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that the fruit of his toils was certain ruin. If he dared to remonstrate, he was chastised j if his lands did not thrive he was called lazy, and turned out of his farm by the lord of the manor. If industrious, and his farm improved, he was dismissed by my lady, who always found out some deserving favorite to reap the re wards of this poor man’s industry. His old age was uncheercd by the fruits of those trees he had planted in his youth ; and his death bed unconsoled by the comforts he might have left his children. Such, and numberless other, abuses, at length made the peasant supine, spiritless, and unfit for enterprize The gloom extended to every thing around him, the houses, lands, cattle, all were tinctured with his wretchedness. When I, therefore, reflect on his miserable lot, I canno sufficiently respect and admire those proprietors of lands whose philanthropy was aroused in his behalf. I pass with silent reverence every stone by which the freed pea sants mark the blessing, and their gratitude to their deliverer. Such an one is now just be
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