[12].Young,Travels,Dublinedition,,andonedoubtshisimpartialitywhenhestated:"Themetayersweresomiserablypoor,;butallconversationofthatsortistimelostinFrance"（Maxwelledition,pp.202-3）.[13].Young,Travels,Betham-Edwardsedition.[14].Ibid.,p.18.[15].Young,Travels,Maxwelledition,pp.361-404.[16].WhenBetham-EdwardswroteinherintroductiontoYoung'sTravels（）,that"nothinghasdonemore[thanmetayage]toimprovetheconditionofthepeasantandofhusbandrywithinthelastfiftyyears,"shewasnotspeakingofFrenchagricultureatYoung',Maxwell''sopiniononmetayageisworthnoting:

Itwasnotperhapssomuchacauseofpovertyhoweverasaresult,andthatitwasasystemthatworkedratherbetterinpracticethanintheoryisshownbythefactthatitsurvivedtheRevolution,andisstillarecognizedformofland-holding……EvenbeforetheRevolutionthereweremanyFrenchlandlordswholivedonexcellenttermswiththeirmetayers,visitingthemintheirholdingsanddiscussingagriculturalmatterswiththem（Maxwelledition,）.[17].SeeYoung,Travels,Dublinedition,p.239.[18].Young'saccountoftaxesisbestseeninachapterontheRevolution（Travels,Maxwelledition,pp.327-60）.,Maxwellnoted:"Accordingtorecentestimates36percentofthepeasant'sinedisappearedindirecttaxestotheState;14percentwentontithespayabletotheChurch;while11or12percentwasconsumedbyseigneurialduesatYoung'stime."