© 
"MONTHLY MAGAZINE, 
OCTOBER 1, 
No. 170.) _ 
—— 
™ As long as thofe who write are ambitious of making Converts, and of giving to their Opinions a Maximum of 
1808. 
RR Se 
[3 of Vou. 26, 
.  Tnfuence and Celebrity, the moft extenfively circulated Mifcellany will repay with the greatelt Effect the 
**Curiuhty of thofe who read either for Amufement or InftruStion,” JOHNSON, 
‘ ORIGINAL COMM@NICATIONS. 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
LETTER III, 
ON TEA. 
Nequicquam Deus abscidit 
Prudens oceano dissociabile 
Terras, si tamen impie 
Won tangenda rates transiliunt vada. Hor. 
HE different products of different 
countries occasion a powerful ex- 
citement to commercial intercourse, which 
affording at the same time reeiprocal in- 
terests, forms a bond of union between 
nations; and by multiplying wants and 
enjoyments, promotes industry, civiliza- 
tion, morals, and wealth. These effects 
are the result of trade, by whatever me- 
dium it may be maintained, whether by 
that of gold, silver, rough materials, or 
manufactures; and the prices and profits 
of which, will in a great measure depend 
upon the value or facility of labour, 
Your correspondents G. N. and Phy- 
tophilus, seem to have imbibed the com- 
mon opinion, that we lose by trade with 
China, in consequence of, and in pro- 
portion to, the quantity of the precious 
metals exported thither for the purchase 
of tea; whilst 1 would consider them in 
the same point of view with other pro- 
ducts OF labour, employed in barter and 
traffic. “In China, and Indostan, the 
extent and variety of inland navigation 
save the greater part. of labour by Ait 
carriage, (used in most, parts of Europe,) 
and consequently of the money price of 
their manufactures, which must naturally 
be much lower in these great empires, 
than it is any where in Europe. Upon 
these accounts, the precious metals are 
a commodity, which it always has been, 
and still coutinues to be, extremely. ad- 
wantageous to curry from Europe to India, 
There is scarce any commodity which 
brings a better price there; or which, in 
proportion to the quantity of labour and 
‘commodities, which it costs in Europe, 
will purchase or command a_ greater 
quantity of labour and commodities in 
India.” «= Snath’s Wealth of Nations. 
B. 1. ch. xi. (and tlie subsequent remarks 
on silver, as an article of trade.) " 
From every consideration, therefore, re- 
Specting product andiabour,the cultivation 
ontugy Mac, No, 176, 
of tea in China will be infinitely cheaper to 
us, than in‘ any of our colonies where the 
price of: labour, aud of food, is so much 
dearer ; whilst the sanie labour bestowed 
on colomal product might afford a sur- 
plus of profit or money adequate to. pur- 
chase tea in China’ and other articles 
elsewhere, , 
An important’ consideration in the 
trade is the employment of shipping, and 
consequently the increase of seamen. 
am not well acquainted with the nature 
and extent of our exports to China; in- 
dependently, Lowever, of the precious 
metals, considerable quantities of tin, 
copper, and red cloth, are exported thi- 
ther; besides: watches, and various ar- 
ticles of mechanism; and of late, as I 
have been informed, English china; but 
as Adam Smith justly observes, our most 
profitable article of export is silver, 
About thirty million pounds of tea 
are annually imported into England; it is 
hence exported to a considerable extent 
to the colonies, and to the European 
states, and thus encreases the navigation, 
commerce, and profit of this kingdom, 
besides the direct duties drawn from its 
import. be, A ae 
In a moral point. of view, it is not an- 
inactive agent. Ir affords a cheap re- 
past, and is a grateful menstruum of the 
food taken with it. Like many other in- 
fusions of vegetables, it is not nutritious 
but is rendered so by the addition’ of 
sugar and cream, or milk; and if not 
taken too hot, or drawn from superfine 
tea, it is innoxious, whilst it leads very 
much to the exclusion of spirits, or potent 
liquors, to which even the higher ranks 
of both sexes were accustomed, as ac- 
companiments to breakfast, before the 
introduction of tea.* 
* Simon Pauli, who took a pleasure in 
opposing the use of tea, indulges himself 
with the irony of the following lines; 
Drinct wiin and warff 
Drinct beer and verdarff, 
Drinct waater and starff. 
? Or, 
Drink wine and profit,” 
Drink beer and grow thin, 
Drink water and die, 
Dd After 
