xviii PREFACE. 



will, it is to be hoped, found their 

 greatnefs in the full cultivation of their 

 territories ; the wealth refulting from 

 that exertion, will remain at home, and 

 be fecure ; nothing in that progrefs 

 will kindle the jealoufy of neighbours 

 — no vile monopolies— no reftriclions 

 —no regulating duties are wanting: 

 perpetual wars, heavy debts, and ruin- 

 ous taxes, will not be neceflary to ex- 

 tend and promote agriculture, infepa- 

 rable as they have been from commerce. 



To a philofophical eye the prefent 

 conduct of commercial Europe is an 

 inexplicable enigma. The mercantile 

 fyftem of England having grafpedatand 

 pofTeiTed the monopoly of the North 

 American market, France, in the trans- 

 actions which preceded the war of 1 756, 

 manifefted the plaineft jealoufy of our 

 power in North America : the moll ill 

 founded jealoufy, as experience has 

 {hewn, that could actuate a nation. 

 The two countries engaged in the war 

 upon a fubjecl merely commercial; and 

 it coftj between them, above an hun- 

 dred 



