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thofe which are employed in working up the na- 

 tural productions of the country where the manu- 

 facture is placed : hence it follows, that every wife 

 ftate ought to beftow a particular attention to the 

 improvement of fuch of its natural produ6lions 

 as are capable of being employed in working up 

 manufactures of general utility, and for which an 

 extenfive demand may, at all times, be expedted to 

 take place. 



It was probably on thefe principles our anceftors 

 beftowed fo much attention to improving the quality 

 of Britifli wool: and they fo happily fucceeded in 

 this attelnpt as to rear wool in this ifland of a finer 

 quality than could be found in any other European 

 nation. This was the means of eftablifhing thofe 

 extenfive woollen fabricks that have long been 

 deemed the peculiar ftaple manufacture of this 

 nation, which ferved as a firm bafis for an extenfive 

 foreign trade. 



Unfortunately, however, an idea began at length 

 to prevail, that that pre-eminence which had been 

 obtained in confequence of long- continued exer- 

 tions oiinduftry^ was only a neceflary confequence 

 of phyfical caufes. The peculiar finenefs of our 

 native wool was attributed entirely to the peculiarity 

 pf our climate, and delicacy of our pafturesi and 



it 



