221 



long after the excellence, by which it was fiift: obtained, has become idea!, 

 and a mere name. Whether well or ill founded, fuch a character is of 

 the iitmoft importance, in the market ; both, as to the rapidity of fale, and 

 as to the prices, which the fabric will bring to the manufacturer. Fine 

 white linens took their very denomination from Holland ; — Spanijh fire- 

 arms ; — Nofwich crapes;— /r//Z) poplins; — French black cloths. The 

 denominations ftill remain ; the fuperior excellence is probably become 

 ideal. Where a country has once eftabliflied a manufacturing character, 

 of this decided kind, it (hould never lofe fight of the fabrick ; it fliould 

 hold it fafi, it fliould grafp it, as a precious jewel, a national treafure. 



There is another confideration, material in eftimating the preference, 

 which is due to one manufacture, in comparifon with another. It may 

 become a queftion, whether it would be wife, to divert the capital of a 

 country, or any part of^ it, to the cultivation of manufactures, in which 

 we are liable to an oppofition from fuperior capital, and fuperior ficill. 

 Are we not bound (^cceteris paribus') to give a preference to that, which 

 brings with it leafl: danger of rivalfliip, from richer or more induftrious 

 neighbours ? Is 'one country to commit its own ignorance, poverty, fickle- 

 nefs, and defpondency, with the wealth, the fkill, the pcrfeverance, the 

 eftabliflied reputation, and the wakeful jealoufy of another ? — The people 

 of this country are fo much inferior to the Englijh in point of capital, that 

 they have little profpeft of fucceeding in any manufafture, where England 

 fliaU oppofe their progrefs. This muft be particularly the cafe, in all ma- 

 nufaftures, that are fufceptible of much divifion, and fubdivifion of la- 

 bour ; or, which may require extenfive works, and a coftly apparatus of 

 machinery. Large capital, alfo, comes to the market for the raw ma- 

 terial, with fuperior advantages. As it is able to deal much more exten- 

 fively, as well as to pay more punftually ; it both gets the firfl; choice of 

 the primu?n, and gets it cheaper. So that, procuring the raw materials of a 

 manufafture, of prime quahty, and on better terms, than thofewhich thecoun- 

 try with a fmall capital pays for worfe goods ; the great will be able to un- 



derfelJ 



