CHAP. XIII. ON THE TRANSFER OF MONEY. 357 



wealth of its various nations; but that wealth 

 was of a more substantial and stationary kind 

 than the precious metals which only measure or 

 represent labour, which act as a stimulus to in- 

 dustry both of body and mind, but are, after all, 

 the least part of the real wealth of a community. 

 We do not suppose, taking into consideration 

 all the circumstances to which we have adverted, 

 that the operation of the crusades was of great 

 influence, either in augmenting or diminishing 

 the stock of gold and silver in Europe, though 

 it gave an impulse directing the course of those 

 metals sometimes from the west to the east, 

 and again at other times in an opposite direc- 

 tion ; and thereby produced an exchange of 

 commodities which is one of the natural means 

 of promoting national prosperity. 



