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APPEND X. 117 
by a fpirit of jealoufy againft thofe countries with which the 
‘ balance of trade is fuppofed to be difadvantageous. All of them 
appear clearly, from his reafonings, to have a tendency unfa- 
vourable to the wealth of the nation which impofes them. 
—His remarks with refpect to the jealoufy of commerce are 
expreffed in a tone of indignation, which he feldom affumes 
in his political writings. ; 
“ In this manner (fays he) the fneaking arts of underling 
“ tradefmen are erected into political maxims for the conduct 
“ of a great empire. By fuch maxims as thefe, nations have 
“* been taught that their intereft contifted in beggaring all their. 
“ neighbours. Each nation has been made to look with an in- 
** vidious eye upon the profperity of all the nations with which 
“ it trades, and to confider their gain as its own lofs. Com=- 
“* merce, which ought naturally to be among nations as among 
“* individuals, a bond of union and friendfhip, has become the 
“ moft fertile fource of difcord and animofity. ‘The capricious: 
“ambition of Kings and Minifters has not, during: the pre- 
** fent and the preceding century, been more fatal to the repofe’ 
“* of Europe, than the impertinent: jealoufy of merchants and 
“ manufacturers. The violence and injuftice of the rulers of. 
** mankind is an ancient evil, for which perhaps the nature of 
“human affairs can fcarce admit of a remedy. But the mean. 
“ rapacity, the monopolizing fpirit of merchants and manu- 
‘** faéturers, who neither are nor ought to be the rulers of man- 
«kind, though it cannot perhaps be corrected, may very eafi- 
_ “ Ty be prevented from difturbing the tranquillity of any body 
~ “© but themfelves.”’ 
Sucu are the liberal principles sicko, according to Mr Smirn, 
ought to direct the commercial policy of nations; and of which 
it ought to be the great object of legiflators to facilitate the efta- 
blifhment. In what manner the execution of the theory fhould 
be conducted in particular inftances, isa queftion of a very dif- 
I ferent 
Account of 
Dr Smith, 
