Arthur Young quotes

Arthur Young was an English agriculturist and writer, widely recognized for his observations on agriculture and rural society. His extensive travels across Europe and detailed diaries provided valuable insights into farming practices and the conditions of rural life. He strongly influenced agricultural reforms and remains an important figure in the history of agricultural science. Here are 12 of his quotes:

The Englishman, in eleven years, gets three bushels more of wheat than the Frenchman. He gets three crops of barley, tares, or beans, which produce nearly twice as many bushels per acre, as what the three French crops of spring corn produce. And he farther gets, at the same time, three crops of turnips and two of clover, the turnips worth 40s. the acre, and the clover 60s. that is 12l. for both. What an enormous superiority! More wheat; almost double of the spring corn; and above 20s. per acre per annum in turnips and clover. But farther; the Englishman's land, by means of the manure arising from the consumption of the turnips and clover is in a constant state of improvement, while the Frenchman's farm is stationary. (Arthur Young)
A vast change had taken place in English social life within two generations... View the navigation, the roads, the harbours and all other public works. Take notice of the spirit with which manufactures are carried on. Move your eye which side you will, you behold nothing but great riches and yet greater resources. View quote
Arthur Young
God sleeps in the minerals, awakens in plants, walks in animals, and thinks in man. View quote
Arthur Young
The purpose creates the machine. View quote
Arthur Young
The tendency of philosophers who know nothing of machinery is to talk of man as a mere mechanism, intending by this to imply that he is without purpose. This shows a lack of understanding of machines as well as of man. View quote
Arthur Young
The spirit or life spark which animates this manifestation could be called God. View quote
Arthur Young
Science already contained all that was necessary, if you just brought it out. View quote
Arthur Young
Small properties, much divided, prove the greatest source of misery that can possibly be conceived, and has operated to such a degree and extent in France, that a law ought certainly to be made to render all division below a certain number of arpens illegal. View quote
Arthur Young
A country is signally blessed above others, which can grow Indian corn. View quote
Arthur Young
every one but an ideot knows that the lower classes must be kept poor, or they will never be industrious:: I do not mean that the poor in England are to be kept like the poor of France; but the state of the country considered, they must be (like all mankind) in poverty, or they will not work. View quote
Arthur Young
I have before proved the nation to be in the possession of a vast income, highly sufficient for all demands, to possess a vigorous agriculture, flourishing manufactures, and an extended commerce, in a word, to be a great industrious country. Now I conceive that it is impossible to prove such points, without proportionably proving the kingdom to be a populous one. (Arthur Young)
No person can have been in Norfolk without quickly perceiving, that in this branch of rural economy the county has very little to boast. No where are meadows and pastures worse managed: in all parts of the county we see them over-run with all sorts of spontaneous rubbish, bushes, briars, rushes: the water stagnant: ant-hills numerous: in a word, left in a state of nature, by men who willingly make all sorts of exertions to render their arable land clean, rich and productive. View quote
Arthur Young