a 
Os ie. 
*¢ for thirty fhillings of the worn and clipped filver,”’* 
with which corn and other provifions were pur- 
chafed. ‘The decreafed price of corn, during great 
part of the prefent century, is fo far from being at- 
tributed to the corn-laws, that the ingenious author 
of the Wealth of Nations is of opinion, that the 
operation of thofe laws has been direétly the reverfe.” 
In page 248, after reafoning on the effects of the 
bounty, he concludes thus, “ If during the fixty- 
*¢ four firft years of the prefent century, ‘therefore, 
** the average price has been lower than during the 
“ fixty-four laft years of the laft century, it muft, in , 
*¢ the fame ftate of tillage, have been much more fo, 
** had it not been for this operation of the bounty.” 
T have little doubt, that a more vigorous cultiva- 
tion, and the bringing a great quantity of rough, 
unprofitable land into tillage, have had a full fhare in 
lowering the price of grain, during the period 
alluded to. 
Suppofe we quit the comparifon by centuries, and 
take half a century only; as a period fully fufficient 
to mark the operation of an A& of Parliament, or 
examine the chain of caufes and effeéts. It will ap- 
pear, by the treatife on the Wealth of Nations, 
(p. 325) that, onan average of the laftten years of 
the Jaft half century, the beft or higheft-priced 
wheat fold for about 3s. 9d. per bufhel only. It is 
nM 5 area Oe hte 2 oe it et sl pee alee 
* Wealth of Nations, pages 242, 243, and 244. 
VOL. Ix, G doubtlefs 
