Taxes in lieu of TEA, 
263 
The want of fumptuary laws, renders it neceffary to eftablifh 
parfimonious fafhions, otherwife we muft be undone. Under a 
fond notion of there being no end to our riches, we fhall fud- 
denly become poor. Excess will as certainly bring on mif- 
chievous effects to a community as it does to private men. 
What then is to be done? Trade, in a direct view, is already 
taxed to the height : but, if we may judge from appearances, 
luxury will yet bear many burdens before it corrects itfelf, or 
finks under the weight. By luxury I mean a vicious excefs, 
fuch as ever has, and ever will occafion the diffolution of 
{fates ; and therefore we ought to fupprefs it if we can. 
My prefent fpeculation more immediately concerns the fub~ 
ffituting a tax in lieu of that on tea. 
1 ft. If lefs fugar was confumed, might we not afford to pay 
an additional duty on what is expended at home ? The planter 
might diflike this, but we fhould certainly have a much greater 
quantity to export, and bid much fairer to check the growing 
power of France, by imitating her example in felling to fo- 
reigners, than by swallowing all down our own rapacious 
throats. If I were inclined to prophefy, I fhould fay, if we do 
not become more moderate in our consumption of this, and 
indeed of many other articles, we fhall find ourfelves grow 
poor, and the caufe of the decline of our wealth will be very dif- 
ficult to account for any other way than that we have devoured it, 
2d. But as one of the purpofes of this enquiry, is to keep 
more of our gold and silver at home, as well as to abolifh a 
perni- 
