CHAP. XXIV. USE OF GOLD AND SILVER. 199 



The greater or less application of gold and silver 

 to other purposes than money will depend much 

 on the increase of general wealth : not meaning by 

 wealth money or metallic treasure, but that mate- 

 rial wealth which so much exceeds it in value. If 

 a silver spoon be equal in value to a bushel of wheat, 

 more spoons will be used than if it required two 

 bushels to obtain it. In this, as in other commo- 

 dities, the use will increase as the value of it mea- 

 sured by other commodities increases. 



In the early part of the period we are now con- 

 templating, commencing with the year 1700, little 

 progress was made either in refinement of man- 

 ners or in the augmentation of general wealth in 

 Europe, when compared with the progress that 

 the latter portion of the period has exhibited. 



In France, though the early part of the reign of France. 

 Louis XIV. had been distinguished by the splen- 

 dour and magnificence which his flatterers called 

 glory, yet it had been much more distinguished 

 by thoughtless profusion, by reckless persecution, 

 and by efforts directed to display rather than to 

 utility, which covered with disgrace and morti- 

 fication the close of his life. The regency of the 

 profligate Orleans found France in a state of weak- 

 ness, not decrepitude ; but a peaceful series of 

 years, in spite of national insolvency and occa- 

 sional hostilities, gave fresh energy to industry, 

 whilst the voluptuous Louis XV. certainly intro- 

 duced a refinement of manners. The increased 



