And hence I can't help reflecting how good human Nature is, that can support under the Hardships, we, by the Estimate, see the Bulk of Mankind lies under; which Hardships, I think, I have now sufficiently shewn, cannot be any Way justly attributed to the all-wise and infinitely gracious Creator, but solely to those, who for want of thus looking thro' the Nature of Things, and from a mistaken judgment, that the more Money they receive for their Estates, the richer they are (the contrary of which Ihave proved) do prevent the People from thus continually proceeding in the Business of Cultivation and Tillage, whence alone every thing they have is derived, and whence only whatsoever they want can be supplied, and whence all the Employment and Trade of the World do proceed; and to which End it was, that Man was sent into the World, as I shall further confirm, by the Authority of the Holy Scriptures, Gen. iii, 23.
Therefore the Lord God Sent him forth to till the Ground whence he was taken.
But I shall proceed to shew from Fact, that it is the Interest of the landed Gentlemen to cause so much more Land to be added and improved, as will effect the Things I am aiming at, by comparing the present Rents of Lands, and Prices of Necessaries, with the Rents of Lands, and Prices of Necessaries some Centuries ago.
Now though the Rents of Lands are very different, according as the Soil or Situation is better or worse,(19*) yet it's certain the present Rents of Lands in general are hardly four times as much as they were about four Centuries ago; but the Prices of Necessaries differ vastly: For the Price of the fat Ox, which was a Noble, is now about 10 or 12 Pounds; the fat Sheep, which was 6 Pence, is now about 16 Shillings; the fat Goose, which was 2 Pence, is now about 3 Shillings; the fat Pig, which was 1 Penny, is now about 4 Shillings; the Price of 6 Pidgeons, which was 1 Penny, is now about 1 Shilling and 6 Pence; and Wheat, which was 2 Shillings per Quarter, is now about 24 or 26Shillings per Quarter; and all other Things differ in such Proportion. Whence it appears, these Things are now higher in Price then they were then, from about 20 to 30 Times and upwards, except Wheat which I suppose Eras. Phillips, Esq; in his State of the Nation, etc. Page 52, accounts for, where he says, It's observable, Corn hath not risen in proportion to other Commodities, because by a new-fashioned Industry the same quantity of Ground is more productive than it was. Therefore it's plain in fact that Gentlemen are vast Losers by this Advance of their Rents, since they, in common with all other Consumers, now pay on the Par above 20 times as much for every thing as was paid for the same Things about four Centuries ago, whilst their Rents are not above four times as much as they were then; therefore it must be mightily for the Interest of the landed Gentlemen, to cause Land enough to be added and improved, to put Trade into a flourishing State, since it must be equally certain, that every thing will fall, as it's certainly Fact, every thing is risen in so much greater Proportion than the Rents have been raised.
But I can't pass over this Fact without remarking, that it must be beneficial to Trade, that our Princes, Nobility, and Gentry, should wear the richest Gold and Silver Cloathing, and use such Utensils, and adorn their Palaces and Houses with these shining Metals, as much as the Revenues of the Crown, or Income of the Estates of the Nobility and Gentry will admit; only with this Difference, that crowned Heads may layout this Way, whatever the Extent of their Revenues will allow; but the Nobility and Gentry must act in this, with such Regard to their Families, that they may all be properly provided for, whilst the Heir only should fill up such splendid Appearances.
The Reason of which is this, that it appears plainly from this Discourse, that as the Gold and Silver (i.e. Money)increases in greater Proportion than the People increase, so will the Prices of every thing advance, and that in much greater Proportion than the Rents will or can rise; wherefore it can't but be beneficial even for Trade, that as much of these Metals be used in Splendor, as is consistent with the abovementioned Circumstances; because by thus keeping so much of those Metals out of Trade, the more just Distinction will it keep up amongst the several Ranks and Stations of Men,(20*) whilst at the same time it will give so much greater Employment, and that in the most nice and curious Arts, to Mechanicks, etc. and prevent our Markets from rising so high, as to hinder the Exportation of our Commodities, or give too great Encouragement to the Importation of foreign Goods.
I am induced to make this Remark, from the Practice of the East-Indians, who, as I have often heard, carry this Matter so far, as to bury the Money they get by Trade; as E. Phillips, Esq;Page 7 also says, that they have since the Year 1602, buried above 150 Millions of Silver, which hath been brought into Europe.(21*)'Tis by this Practice they keep all their Goods and Manufactures at such low Rates, that all Europe thinks it not only worth while to trade with them, but to carry prodigious Quantities of Silver(22*) to purchase their Commodities, whilst our Goods cannot possibly find much Vend with them, being so much dearer than theirs, as we see the Great Circulation of Gold amongst us, makes our Goods in respect of the Prices of theirs, who this Way prevent the Money they gain by Trade from raising the Prices of their Commodities.
Thus will they not always preserve the Balance of Trade in their Favour, but make many other Nations carry their Money to them; besides what Use they may make of such immense Wealth, if any Exigence or Design should oblige them to use it; which Wealth is as many times more powerful to them than it would be to us, as the Wages of their labouring People are lower than ours.