Pagina 194 van 2651

During the course of the last century, taking one year with

another, grain was dearer in both parts of the united kingdom

than during that of the present. This is a matter of fact which

cannot now admit of any reasonable doubt; and the proof of it is,

if possible, still more decisive with regard to Scotland than

with regard to England. It is in Scotland supported by the

evidence of the public fiars, annual valuations made upon oath,

according to the actual state of the markets, of all the

different sorts of grain in every different county of Scotland.

If such direct proof could require any collateral evidence to

confirm it, I would observe, that this has likewise been the case

in France, and probably in most other parts of Europe. With

regard to France, there is the clearest proof. But though it is

certain, that in both parts of the united kingdom grain was

somewhat dearer in the last century than in the present, it is

equally certain that labour was much cheaper.