On Commerce. 73 



We cannot afford it." But of this I forbear. I will only beg 

 leave to mention one or two more article^ to show the great 

 difficulty, if not utter impossibility, of -the people, even in 

 the same country, making some things equal in quality or 

 perfection at a very small distance from each other. London - 

 porter is one article: — there is scarcely a town or village of 

 any note in the kingdom, where the making of porter, in 

 imitation of the London, has not been tried. Brewers and 

 malt-makers have been brought from the metropolis at a 

 very great expense, no money has been spared, every ef- 

 fort which human ingenuity could contrive has been ex- 

 erted, — but all in vain j the difference even to a superficial 

 observer is very evident. 



I will only mention one more :-r-the making of Cheshire 

 and Glocester cheese, seemingly a very simple and well 

 known operation ; yet I have never seen what could be call- 

 ed a tolerable imitation, and have known great exertions 

 inade by some wealthy farmers, both from a principle of 

 emolument and curiosity ; but I have never known one who 

 succeeded in any tolerable degree*. 



I must now beg your indulgence while I offer a few re- 

 marks on the bad policy of high duties. Whether I con- 

 sider the present system as it affects the revenue, the morals, 

 or the health of the people, it has the most dangerous ten- 

 dency : it teenis with evils of the greatest magnitude. I 

 will not here recapitulate the arguments I used in my first 

 Essav, but will add some others. 



To remove as far a3 possible every alluring incitement to 

 transgress the laws of the country, to place at a distance " 

 every temptation which might be supposed too strong for 

 the general virtue of the people, 'has always been the care 

 and study of every wise legislator, much more than to make 

 severe laws or to inflict cruel punishments. I am fully 

 persuaded that there is no person who has studied human 



* I hope this will not be understood as meaning to damp ardour, or di- 

 •pirit the exertions of those who wish to persevere in improvements: I only 

 gnention the difficulty, without meaning to »et bounds to human ingenuity or 

 persevering exertion*. 



nature, 



