344 FLUCTUATIONS IN CORN. 



CHAP. XII. 



of which we have had no instances in modern 

 times. 



The instances of the variation in prices which 

 are recorded in former, times will excite surprise 

 in those readers who have not paid attention to 

 the subject, and ought to make us all grateful 

 to that Providence which has brought us into 

 life in a period much less exposed to suffering 

 than that in which our forefathers lived. 



As it may be desirable to produce at one 

 view the scattered notices respecting the prices 

 of wheat which are to be found in the various 

 ancient authors, we here exhibit such as have 

 been collected, which, though the list is very 

 imperfect, will tend in some measure to show 

 that the variations in price depended much more 

 on the fertility or barrenness of the seasons, and 

 on the favourable or unfavourable state of the 

 weather at the respective harvests, than on any 

 great alteration in the value of the gold or silver 

 for which they were exchanged. 



Year. Price per quarter in Price per quarter in 



money of that time. money of the pre- 

 sent time. 



. s. d. . s. d. 



a 1120 . . .020 . .060 



a 1197 . . 18 8 . . 2 16 



a ' \ lowest price .016 . .046 



1216 J hi S hest P rice -060 . . 18 



a 1223 . . . 12 . . 1 16 



a 1237 . 034 10 



