feen from hiftory, in the ruin of the Roman 

 as well as of other empires. 



In order to prove whether agriculture, or 

 trade and commerce be moft for the ad- 

 vantage of Britain, firft, Let us enquire 

 what may be the value of all the trade in 

 England, in its moft extended ftate, and how 

 much it may be increafed above what it is at 

 prefent. 



From the moft authentic account lately 

 publifhed by the ingenious Mr William Play- 

 fair, in his Political Atlas, the whole value of 

 the trade of England, for all the goods export- 

 ed to every part of the globe, and all the goods 

 imported from thofe places, does not amount, 

 in the beft year, to above thirty millions fter- 

 ling for both. Now, it may be faid, trade is 

 as much extended as it can well be ; indeed, 

 many articles are extended beyond what they 

 can continue at: But fuppofing, for argu- 

 ment's fake, that it was poflible to extend the 

 trade to double of what it is at prefent, fay to 

 iixty millions fterling, in the firft place, it is 

 very doubtful if this could be done, as the 

 average of twelve years export and import is 

 only L. 25,500,000. This calculation, being 

 from 1771 to 1782, is the higheft average of 



feventy 



