542 PARLIAMENTARY COLBERTISM 
AD. 16% landed men might be able to make these large contributions 
"to the expenses of government, both local and national. 
The Whig scheme for the economic development of the 
country did not merely appeal to the moneyed men, whether 
merchants or manufacturers, but to the landed proprietors?, 
in so far as they were ready and willing to devote themselves 
to the improvement of their estates. The sinking of money 
in land, with the view of obtaining a regular return by an 
increased rental, had been recognised as a sound form of 
business enterprise in Elizabethan and Jacobean times. The 
spirited proprietors of the eighteenth century were not 
content, however, with occasional and permanent works, but 
busied themselves about changing the practice of ordinary 
farming operations for the better. Whether from lack of energy 
or lack of security, the tenants do not seem to have done 
much in this direction at first. The great advance in the 
management and working of land, which occurred during 
the eighteenth century, was due to the landlords and was 
were keenly initiated under the influence of men of wealth. In carrying 
interested z v 
innew out these improvements they had to contend, not only with 
methods of the difficulties which were due to deficiency of knowledge, 
since scientific agriculture did not exist, but with the time- 
honoured prejudices of those who had practised traditional 
methods and who were constitutionally averse to any change? 
The 
wealthy 
land- 
owners 
of the 
eighteenth 
cenlury 
1 The plan adopted under Locke's influence for recoinage in 1696 favoured the 
landed rather than the moneyed interest at the time. See p. 436 above. 
2 From the point of view of Norden, a seventeenth century surveyor, the small 
Ireeholder was merely obstructive. He writes as follows. Lord. “As farre as I can 
perceive, an observing and painful husband liveth, fareth, and thriveth, as well 
npon his Farme of ract rent, as many do that are called Freeholders, or that have 
Leases of great value for small rent. Surveyor. There is some reason for it, 
which every man either seeth not, or seeing it, doth not consider it, or considering 
it, hath no will or power to reforme it. Some Freeholders, and the Lessees of 
great things of small rent, bring up their children too nicely, and must needs, 
forsooth, Gentleize them; and the eldest sonne of a meane man must be a young 
master, he must not labour, nor lay hand on the plough (take heed of his dis- 
grace), hee shall have ynough fo maintaine him like, and in the societie of 
gentlemen, not like a drudge. And when this young gentleman comes to his 
land (long he thinkes) he hath no leasure to labor, for Hawking or Hunting or 
Bowling or Ordinaries or some vaine or lascivious or wanton course or other, 
leaving ploughe and seede and harvest, and sale to some ordinary hireling, who 
may doe what he list, if the poore wife be as carelesse at home, as the husband is 
abroad; And at his elbowe he hath perchaunce some vaine persons, that disswade 
bom covetousnesse and from too much frugalite, and that he needes not to care