第44章

But to return: I would most humbly propose that, if possible, 100,000 Acres of Land be for some Years successively taken in, and inclosed, as near London as such a Quantity of Land is to be had, because the labouring People may, I believe, be more easily drawn from hence to cultivate it, than from any other Parts; and because the Cities of London and Westminister will, I imagine, sooner feel the Effects in the Cheapness of Provision of all Kinds, which will soon put the Inhabitants into Circumstances to occupy more Houses, and cause others to flow to them, and thereby fill the empty Houses; for where the Trade is, the People will come.

Again, I would most humbly submit it to the Consideration and Goodness of His most Gracious Majesty, whether his Majesty might not, by giving his Crown Lands in proper Parcels on quit Rents, or any proper Acknowledgments for a Term of Years, begin this good Work, and relieve the poor Artificiers and Manufacturers, for whom His Majesty hath from the Throne most graciously expressed great Compassion.(37*)And if His most Gracious Majesty shall please to continue to add, for some Years, such a Quantity of Crown Lands, in several Parts of the Kingdom, to be cultivated on like easy Terms, there will be People enough that will accept and improve them. And if at the End of any proper Term, when such Possessors shall pay Rent for them, an Incouragement be given, by allowing such Parcels of Lands on easy Rents, for some further Term of Years, this Incouragement will be attented with the utmost Improvement of such Lands, and Wealth to every prudent and industrious Possessor of them, and will, in a few Years, be a very considerable Estate to the Crown, arising by these Rents; and hereby, the dismal, and otherwise irremediable Calamity of many will be alleviated and relieved, Tears wip'd from many Eyes, and may broken Hearts heal'd, and Multitudes saved from Imprisonment, Transportation, and the Gallows; besides preventing many from deserting the Kingdom, as they are now continually doing, to seek that Bread, which they can't find in their native Country, to support them with Comfort.

Thus will His most Gracious Majesty become a Kind of Deity to his People, whilst he is thus imitating the Beneficence of our heavenly Father, whose Representative on Earth he will thus be, in the most exalted Sense.

I must, indeed, own myself a Stranger to the Quantity of Crown Lands, that are at present uncultivated; though I can't doubt that there are enough to set this useful, and, as Ibelieve, absolutely needful to set this useful, and, as Ibelieve, absolutely needful Proposal at Work; which will be found to be an inexpressible Benefit to all Ranks and Degrees of Men amongst us, if fully and sufficiently executed.

But perhaps it may be thought, such an Addition of Land every Year may reduce the Rents of Lands too much. In answer to which Ishall only say that, when the Necessaries of Life are reduced so low that we can work as cheap as the Nations round about us, and that the Wages of a working Man will purchase enough to support such a Family, as the Estimate is made for, in the Station of a labouring Man's Family; as none of them can then want Work, which I think I have proved by shewing how great the Wants of the People are; so the Rent the Lands will then bear, is really that proper and fit annual Rent, which will be found best for all Ranks and Stations of Men.

But if Things must not be put on so good a Foot, I cannot help thinking, that it would be much happier for the People, that they were in a state of Nature, where all Men being born equal, have a natural Right to any Quantity of Land they think fit to use, and to put it to what Use they please, provided it be not occupied by any other: For whoever occupies any Land in this Case, is the rightful Possessor and Proprietor, so long as he continues to occupy and use it. For though I don't think a State of nature to compare with the State of Civil Government, if the Plenty be made great enough to support the People comfortably, yet if the Bulk of Mankind be made miserable by the Oppression of the rest; as they undoubtedly are, when the Wages of the Labourer, and Price of Necessaries for such a Family as he must often sustain, and which indeed he was chiefly sent into this World to raise, are not very near equal: I say, such an unhappy State of Mankind is, in my Opinion, worse than a State of Nature itself.

For as Men form themselves into Societies or Governments, to make themselves more happy than they would be in a State of Nature, it is but just, that as they, for that End, give up their natural Right to the Land, which by this Principle, that all Men by Nature are born equal, they have an indefeasable Right to take and possess, wherever it lies unoccupied by any other; I say, it is but just, so much Land be continually added and improv'd amongst them, that every Thing thereby be render'd so plentiful, and consequently so cheap, that the Wages of the labouring Men, and Price of Necessaries become so equal, that they may all comfortably support such a Family, as they were sent into this world to raise, and therefore ought to support, unless through Sickness or Weakness such an one becomes unable to labour for them; and then his and his Family's Support becomes a just Debt on the Publick, so long as they really stand in need of it.