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Th' [1] extorting Maſters their juſt hopes Reſtrain,
And [2] Diligence is no where more in vain.
The [3] Little Chiefs, for what they call their due,
Eat up the Farme and eat the Farmer too;
Suck the Life-Blood, of Tennant and Eſtate,
And needleſs Poverty to both create.
Miſtake their Int'reſt, Nati'nal Ills procure,
And make the Poor be very very poor.
Th unhappy Drudge, yet bears the mighty Load,
With ſtrange unnat'ral Temperance endow'd,
So ſervile, ſo unuſ'd to Liberty;
He ſeems the laſt, that wiſhes to be free,
Prepoſtrous Wonder!
Where will Nature run,
That Men ſhould Struggle to be twice Undone;
- ↑ The Racking the Tennant, is not only a suppressing of the Poor, and discouraging of his Industry, but an Error in the Landlord himself as to his own Interest, preventing the Improvement of his Land, and dis|abling him from doing abundance of things, which would in the End be his own Advantage: And tho' abateing this might in some measure lessen the immediate Income; yet would certainly in Time, turn to the Advan|tage of the Family, as well as the Encouragement of the People.
- ↑ 'Ts impossible the Farmer in Scotland can ever grow Rich, while the Rent of his Farm amounts within a small matter to the Extent of the Product, and while if a scarce Year comes, he is intirely Ruined; whereas if a good Year comes, he either enjoys not the Benefit, or does not enjoy it long; it being in his Landlords Power, upon all Occasions, to raise his Demands.
- ↑ Little Chiefs, The Author is here willing to suppose that generally speaking, no Landlords, but such as are of small Estates, would thus dis|regard their own Interest, or continue the Oppressions of the Poor, Their Necessities not permitting 'em to be more Generous.
