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finefs, any philofopher, nor yet any honell man, feel the flighteft 

 compun(ftion at the idea of deflroying the profits of a clafs of 

 fpeculators unprodudtive to the wealth and noxious to the mo- 

 rality of the community. 



It has been obferved by Smith, that mankind are wonder- 

 fully difpofed to trufl: to their individual good fortune, con- 

 ti-ary to the general experience of hviman affairs. This propen- 

 lity has lately been apparent in the commercial world, and it 

 would be in no fmall degree ferviceable to its interefts to bring 

 back the attention of the merchant from chance to induftry. 



To give an inftance of the effedls that might be produced by 

 immediate and univerfal communication in the affairs of com- 

 merce I need only mention the corn trade. The advantage of 

 the weekly corn returns from different parts of England have 

 been fenflbly felt ; and if fuch returns would be daily made 

 combinations would be prevented in every market in the king- 

 dom. 



The celebrated author of " The Wealth of Nations" has fb 

 clearly developed the connexion between freedom of intercourfe 

 in fociety and the interefls of commerce, between the facility of 

 communication in kingdoms, and the demand for the necelTaries, 

 or the tafle for the luxuries of life, that it would be impertinent 

 to repeat obfervations which he has imprefTed upon the public 



conviction. 



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