[ '4' ] 



clothes, and numerous leffer important articles, become necef- 

 fary appendages to his exigence. To obtain thefe, recourfe muft be 

 had to the labours and inventions of his neighbours, whence 

 rife the feveral fpecics of commerce, and the ufe of a ftandard 

 commodity, which might ferve as an univerfal medium for every 

 article of domeftic and focial utility. Accordingly we find, 

 from the remoteft antiquity, all nations, which had in any de- 

 gree emerged from a ftate of barbarifm, ufing fome fubftance or 

 other as a ftandard article of commerce. Polifhed bits of wood, 

 fhells, beads, rings and bars of iron, appear to have been the 

 firft attempts in this way, Thefe, on the advancement of 

 civilization, and the improvement of arts, gave place to pieces 

 df brafs, filver or gold, of different forms and dimenfions, 

 and which in fubfequent ages became ornamented with various 

 devices and legends, according to the learning and genius of 

 the feveral nations amongft whom they originated. 



The various Celtic tribes, who in the early ages inhabited the 

 weftern wilds of ancient Europe, being in a great meafure defti- 

 tute of commerce, were moft probably ignorant of money before 

 the introdudion of agriculture and the different branches of 

 trade, by foreign merchants on their fouthern and weflern 

 coafts. 



The Phoenician and Carthaginian merchants were probably 

 the firfl adventurers who reached the Britifh ifles ; but of the 

 improvements they introduced, and the fpecies of commerce 

 they cultivated with the then barbarous natives, except 

 in that of tin, we are entirely ignorant : No coins, or other 



monuments 



