The autobiography of Arthur Young

The author recounts his family origins, childhood, schooling, and early professional attempts, charting personal ambitions and domestic difficulties. He describes his sustained engagement with agricultural practice and rural economy, combining experimental observation, reporting, and practical advice, and he documents extensive travels and comparative studies, notably in France. A large selection of letters and social sketches reveals wide European acquaintances and an active public life. Personal grief and a turn toward religious melancholy in later years temper the narrative. The work combines memoir, agricultural writing, and correspondence to present a detailed, candid account of a varied career and private experience.