Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 4, 1802).djvu/204

178&#93; 178] SWA would be formed, and which are seldom, or at most imperfectly, broken. Farther, the Su-ard-culter will be of great service in preparing land for barley, as it is preferable to any hpiked or cutting roller ; and fur reducing the large hiird clods occasioned in clayey soils by a sod- den drought, when these have been ploughed before the superfluous moisture had evaporated. Other advantages attending the use of the machine here described, are the celerity and facility with which tl»e labour may be performed ; as one implement will cut, in the course of a day, as large a space as would require six ploughs to turn the soil: the work is executed not only in a neater nianner, but a greater sur- face is exposed to the influence of the air and sun ; so that the soil is considerably ameliorated. Besides, it deserves to be noticed, that it is of no consequence, whether the land to be sivard-cut is in crooked or straight, in flat or high-raised ridges j in short, let the surface be ever so irregular, the effc&. will be uniformly produced on level, as, V cU as uneven ground } because ilie cutting-wheels, a6lin^ scpa- rclely, are forced by their mcum- bent weights into every cavity or furrow. The price of this valuable implement was originally 15 or I6I. ; but, from the improvements lately made by its inventor, we un- derstand that it may be procured for 5 or 01. Mr. Sandilawds ob- serves, that any common w heel- wright, or blacksmith, may make the instrument : as it is very strong; simple in its construflion ; easily managed, and removed to diflTerent places j and, if carefully kept under shelter, when not in SWE have been Induced to explain Its constituent parts, for the informa- tion of our country-readers ; hap- py, if wc could thus contribute our mite towards the improvement of that national concern, Agricui.- TURE. SWEARING, a term used to denote either the uttering of im- pious expressions, or the judicial, and also ofBcial invocation of the Deity, to attest the trutli of an assertion. The security of oaths in import- ant affairs, has in all ages been re- quired by the laws of civilized na- tions ; nor is sireoiing, on such oc- casions, prohibited by the Christian doftrine. But, though particular circumstances may sanation this expedient, there is no possible ex- cuse for invoking the Creator, to attest the truth of every trifling transa6lion, or to witness the im- pertinence of idle, perhaps inde- cent, conversation. It has been urged, by way of extenuating this breach of m(/rtt///y,that a man may have been carried away by the violence of some passion ; or he may probably have been aggravated by the gross misconduct of others. Such pica, however, cannot lessen the criminality of the aft : for the utterance of a profane oath neither imparts pleasure to, nor dispels the uneasy sensations of, the speaker j while the wanton indulgence in such praSlice displays a wilful pro- pensity to vicious habits, incompa- tible with the dignity of rational agents. Sensible of the bad and contagi^ ous effefts of swearing, our legis- lators have wisely direfted certain penalties, from 6d. to 2s. 6d. (or corporal punishment), to be paid for every such violation of the law of decorum i wlaicb, however^ arc seldom
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