essays-1-第51章

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ssibility　of　placing　in　this　manner　among　the　peasants；　and　consequently　having　constantly　in　readiness；　without　any　expence；　a　sufficient　　number　of　horses　for　the　whole　army；　for　the　cavalry　as　well　as　for　the　artillery　and　baggage；　and　I　had　formed　a　plan　for　collecting　together　and　exercising；　every　year；　such　of　these　horses　as　were　destined　for　the　service　of　the　cavalry；　and　for　permitting　their　riders　to　go　on　furlough　with　their　horses：　in　short；　my　views　went　to　the　forming　of　an　　arrangement；　very　economical；　and　in　many　respects　similar　to　that　of　the　ancient　feudal　military　system；　but　the　obstinacy　of　the　peasantry　prevented　these　measures　being　carried　into　execution。　　Very　few　of　them　could　be　prevailed　upon　to　accept　of　these　horses；　and　in　proportion　as　the　terms　upon　which　they　were　offered　to　them　were　apparently　advantageous；　their　suspicions　were　increased；　and　they　never　would　be　persuaded　that　there　was　not　some　trick　at　the　bottom　of　the　scheme　to　over…reach　them。

It　is　possible　that　their　suspicions　were　not　a　little　increased　by　the　malicious　insinuations　of　persons；　who；　from　motives　too　obvious　to　require　any　　explanation；　took　great　pains　at　that　time　to　render　abortive　every　public　undertaking　in　which　I　was　engaged。　　But　be　that　as　it　may；　the　fact　is；　I　could　never　find　means　to　remove　these　suspicions　entirely；　and　I　met　with　so　much　difficulty　in　carrying　the　measure　into　execution；　that　I　was　induced　at　last　to　abandon　it；　or　rather　to　postpone　its　execution　to　a　more　favourable　moment。　　Some　few　mares　（two　or　three　hundred）　were　placed　in　　different　parts　of　the　country；　and　some　very　fine　colts　have　been　produced　from　them；　during　the　six　years　that　have　elapsed　since　this　institution　was　formed；　but　these　slow　advances　do　not　satisfy　the　ardour　of　my　zeal　for　improvement；　and　if　means　are　not　found　to　accelerate　them；　Bavaria；　with　all　her　natural　advantages　for　breeding　fine　horses；　must　be　obliged；　for　many　years　to　come；　to　continue　to　import　horses　from　foreign　countries。

My　attempts　to　improve　the　breed　of　horned　cattle；　though　infinitely　more　confined；　have　been　proportionally　much　more　successful。　　Upon　forming　the　public　garden　at　Munich；　as　the　extent　of　the　grounds　is　very　considerable；　the　garden　being　above　six　English　miles　in　circumference；　and　the　soil　being　remarkably　good；　I　had　an　opportunity　of　making；　within　the　garden；　a　very　fine　and　a　very　valuable　farm；　and　this　farm　being　stocked　with　about　thirty　of　the　finest　cows　that　could　be　procured　from　Switzerland；　Flanders；　Tyrol；　and　other　places　upon　the　Continent　famous　for　a　good　breed　of　horned　cattle；　and　this　flock　being　　refreshed　annually　with　new　importations　of　cows　as　well　as　bulls；　all　the　cows　which　are　produced；　are　distributed　in　the　country；　being　sold　to　any　person　of　the　country　who　applies　for　them；　AND　WITH　PROMISE　TO　REAR　THEM；　at　the　same　low　prices　at　which　the　most　ordinary　calves　of　the　common　breed　of　the　country　are　sold　to　the　butchers。

Though　this　establishment　has　existed　only　about　six　years；　it　is　quite　surprising　what　a　change　it　has　produced　in　the　country。　As　there　is　a　great　resort　to　Munich　from　all　parts　of　the　country；　it　being　the　capital；　and　the　residence　of　the　Sovereign；　the　new　English　garden　（as　it　is　called）；　which　begins　upon　the　ramparts　of　the　town；　and　　extends　near　two　English　miles　in　length；　and　is　always　kept　open；　is　much　frequented；　and　there　are　few　who　go　into　the　garden　without　paying　a　visit　to　the　cows；　which　are　always　at　home。　　Their　stables；　which　are　concealed　in　a　thick　wood　behind　a　public　coffee…house　or　tavern　in　the　middle　of　the　garden；　are　elegantly　fitted　up　and　kept　with　great　care；　and　the　cows；　which　are　not　only　large；　and　remarkably　beautiful；　but　are　always　kept　perfectly　clean；　and　in　the　highest　condition；　are　an　object　of　public　curiosity。　　Those　who　are　not　particularly　interested　in　the　improvement　of　cattle；　go　to　　see　them　as　beautiful　and　extraordinary　animals；　but　farmers　and　connoisseurs　go　to　EXAMINE　them；to　compare　them　with　each　other；and　with　the　common　breed　of　the　country；　and　to　get　　information　with　respect　to　the　manner　of　feeding　them；　and　the　profits　derived　from　them；　and　so　rapidly　has　the　flame　of　improvement　spread　throughout　every　part　of　Bavaria　from　this　small　spark；　that　I　have　no　doubt　but　in　a　very　few　years　the　breed　of　horned　cattle　will　be　quite　changed。

