138 Of the Commercial System. Bk. iii. 



"is obvious that it could not longer exist. But not 

 only does the absolute existence of such a nation, 

 on an extreme supposition, depend upon its foreign 

 commerce, but its progress in wealth must be 

 almost entirely measured by the progress and de- 

 mand of the countries which deal with it. How- 

 ever skilful, industrious and saving such a nation 

 might be, if its customers, from indolence and 

 want of accumulation, would not or could not take 

 off a yearly increasing value of its commodities, 

 the effects of its skill and machinery would be 

 but of very short duration. 



That the cheapness of manufactured commodi- 

 ties, occasioned by skill and machinery in one 

 country, is calculated to encourage an increase of 

 raw produce in others, no person can doubt; but 

 we know at the same time that high profits may 

 continue for a considerable period in an indolent 

 and ill-governed state, without producing an in- 

 crease of wealth ; yet, unless such an increase of 

 wealth and demand were produced in the sur- 

 rounding countries, the increasing ingenuity and 

 exertions of the manufacturing and commercial 

 state would be lost in continually falling prices. 

 It would not only be obliged, as its skill and 

 capital increased, to give a larger quantity of ma- 

 nufactured produce for the raw produce which it 

 received in return ; but it might be unable, even 

 with the temptation of reduced prices, to stimu- 

 late its customers to such purchases as would 

 allow of an increasing importation of food and raw 



