four horses drawing
something along the fields in a straight line, while one man drove, and
another walked behind holding the thing by two handles? _T._--Yes, I
have; and is that ploughing? _H._--It is; and there is a sharp iron
underneath, which runs into the ground and turns it up all the way it
goes. _T._--Well, and what then? _H._--When the ground is thus
prepared, they sow the seed all over it, and then they rake it over to
cover the seed, and then the seed begins to grow, and shoots up very
high; and at last the corn ripens, and they reap it, and carry it home.
_T._--I protest it must be very curious, and I should like to sow some
seed myself, and see it grow; do you think I could? _H._--Yes,
certainly, and if you will dig the ground to-morrow I will go home to my
father, in order to procure some seed for you.

The next morning Tommy was up almost as soon as it was light, and went
to work in a corner of the garden, where he dug with great perseverance
till breakfast; when he came in, he could not help telling Mr Barlow
what he had done, and asking him, whether he was not a very good boy for
working so hard to raise corn? "That," said Mr Barlow, "depends upon the
use you intend to make of it when you have raised it; what is it you
intend doing with it?" "Why, sir," said Tommy, "I intend to send it to
the mill that we saw, and have it ground into flour; and then I will get
you to show me how to make bread of it, and then I will eat it, that I
may tell my father that I have eaten bread out of corn of my own
sowing." "That will be very well done," said Mr Barlow; "but where will
be the great goodness that you sow corn for your own eating? That is no
more than all the people round continually do; and if they did not do it
they would be obliged to fast." "But then," said Tommy, "they are not
gentlemen, as I am."

"What then," answered Mr Barlow; "must not gentlemen eat as well as
others, and therefore is it not for their interest to know how to
procure food as well as other people?" "Yes, sir," answered Tommy, "but
they can have other people to raise it for them, so that they are not
obliged to work for themselves." "How does that happen?" said Mr Barlow.
_Tommy._--Why, sir, they pay other people to work for them, or buy bread
when it is made, as much as they want. _Mr B._--Then they pay for it
with money? _T._--Yes, sir. _Mr B._--Then they must have money before
they can buy corn? _T._--Certainly, sir. _Mr B._--But h