any of the principles of religion, and will debate the matter soberly, as one that considers the infinite consequences of these things one way or other, and would gladly be satisfied, he deserves to be heard what he can say; but if a man will turn religion into raillery, and confute it by two or three bold jests, he doth not make religion, but himself ridiculous, in the opinion of all considerate men, because he sports with his life. So that it concerns every man that would not trifle away his soul, and fool himself into irrecoverable misery, with the greatest seriousness to inquire into these things, whether they be so, or no, and patiently to consider the arguments that are brought for them.

'And when you are examining these matters, do not take into consideration any sensual or worldly interest; but deal fairly and impartially with yourselves. Think with yourselves that you have not the making of things true and false, that the principles of religion are either true or false, before you think of them. The truth of things is already fixed; either there is a God, or no God; either your souls are immortal or they are not; either the Scriptures are a divine revelation, or an imposture; one of these is certain and necessary, and they are not now to be altered. Things will not comply with your conceits, and bend themselves to your interests: therefore do not think what you would have to be; but consider impartially what is.'

6

The other great writer is particularly useful in his rapturous soliloquies, wherein he thinks of the Deity with the highest admiration, and beholds himself with the most contrite lowliness. My present business,' says he, 'is to treat of God, his being, and attributes; but "who is sufficient for these things?" At least, who am I, a silly worm, that I should take upon me to speak of Him, by whom alone I speak; and being myself but a finite sinful creature, should strive to unveil

the nature of the Infinite and Most Holy God! Alas! I cannot so much as begin to think of him, but immediately my thoughts are confounded, my heart is perplexed, my mind amazed, my head turns round, my whole soulseems to be unhinged and overwhelmed within me. His mercy exalts me; His justice depresseth me; His wisdom astonisheth me; His power affrights me; His glory dazzles mine eyes; and "by reason of his highness," as Job speaks, I cannot endure: but the least glimpse of Him makes me abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes before Him.'

No 76. MONDAY, JUNE 8, 1713.

-Solos aio bene vivere, quorum

Conspicitur nitidis fundata pecunia villis.-HOR. 1 Ep. xv. 45. Those are blest, and only those,

Whose stately house their hidden treasure shews.—CREECH. I EVER thought it my duty to preserve peace and love among my wards. And since I have set up for a universal Guardian, I have laid nothing more to heart than the differences and quarrels between the landed and the trading interests of my country, which indeed comprehend the whole. I shall always contribute, to the utmost of my power, to reconcile these interests to each other, and to make them both sensible that their mutual happiness depends upon their being friends.

They mutually furnish each other with all the necessaries and conveniences of life; the land supplies the traders with corn, cattle, wool, and generally all materials, either for their subsistence or their riches; the traders in return provide the gentlemen

with houses, clothes, and many other things without which their life at best would be uncomfortable. Yet these very insterests are almost always clashing; the traders consider every high duty upon any part of their trade as proceeding from jealousy in the gentlemen of their rivalling them too fast; and they are often enemies on this account. The gentlemen, on the other hand, think they can never lay too great a burden upon trade, though in every thing they eat, and drink, and wear, they are sure to bear the greatest part themselves.

I shall endeavour, as much as possible, to remove this emulation between the parties, and in the first place to convince the traders, that in many instances high duties may be laid upon their imports, to enlarge the general trade of the kingdom. For example, if there should be laid a prohibition, or high duties which shall amount to a prohibition, upon the imports from any other country which takes from us a million sterling every year, and returns us nothing else but manufactures for the consumption of our own people, it is certain this ought to be considered as the increase of our trade in general; for if we want these manufactures, we shall either make them ourselves, or, which is the same thing, import them from other countries in exchange for our own. In either of which cases our foreign or inland trade is enlarged, and so many more of our own people are employed and subsisted for that money which was annually exported, that is, in all probability, a hundred and fifty thousand of our people for the yearly sum of one million. If our traders would consider many of our prohibitions or high duties in this light, they would think their country and themselves obliged to the landed interest for these restraints.

Again, gentlemen are too apt to envy the traders every sum of money they import, and gain from

abroad, as if it was so much loss to themselves; but if they could be convinced, that for every million that shall be imported and gained by the traders, more than twice that sum is gained by the landed interest, they would never be averse to the trading part of the nation. To convince them, therefore, that this is the fact, shall be the remaining part of this discourse.

Let us suppose, then, that a million, or, if you please, that twenty millions were to be imported, and gained by trade: to what uses could it be applied? Which would be the greatest gainers, the landed or the trading interest? Suppose it to be twenty millions.

It cannot at all be doubted, that a part of the afore-mentioned sum would be laid out in luxury, such as the magnificence of buildings, the plate and furniture of houses, jewels, and rich apparel, the elegance of diet, the splendour of coaches and equipage, and such other things as are an expense to the Qwners, and bring in no manner of profit. But because it is seldom seen, that persons who by great industry have gained estates, are extravagant in their luxury; and because the revenue must be still sufficient to support the annual expense, it is hard to conceive that more than two of the twenty millions can be converted into this dead stock, at least eighteen must still be left to raise an annual interest to the owners; and the revenue from the eighteen millions, at six per centum, will be little more than one million per annum.

Again, a part of the twenty millions is very likely to be converted to increase the stock of our inland trade, in which is comprehended that upon all our farms. This is the trade which provides for the annual consumption of our people, and a stock of the value of two years' consumption is generally believed

to be sufficient for this purpose. If the eighteen millions above-mentioned will not raise a revenue of more than one million per annum, it is certain that no more than this last value can be added to our annual consumption, and that two of the twenty millions will be sufficient to add to the stock of our inland trade.

Our foreign trade is considered upon another foot; for though it provides in part for the annual consumption of our own people, it provides also for the consumption of foreign nations. It exports our superfluous manufactures, and should make returns of bullion, or other durable treasure. Our foreign trade, for forty years last past, in the judgment of the most intelligent persons, has been managed by a stock not less than four, and not exceeding eight millions, with which last sum they think it is driven at this time, and that it cannot be carried much farther, unless our merchants shall endeavour to open a trade to Terra Australis incognita, or some place that would be equivalent. It will, therefore, be a very large allowance, that one of the twenty millions can be added to the capital stock of our foreign trade.

There may be another way of raising interest, that is, by laying up, at a cheap time, corn or other goods or manufactures that will keep, for the consumption of future years, and when the markets may happen to call for them at an advanced price. But as most goods are perishable, and waste something every year by which means a part of the principal is still lost, and as it is seldom seen that these engrossers get more than their principal, and the common interest of their money, this way is so precarious a full of hazard, that it is very unlikely any more than three of the twenty millions will be applied to engrossing. It were to be wished the engrossers were more profit-