Page:A tour through the northern counties of England, and the borders of Scotland - Volume II.djvu/21

 to a privation of it. Their capitals (the result of these accumulated profits, which formerly diffused themselves amongst a number of little farmers) prevent them from being under the necessity of sel- ling immediately; and knowing full well, that when the competition is between the wants of the purchasers and their own ability of holding out, the former must give way first; they quaff their wine contentedly from market to market, till the consumer be at length obliged to agree to those terms which the humane and patriotic junto may have previously determined upon. But this is not the only evil resulting from large farms; an additional one has arisen of late years in that host of Harpies called middle-men the intermediate purchasers between the farmer and the public.

Taking grain in the wholesale way of the former, who find it more convenient to dispose of their crops to one than to many persons, the mealmen deal it out again to the miller and baker at a considerable advance; and thus the great article of life comes to the consumer loaded with an additional charge, independently of the excessive grievance or another set of confederates being produced, whose existence depends on their keeping up the price of grain. The rapid fortunes made by these miscreants are the best proofs of the extent of their pillage.