96 NOTES ON ECONOMICAL SCIENCE. 



NOTES ON SOME PRACTICALLY INTERESTING QUES- 

 TIONS IN ECONOMICAL SCIENCE BEARING ON 

 THE PROSPERITY OF COUNTRIES SITUATED AS 

 OURS IS. 



BY REV. "WILLIAM HINCKS, F.L.S., ETC., 



{Read before the Canadian Institute, 24ith 3Iarch, 1866.^ 



I have had a good deal of doubt whether I ought to offer these 

 notes to the Canadian Institute. I have nothing new to bring for- 

 ward, and I pretend to no particular skill or knowledge on the 

 subject. I have indeed studied it to some extent, and endeavoured, 

 as I think all educated men engaged either in trade or professions 

 ought, to understand its principles and their practical importance, 

 but to repeat received and as I apprehend well-established principles 

 in this place is what can only be excused under peculiar circumstances. 

 My apology is, that I think I frequently observe symptoms of the 

 prevalence, to some extent, in this country, of what I must account 

 false, delusive and dangerous notions on great questions in economical 

 science. This is probably not the case amongst thinking and reading 

 men, but if we consider that the works on political economy are not 

 in their nature popular, or in their price very accessible, as they offer 

 no temptation for reprints, and that a very bad influence is constantly 

 though imperceptibly flowing in from a neighbouring country where 

 opinions and practices which set at defiance all the conclusions of 

 science are almost universal it really is not wonderful that even intelli- 

 gent and well-informed men amongst us should adopt notions in 

 general circulation which have a certain degree of plausibility, though 

 contrary to the conclusions which the highest authorities on the sub- 

 ject have deduced from the widest experience by the most cautious 

 reasoning, which have come to be accounted as established truths, 

 and have been practically applied with obvious advantage. As this 

 is a case in which no one can doubt the importance of right views, 

 and it is only by discussion and reflection on what can be said on 

 both sides that they can be diffused, I must think it a useful labour 

 to call attention to the subject, and that conviction must excuse an 

 attempt which I can only hope to render tolerable by a direct refer- 

 ence in my observations to the sort of case presented by countries 

 situated like our's in respect to the question discussed. 



