I then inquired into the occupations and condition of those who were without land; and was told that they were either cultivators of the soil, or practised some liberal or mechanical art; and, partly owing to the education they receive, and partly from the active competition that exists among them, they are skilful, diligent, and honest. Now and then there are some exceptions, according to the proverb, that _in the best field of grain there will be some bad ears_. The land-owners sometimes cultivate the soil with their own hands--sometimes with hired labourers--and sometimes they rent them for about a third of their produce. The smallest proprietors commonly adopt the first course; the middling, the second; and the great landholders the third." "But I thought," said I, "that all the land in the valley was of equal fertility." "So it is; but what has that to do with rent?" "Sir," said I, "our ablest writers on this subject have lately discovered that there can be no rent where there is not a gradation of soils, such as exists in every country of the earth." "I see not," said he, "what could have led them into that error. It is true, if there was inferior land, there would be a difference of rent in proportion to the difference of fertility; and if it was so poor as merely to repay the expense of cultivation, it would yield no rent at all. But surely, if one man makes as much as several consume, (and this he can easily do with us,) he will be able to get much of their labour in exchange for this surplus, which is so indispensable to them, and to get more and more, until the greatest number has come into existence which such surplus can support. What they thus give, if the proprietor retains the land himself, you may regard as the extraordinary profits of agricultural labour, or rent, if paid to any one to whom he transfers this benefit. This is precisely our present situation." There was no denying this statement of facts: but I could not help exclaiming,--"Surely there is nothing certain in the universe; or rather, truth is one thing in the moon, and another thing on the earth." CHAPTER XIV. _Farther account of Okalbia--The Field of Roses--Curious superstition concerning that flower--The pleasures of smell traced to association, by a Glonglim philosopher._ Though I felt some reluctance to abuse the patience of this polite and intelligent magistrate, I could not help making some inquiry about the jurisprudence of his country, and first, what was their system of punishment.