Not　satisfied　with　the　scanty　supply　furnished　from　the　farm　in　the　English　garden；　several　of　the　nobility；　and　some　of　the　most　wealthy　and　enterprising　of　the　farmers；　are　sending　to　Switzerland；　and　other　distant　countries　famous　for　fine　cattle；　for　cows　and　bulls；　and　the　good　effects　of　these　exertions　are　already　visible　in　many　parts　of　the　country。

How　very　easy　would　it　be　by　similar　means　to　introduce　a　spirit　of　improvement　in　any　country！　and　where　sovereigns　do　not　make　public　gardens　to　bring　together　a　concourse　of　people；　individuals　might　do　it　by　private　subscription；　or　at　least　they　might　unite　together　and　rent　a　large　farm　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　capital；　for　the　purpose　of　making　useful　experiments。　If　such　a　farm　were　well　managed；　the　produce　of　it　would　be　more　than　sufficient　to　pay　all　the　expenses　attending　it；　and　if　the　grounds　and　fields　were　laid　out　with　tasteif　good　roads　for　carriages　and　for　those　who　ride　on　horseback　were　made　round　it；　and　between　all　the　fieldsif　the　stables　were　elegantly　fitted　upfilled　with　beautiful　cattle；　kept　perfectly　clean　and　neat；　and　if　a　handsome　inn　were　erected　near　the　buildings　of　the　farm；　where　those　who　visited　it　might　be　furnished　with　refreshment；　it　would　soon　become　a　place　of　public　resort　and　improvements　in　agriculture　would　become　A　FASHIONABLE　AMUSEMENT；　the　ladies　even　would　take　pleasure　in　viewing　from　their　carriages　the　busy　and　most　interesting　scenes　of　rural　industry；　and　it　would　no　longer　be　thought　vulgar　to　understand　the　mysteries　of　Ceres。

Why　should　not　Parliament　purchase；　or　rent　such　a　farm　in　the　neighbourhood　of　London；　and　put　it　under　the　direction　of　the　Board　of　Agriculture？　　The　expence　would　be　but　a　mere　trifle；　if　any　thing；　and　the　institution　would　not　only　be　useful；　but　extremely　interesting；　and　it　would　be　an　　inexhaustible　source　of　rational　and　innocent　　amusement；　as　well　as　of　improvement　to　vast　numbers　of　the　most　respectable　inhabitants　of　this　great　metropolis。

In　former　times；　statesmen　considered　the　amusement　of　the　public　as　an　object　of　considerable　importance；　and　pains　were　taken　to　render　the　public　amusements　useful　in　forming　the　national　character。

　　An　Account　of　the　Measures　adopted　for　putting　an　End　to　USURY　　　at　MUNICH。

Another　measure；　more　limited　in　its　operations　than　those　before　mentioned；　but　which　notwithstanding　was　productive　of　much　good；　was　adopted；　in　which　a　part　of　the　treasure　which　was　lying　dead　in　the　military　chest　was　usefully　　employed　for　the　relief　of　a　considerable　number　of　individuals；　employed　in　subordinate　stations　under　the　government；　who　stood　in　great　need　of　assistance。

