it was the united condemnation of that war Discount Ugg boots by the voice of public opinion—an opinion, be it remembered, concerned far more with the impolicy than the wickedness of war; with the evils that result from it far more than the guilt which would promote it. This useful creed—a lawful creed so far as it goes—is amazingly strengthened by every increase of commercial intercourse between ourselves and other countries.Our neighbours have recently borrowed from us an institution to which English agriculturists are daily and increasingly acknowledging their obligation. The French Concours will soon become as influential and as useful as our own meetings and shows. Another and still more Moncler jackets important improvement is now in contemplation. La Liberte- commercials is befriended by Imperial favour. It remains to be seen whether it will win as complete a victory Ugg Boots sale as Free-trade obtained in these Islands some thirteen years ago. I propose to consider each of these topics in full. But, previously, we will take a retrospective view of French Agriculture from the period of the first Revolution.At the commencement of the Revolution two arbitrary laws greatly affecting the land were passed—such laws as are enacted only in times of great excitement. The property of the Church and the possessions of the Noblesse were confiscated for the good of the nation. The ecclesiastical revenues were not very large. They were Moncler valued by the Bishop of Autun, in 1789, at seventy million francs per annum (2,800,000/.) The nobility possessed nominally a quarter of the soil, " but so neglected, so badly looked-after, so burdened with debts of all kinds, that the pet revenue was almost nothing.To some few claimants, though these doubtless were peasants, 47. and 21. were awarded.* But the land of the millionaires was even worse cultivated than that of the peasants. Wherever you come across the estates of a great lord, the land is sure to be uncultivated, said Arthur Young. He noticed, especially, the domains of the two largest proprietors in France, and these were fallows or deserts. "If I were, just for a few days, the sole ruler in France, I would make these lords swing," was the angry Vibram five fingers exclamation of the English traveller. The French rulers behaved more leniently than this, yet still with sufficient severity. Instead of selling a portion of these encumbered estates for the liquidation of the heavy debts of their proprietors, they confiscated the whole to the national fund, Ugg Boots uk notwithstanding that the Revolution numbered supporters among the noblesse as illustrious as Lafayette, La Rochefoucauld-Liancourt, Lally-Tolendal, and Mirabeau.Where the landlords are paupers, it is difficult to say into what depths of misery the tenants will fall. Several years before the Reign of Terror, French statesmen had mourned over Moncler coats the sad condition of their country. The celebrated Vauban wrote nearly a century before the Revolution:—"The mass of pauperism is now extremely great. . . . Almost a tenth of the population is as poor as beggars, and actually begs. Of the remaining nine-tenths five are unable to give alms, because they themselves are reduced to the same plight; and of the other four-tenths three-tenths are in a very miserable condition." Arthur Young, who travelled through France during the years 1787-88-89, adds his testimony to the general poverty of the agricultural classes. "It reminded me," he says emphatically, "of the miseries of Ireland." There is, however, one ugg classic tall boots bright light in this gloomy picture. Passing through the districts where small properties abounded, Young noted a wonderful contrast to the rest of the country. Of ,the neighbourhood of Dunkirk he remarks:—-"The magic of property turns sand into gold." And again, " Much watering at St. Lawrence ; the scenery very interesting to a farmer. An activity has been here that has swept away all difficulties before it, and clothed the very rocks with verdure. It would be a disgrace to common sense to ask the cause; the enjoyment of property must ugg classic short boots have done it."The immediate effect of the Revolutionary changes on agriculture was undoubtedly injurious. Although the land was now free from all those taxes and imposts which so impoverished the occu* The Minister of Finance reckoned the number of acquirers of ecclesiastical property at 666,000; of property belonging to the old corporations, 440,000; and the sales of communal property at 110,000.piers of it, there was no improvement in the tillage.