144 Of the Commercial System. Bk. iii. 



at the best very slowly progressive. In fact, Sir 

 William Temple gives it as his opinion that the 

 trade of Holland had for some years passed its 

 meridian, and begun sensibly to decay.* Subse- 

 quently, when the progress of other nations was 

 still more marked, it appeared from undoubted 

 documents that most of the trades of Holland, 

 as well as its fisheries, had decidedly fallen off, 

 and that no branch of its commerce had retained 

 its former vigour, except the American and Afri- 

 can trades, and that of the Rhine and Maese, 

 Avhich are independent of foreign power and com- 

 petition. 



In 1669, the whole population of Holland and 

 West Friezeland was estimated by John de Witt 

 at 2,400,000. t In 1778, the population of the 

 seven provinces was estimated only at 2,000,000;.]: 

 and thus, in the course of above a hundred years, 

 the population, instead of increasing, as is usual, 

 had greatly diminished. 



In all these cases of commercial states, the 

 progress of wealth and population seems to have 

 been checked by one or more of the causes above 

 mentioned, which must necessarily affect more or 

 less the power of commanding the means of sub- 

 sistence. 



Universally it may be observed, that if, from 

 any cause or causes whatever, the funds for the 

 maintenance of labour in any country cease to be 

 progressive, the effective demand for labour will 



* Temple's Works, vol. i. p. (57. 



t Intcicst of Holland, vol. i. p. 9. 



X Richesse dc lu HoHande, vol. ii. p. ."49. 



