84 THE BEE, OR Jan. 19, 



induftry, that they ftimulate and call It forth to greater 

 exertions ; and, as great care fliould be taken in every 

 wife government to render it as difficult as poffible for 

 people to live unemployed and idle, fo, every encou- 

 ragement Ihould be given tothofe whoundertake any law- 

 ful occupation. This is a grand general maxim, which 

 may be applied to a vaft number of individuals. Hence, 

 all taxes fhould be avoided, which have an immediate 

 effefl to prevent imiujlry^ fuch as taxes on the import- 

 ation of raw materials for manufaftures, which cannot 

 be fo well raifcd at home. The common apology for 

 fuch taxes is, that they are defigned to encourage our 

 own produdHons. But this is a narrow policy. No 

 country pi-oduces all commodities equally well j and It 

 is often much better to import an article from the coun- 

 try where it is naturally in pcrfedlion, than with vaft 

 labour, and much expence, produce a bad imitation 

 of it at home. Foreign trade employs Ihipping, is a 

 nurfery for feamen, and opens a vent for our manufac- 

 tures. AVe may encourage our own produ£licns, by 

 granting a bounty to thoic who raife them of the fanie 

 kind and gocdnefs as the foreign. But it ought to be 

 limited to fuch conditions ; for if they are raifed of a 

 diff.yent kind cr ivorfc quality, then they do not fupply 

 ti;e pluce of the foreign articles, nor prevent the necef- 

 fity of applying to ftrangers. Therefore, to grant any 

 bounty in fuch cafes, is merely to take money out of 

 one hand and put it into another, or indeed worfc. 

 Ri/Jpan jiax is exempted from a tax : But why is one 

 impofed on Swedi/Ij iro?t, fince we cannot equal that; 

 people in producnig this commodity of equal good^ 

 iiefs and price ? The nations of Europe may be com- 

 pared to the inhabitants of a town, where each one at-, 

 taches himfelf to a particular pvofeflion, and finds it 

 his intercft rather to employ his neighbour in other 

 matters, than to do all for himfelf, A nation that 

 iriould aire<n to fupply itfelf with every thing, appears 

 to be no \s'ifcr than a man^ who being by proftlllon 3 



