracts of cultivated land,
which fourteen or fifteen years ago were barren fands. ‘The number of villages and
houfes in his feveral dominions, which he has either made, or fo improved, that they
are not to be known again, amounts to feveral hundreds. As the morafles contain fome
of the beft land here, he {pends immenfe fums in drying them ; upon the whole, you
fee that agriculture here, is what nature prefcribes it thall be, the ground-work of every
political operation of the country. ‘The minifters and privy-counfellors dedicate to the
improvement of it thofe private hours, which in other countries they give to pleafure,
play, or ana ie for each others places. ‘The prime minifter Hert/berg, who, in every
fenfe of the word, is one of the greateft men of the prefent century, has an eltate fome
miles from hence, in the improvement of which he {pends his hours of relaxation from
the cares of ftate. In almoit every village you meet with a nobleman, whofe principal
eccupation
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