453 Whether our ladies might not as well endow monasteries as wear Flanders lace? And whether it be not true that Popish nuns are maintained by Protestant contributions?
454 Whether England, which hath a free trade, whatever she remits for foreign luxury with one hand, doth not with the other receive much more from abroad? Whether, nevertheless, this nation would not be a gainer, if our women would content themselves with the same moderation in point of expense as the English ladies?
455 But whether it be not a notorious truth that our Irish ladies are on a foot, as to dress, with those of five times their fortune in England?
456 Whether it be not even certain that the matrons of this forlorn country send out a greater proportion of its wealth, for fine apparel, than any other females on the whole surface of this terraqueous globe?
457 Whether the expense, great as it is, be the greatest evil;but whether this folly may not produce many other follies, an entire derangement of domestic life, absurd manners, neglect of duties, bad mothers, a general corruption in both sexes?
458 Whether the first beginning of expedients do not always meet with prejudices? And whether even the prejudices of a people ought not to be respected?
459 Whether a national bank be not the true philosopher's stone in a State?
460 Whether all regulations of coin should not be made with a view to encourage industry, and a circulation of commerce, throughout the kingdom?
461 Whether to oil the wheels of commerce be not a common benefit? And whether this be not done by avoiding fractions and multiplying small silver?
462 Whether, all things considered, a general raising the value of gold and silver be not so far from bringing greater quantities thereof into the kingdom that it would produce a direct contrary effect, inasmuch as less, in that case, would serve, and therefore less be wanted? And whether men do not import a commodity in proportion to the demand or want of it?
463 Whether the lowering of our gold would not create a fever in the State? And whether a fever be not sometimes a cure, but whether it be not the last cure a man would choose?
464 Whether raising the value of a particular species will not tend to multiply such species, and to lessen others in proportion thereunto? And whether a much less quantity of cash in silver would not, in reality, enrich the nation more than a much greater in gold?
465 Whether, ceteris paribus, it be not true that the prices of things increase as the quantity of money increaseth, and are diminished as that is diminished? And whether, by the quantity of money is not to be understood the amount of the denominations, all contracts being nominal for pounds, shillings, and pence, and not for weights of gold or silver?
466 Whether our exports do not consist of such necessaries as other countries cannot well be without?
467 Whether upon the circulation of a national bank more land would not be tilled, more hands employed, and consequently more commodities exported?
468 Whether silver and small money be not that which circulates the quickest, and passeth through all hands, on the road, in the market, at the shop?
469 Whether, all things considered, it would not be better for a kingdom that its cash consisted of half a million in small silver, than of five times that sum in gold?
470 Whether there be not every day five hundred lesser payments made for one that requires gold?
471 Whether Spain, where gold bears the highest value, be not the laziest, and China, where it bears the lowest, be not the most industrious country in the known world?
472 Whether it be not evidently the interest of every State, that its money should rather circulate than stagnate?
473 Whether the principal use of cash be not its ready passing from hand to hand, to answer common occasions of the common people, and whether common occasions of all sorts of people are not small ones?
474 Whether business at fairs and markets is not often at a stand and often hindered, even though the seller hath his commodities at hand and the purchaser his gold, yet for want of change?
475 As wealth is really power, and coin a ticket conveying power, whether those tickets which are the fittest for that use ought not to be preferred?
476 Whether those tickets which singly transfer small shares of power, and, being multiplied, large shares, are not fitter for common use than those which singly transfer large shares?
477 Whether the public is not more benefited by a shilling that circulates than a pound that lies dead?
478 Whether sixpence twice paid be not as good as a shilling once paid?
479 Whether the same shilling circulating in a village may not supply one man with bread, another with stockings, a third with a knife, a fourth with paper, a fifth with nails, and so answer many wants which must otherwise have remained unsatisfied?
480 Whether facilitating and quickening the circulation of power to supply wants be not the promoting of wealth and industry among the lower people? And whether upon this the wealth of the great doth not depend?
481 Whether, without the proper means of circulation, it be not vain to hope for thriving manufacturers and a busy people?
482 Whether four pounds in small cash may not circulate and enliven an Irish market, which many four-pound pieces would permit to stagnate?
483 Whether a man that could move nothing less than a hundred-pound weight would not be much at a loss to supply his wants; and whether it would not be better for him to be less strong and more active?
484 Whether the natural body can be in a state of health and vigour without a due circulation of the extremities, even? And whether the political body, any in the fingers and toes more than the natural, can thrive without a proportionable circulation through the minutest and most inconsiderable parts thereof?
485 If we had a mint for coining only shillings, sixpences, and copper-money, whether the nation would not soon feel the good effects thereof?