302 CONSUMPTION OF CHAP. XI. 



there could be little occasion for money, and as 

 there was but little circulation, there could be 

 no great loss by wear when compared with the 

 quantity of it actually in existence. As the 

 low prices of all commodities had accompanied 

 or followed the diminution of the stock of gold 

 and silver, the few articles that were purchased 

 by the great mass of the people had fallen to 

 such an extent, that no piece of gold or even of 

 silver could be so small as to pay for what 

 labourers needed for their daily subsistence. 

 When a loaf of bread sufficient for a week's con- 

 sumption for a man could be bought for a far- 

 thing, silver money could not be used in the 

 transaction; to say nothing of the case of one 

 who wished to purchase food for a day. 



The current money must then have been 

 composed of the inferior metals, copper, tin, or 

 iron ; consequently but little loss on gold and 

 silver would arise in the way which constantly 

 occurs on those metals at present. Gold and 

 silver would only be needed in the larger 

 operations of commerce, and chiefly in that 

 branch which consisted in furnishing such 

 commodities as were required for military pur- 

 poses. 



The taste and tendency of those ages were 

 averse to commerce. Every free man felt it 

 disgraceful to meddle with trade either foreign 

 or domestic, or to occupy his attention with any 



