Hints to Gentlemen of Landed Property (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1775. Excerpt: ... THE GREAT BENEFIT OF CHURCH AND COLLEGE TENURES TO POPULATION AND SOCIETY. ESTATES held under ecclesiastical lords, collegiate, and corporate bodies, are at this time one of the greatest supports this country has for its population. Notwithstanding little farms are engrossed, and cottages demolished upon other estates, theirs, from the nature of the tenure, still remain nearly the same; and continue to yield their proportion of that advantage, which this country formerly derived from smaller farms than now subsist. Upon manors where any of the beforementioned bodies preside, a life no sooner drops, in an estate held under them, than they are ready to fill up the vacancy, in savour of the heirs of its former possessor; for having only a life-interest in it, or perhaps not so much, as preferment often removes them, they are glad to seize all immediate benefits which accrue, and never look forward, like a lay-lord, to the future advantage which his family may acquire, by waiting for the reversion after the existing lives; For these reasons, upon manors of this sort, population must, and does wear a better face, than in other districts. When a man is a copyhold, or a lifeleasehold tenant, it gives a stronger spur to his industry, than when he is tenant at will, or on a short term of years, to the same quantity of land. He will be encouraged to undertake improvements, and will obtain a much greater produce. He will also be better enabled to marry, and much encouraged to do it; because he he has the means to support a family, and to make some provision for them, in case any accident should happen to himself; When young women arc lest with little estates of this sort, they are the better enabled to provide themselves suitable husbands. These estates, preserving ...