enance of good Government; by which the whole
Family may be instructed in good Manners both towards God and Man; only as
some Counties are greater, more populous, _&c._ they may have more or less
proportionably.
_Obj. 8._ There still remains one Objection; and that is, _What shall we do
for Hemp and Flax?_
_Answ._ To which I Answer, That Hemp or Flax (one or the other) may
plentifully be had in every County of _England_: Take _Sussex_ as an
example; any indifferent good Land, Chalky, _&c._ from the foot of the
_Downes_ to the Sea-side, with double Folding or Dunging, and twice
Plowing, will produce Hemp in abundance; yet though their Land be rich
enough, dry, _&c._ it will not produce good Flax: But to supply that, many
Thousand Acres of the _Wild_ of _Sussex_, will produce Crops of Flax, worth
some four, some five, some six Pounds an Acre, and that kind for Hemp, as
aforesaid, worth as much. Besides, for encouraging the Planting the same at
home, it may be convenient to lay an Imposition of Four or Five Shillings
in the Pound, or upwards, upon all Hemp, Thread, Cordage, or Linnen
Imported from Foreign parts; by means whereof, we may raise it at home
cheaper than buy them abroad, and then everybody will Plant Hemp and Flax
abundantly, as a thing of course, enriching those that promote it.
But why 4 or 5 Counties should (as some have proposed) enjoy this great
Wealth and Advantage of promoting the Linnen Manufactory and Improvement of
Lands, and not the rest, I cannot understand; nor for what reason so many
people should be drain'd out of all the Nation into four or five Midland
Counties, since those Counties next adjoyning to the Sea, ought to be kept
most populous.
_But to what purpose should so much Hemp be planted?_
I Answer, Hemp is of greater strength than Flax, therefore of more
excellent use for great advantage, as Cables, Ropes, and all kinds of
Cordage, Sails, Sacking, _&c._ As also Thread for all Nets for Fishery; for
which, and other purposes, we now buy yearly several hundred Thousand
Pounds worth from beyond the Seas; so that without controversie, there's as
much Hemp to be used as Flax, and consequently the Hemp-Mill may be as
useful as the Spinning-Instrument.
Having, we hope, satisfactorily Answered all Material Objections
against the main Body of this Design, it remains to consider of the
Order and Method of Governing these great Families or Corporations; but
the Particulars
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