Ch.xiii. affects the Condition of the Poor. 215 



dustry now bear to the quantity of food raised 

 for human consumption, it is probably a very 

 low estimate to say that the mass of wealth or 

 the stock and revenue of the country must, 

 independently of any change in the value of 

 the circulating medium, have increased above 

 four times. Few of the other countries in Europe 

 have increased to the same extent in commercial 

 and manufacturing wealth as England.; but as far 

 as they have proceeded in this career, all appear- 

 ances clearly indicate that the progress of their 

 general wealth has been greater than the progress 

 of their means of supporting an additiona,l popu- 

 lation. 



That every increase of the stock or reveiuie of 

 a nation cannot be considered as an increase of 

 the real funds for the maintenance of labour will 

 appear in a striking light in the case of China. 



Adam Smith observes, that China has probably 

 long been as rich as the nature of her laws and 

 institutions will admit ; but intimates that, with 

 other laws and institutions, and if foreign com- 

 merce were held in honour, she might still be 

 much richer. 



If trade and foreign commerce were held la 

 great honour in China, it is evident that, from the 

 great number of her labourers and the cheapness 

 of her labour, she might work up manufactures 

 for foreign sale to a great amount. It is equally 

 evident that, from the great bulk of provisions 

 and the prodigious extent of her inland territory, 



