:!»>• 



12 INTRODUCTION. 



tlon from every well regulated government. It requires 

 flender knovi'ledge of the prefent (late of fociety, to convince 

 any one, that, without Agricuhure, Manufaclures, and Com- 

 merce, no nation can be either great, populous, rich, or hap- 

 py. Agriculture, however, is the foundation upon which 

 the other parts of national greatnefs reft ; without it, none 

 of the others can have place. Indeed, in taking a furvey of 

 the different flates of Europe, it may be aflumed as a prin- 

 ciple, that the nation moft diftinguiflied for an extended and 

 fuccefsful Agriculture, holds the higheft place in the fcale. 

 The caufe is obvious : In countries where grain and other 

 vivres are plenty and cheap, the lower orders of the com- 

 munity marry early in life, and have numerous families; the 

 population, and the aumber of hands neceifary for carrying 

 on arts, manufactures, and commerce, is by that means in- 

 creafed ; and as in every fituation the price of labour bears 

 an exadl proportion to that of bread and other necelTaries, it 

 never fails to follow, that, in every country where thefe are 

 abundant, the manufacturer is enabled to bring his commo- 

 dities to m.arket at an eafy rate, and in that way to underfell 

 the merchant or manufaclurer of another country, where liv- 

 ing is more expenfive, and, of courfe, the price of labour high- 

 er. Britain, at this moment, furnifhes a ftrlking example in 

 fupport of this truth. Much of the preference given to Britifli 

 commodities in foreign countries, is, no doubt, owing to the 

 {kill of our tradefmen, and the excellence of their workman- 

 fhip ; but, when to that is added, the cheapnefs of the ar- 

 ticles, and their fuperiority over every other, the preference 

 they meet with in all quarters of the world will excite no 

 furprize; and, as that circumflance enables us to fupply other 

 nations with articles of much more value than what we need 

 in return, the difference is received in money, which, by 

 giving us a command of refourccs beyond what is poffeffed 

 by any other power, enables us to hold the exalted rank 

 we now do in the fcale of nations. While our Agriculture 

 continues to flourifh, this will be the cafe ; an extenfion of 

 it, under the foftering hand of Government, which has been 

 already ftretched out for that purpofe, will increafe our inde- 

 pendence, 