A　practice　productive　of　much　harm　to　the　public　service；　as　well　as　to　individuals；　had　prevailed　　for　many　years　in　Bavaria　in　almost　all　the　public　departments　of　the　state；　that　of　appointing　a　great　number　of　supernumerary　clerks；　secretaries；　counsellors；　etc。　who；　serving　without　pay；　or　with　only　small　allowances；　were　obliged；　in　order　to　subsist　till　such　time　as　they　should　come　into　the　receipt　of　the　regulated　salaries　annexed　to　their　offices；　to　contract　debts　to　a　considerable　amount；　and　as　many　of　them　had　no　other　security　to　give　for　the　sums　borrowed；　than　their　promise　to　repay　them　when　it　should　be　in　their　power；　no　money…lender　who　contented　himself　with　legal　interest　for　his　money　would　trust　them；　and　of　course　they　were　obliged　to　have　recourse　to　Jews　and　other　usurers；　who　did　not　afford　them　the　temporary　assistance　they　required；　but　upon　the　most　exorbitant　and　ruinous　conditions；　so　that　these　unfortunate　people；　instead　of　finding　themselves　at　their　ease　upon　coming　into　possession　of　the　emoluments　of　their　offices；　were　frequently　so　embarrassed　in　their　circumstances　as　to　be　obliged　to　mortgage　their　salaries　for　many　months　to　come；　to　raise　money　to　satisfy　their　clamorous　creditors；　and　from　this　circumstance；　and　from　the　general　prevalence　of　luxury　and　dissipation　among　all　ranks　of　society；　the　anticipation　of　salaries　had　become　so　prevalent；　and　the　conditions　upon　which　money　was　advanced　upon　such　security　was　so　exorbitant；　that　this　alarming　evil　called　for　the　most　serious　attention　of　the　government。

The　interest　commonly　paid　for　money；　advanced　upon　receipts　for　salaries；　was　5　PER　CENT。　PER　MONTH；　or　three　creutzers；　for　the　florin；　and　there　were　instances　of　even　much　larger　interest　being　given。

The　severest　laws　had　been　made　to　prevent　these　abuses；　but　means　were　constantly　found　to　evade　them；　and；　instead　of　putting　an　end　to　the　evil；　they　frequently　served　rather　to　increase　it。

It　occurred　to　me；　that　as　any　tradesman　may　be　ruined　by　another　who　can　afford　to　undersell　him；　so　it　might　be　possible　to　ruin　the　usurers；　by　setting　up　the　business　in　opposition　to　them；　and　furnishing　money　to　borrowers　upon　more　reasonable　terms。　In　order　to　make　this　experiment；　a　caise　of　advance　（Vorschuss　Cassa）；　containing　30；000　florins；　was　established　at　the　military　pay…office；　where　any　person　in　the　actual　receipt　of　a　salary　or　pension　under　government；　in　any　department　of　the　state；　civil　or　military；　might　receive　in　advance；　upon　his　personal　application；　his　salary　or　pension　for　one　or　for　two　months　upon　a　deduction　of　interest　at　the　rate　of　5　PER　CENT。　PER　ANNUM；　or　one　twelfth　part　of　the　interest　commonly　extorted　by　the　Jews　and　other　usurers　upon　those　occasions。

The　great　number　of　persons　who　have　availed　themselves　of　the　advantages　held　out　to　them　by　this　establishment；　and　who　still　continue　to　avail　themselves　of　them；　shows　how　effectually　the　establishment　has　been　to　remedy　the　evil　it　was　designed　to　eradicate。

The　number　of　persons　who　apply　to　this　chest　for　assistance　each　month；　is　at　a　medium　from　300　to　400；　and　the　sums　actually　in　advance；　amount　in　general　to　above　20；000　florins。

As　no　money　is　advanced　from　this　chest　but　upon　government　securities　that　is　to　say；　upon　receipts　for　salaries；　and　pensions；　there　is　no　risque　attending　the　operation；　and　as　the　interest　arising　　from　the　money　advanced；　is　more　than　sufficient　to　defray　the　expence　of　carrying　on　the　business；　there　is　no　loss　whatever　attending　it。

　　An　Account　of　a　SCHEME　for　employing　the　SOLDIERY　in　BAVARIA　　　in　repairing　the　Highways　and　Public　Roads。

I　had　formed　a　plan；　which；　if　it　had　been　executed；　would　have　rendered　the　military　posts　or　patroles　of　cavalry　established　in　all　parts　of　the　Elector's　dominions　much　more　interesting；　and　more　useful＇2＇。　I　wished　to　have　employed　the　soldiery　exclusively　in　the　repairs　of　all　the　highways　in　the　　country；　and　to　have　united　this　undertaking　with　the　establishment　of　permanent　military　stations；　on　all　the　high　roads；　for　the　preservation　of　order　and　publ