4^0 Remarks en Forestalling, &C. 0^. 



I have always been a decided enemy to monopoly of every 

 kind, particularly of the neceflaries of life, and think the prac- 

 tice of buying up grain the produce of any diflri^l:, and refell- 

 ing it in the fame place, at an advanced price, is highly cen- 

 furable, and deferves punifhment. Fortunately for the credit 

 of the country, few fuch inftances are met with : if any fuch 

 do exift, the laws are adequate to their punilhment. Very 

 diiFerent is the idea that ought to be annexed to the character 

 of the refpc6lable corn- merchant, who either imports his 

 grain from foreign countries, or purchafes it in dillricls at 

 home, where more is raifed than the wants of the inhabitants 

 require ; and, by carrying it to other dillri£ls where it is 

 fcarce, circulates it equally, and eftablifhes a balance over 

 the whole country \ preventing alike the diflrefs arifmg from 

 fcarcity in one place, and the "wafte which feldom fails to at- 

 tend plenty in another. If the regards of fociety are pro- 

 portioned (as in all cafes they ought to be) to the benefit 

 derived from the exertions of meritorious individuals, the 

 corn-merchant, fuch as I have defcribed him. In place of be- 

 ing rtigmatized in the manner he has lately been, is entitled 

 to the gratitude of his fellow-citizens. In conclufion, I have 

 only to add, that, when I buy a newfpaper, the money is giv- 

 en for the articles of intelligence it contains, and not for the 

 imfounded ftatements, or ciiildifh comments, that are tacked 

 to the tail of moft of them. I have no obje£lion to the 

 editor, with all his faculties, both of body and mind, lulled 

 into harmony by his dinner and a few glafles of wine, warm- 

 ing his backfide at the fire of his printing-oflice, and, with 

 his eyes fliut, fancying a fairy fcene, where every thing 

 breathes the mofl: unbounded plenty. The idea is pleafing : 

 let him indulge it. Would to God it could be realifed in 

 this country at prefent ! But let him take care, in times fo 

 difaflrous as thefe, not to publifli fuch vifions as real pic- 

 tures. Like the Arabian Tales, they will be believed only by 

 weak or ill-informed minds : with thofe of another defcrip- 

 tion, they will be fcouted, and the author defpifed. Having 

 never bought a boll of grain in my life, but for fowing or 

 feeding my horfes, and never fold any but the produce of 

 ray own land ; and, having no connection with, nor intereft 

 in, the tranfa(i>ions of any dealer in grain, I can with truth 

 fubfcribe myfelf, 



No FOrestaller. 



Se^i. 12. 1 8 00. 



