[ 4°i ] 

 quently raifed, to the decline of our manu- 

 factures, and foreign commerce. 



A very few facts will furfice clearly to 

 anfwer this common place objection. The 

 price of provifions is 7iot raifed in any part 

 of the kingdom, to an unreafonable or dan- 

 gerous height : This facl: has been proved 

 too clearly, in the preceding minutes, to ad- 

 mit of a moment's doubt. The prices of 

 all the neceffaries of life throughout Eng- 

 land are moderate, and, in our deareft. times, 

 have not equalled the common prices in the 

 markets of Holland, the mod commercial 

 country in the world. I do not inftance 

 this as a proof of our flourishing fituation, 

 for reafons too complicated to be mentioned 

 here ; I think it rather a proof, that inftead 

 of declining, we may hope yet to make 

 great advances. 



In the next place I afTert, upon the tefti- 

 mony of fome hundred fads contained in 

 the preceding papers, that fuppofing this 

 high price of provifions was true, yet that 

 it proves nothing relative to the price of 

 labour. In places where provifions are very 

 high, labour is uncommonly cheap : In 

 others, where labour is extravagantly dear, 

 provifions are found to be very moderate. 

 When I have fuch clear and deciiive facls 

 for my guide, I pay no regard to the com- 



Vol. IV. D d mon- 



