CHAPTER II FARMING AND MARRIAGE, 1759-1766 The gay world—A call on Dr. Johnson—A venture—Offer of a 26 career—Farming decided upon—Garrick—Marriage—Mr. Harte—Lord Chesterfield on farming—Literary work—Correspondence—Birth of a daughter CHAPTER III IN SEARCH OF A LIVING, 1767-1775 Home travels—A move—Anecdote of a cat—Disillusion—‘A 44 Farmer’s Letters’—Another move—‘In the full blaze of her beauty’—Hetty Burney and her harpsichord—‘Scant in servants’—Maternal solicitude—Money difficulties—More tours—Lord Sheffield—Howard the philanthropist—Correspondence CHAPTER IV IRELAND, 1776-1778 The journey to Ireland—Characteristics—Residence at 66 Mitchelstown—Intrigues—A strange bargain—Departure—Letter to his wife—A terrible journey CHAPTER V FARMING AND EXPERIMENTS, 1779-1782 Corn bounties—A grievance—Reading—Hugh Boyd—Bishop 83 Watson—Howlett on population—Irish Linen Board—Experiments—Correspondence CHAPTER VI FIRST GLIMPSE OF FRANCE, 1783-1785 Birth of Bobbin—Ice baths—‘The Annals of Agriculture’—A 110 group of friends—Lazowski—First glimpse of France—Death of my mother—The Bishop of Derry—Fishing parties—Rainham CHAPTER VII FIRST FRENCH JOURNEY, 1786-1787 Death of my brother—Anecdotes of his character—Dr. Burney on 138 farming—Greenwich _versus_ Eton—Blenheim—Correspondence with Dr. Priestley—County toasts—French projects—First French journey CHAPTER VIII TRAVEL AND INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIPS, 1788-89-1790 The Wool Bill—Sheridan’s speech—Count 163 Berchtold—Experiments—Second French journey—Potato-fed sheep—Cost of housekeeping—Chicory—Burnt in effigy—Correspondence—Third French journey—With Italian agriculturists—Bishop Watson and Mr. Luther—Correspondence—Literary work—Illness—The state of France CHAPTER IX PATRIOTIC PROPOSALS, 1791-92 Illness—Correspondence with Washington—The King’s gift of a 189 ram—Anecdotes—Revising MSS.—Patriotic proposals—Death of the Earl of Orford—Agricultural schemes—Correspondence CHAPTER X THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE, 1793 The Board of Agriculture—Secretaryship—Residence in 219 London—Twenty-five dinners a month—The King’s bull—The Marquis de Castries—‘The Example of France’—Encomiums thereof—Correspondence CHAPTER XI THE SECRETARYSHIP, 1794-95-1796