276 Great Ex fence and a lofing Trade deJlriiElive. 
our commerce to be already fully fupplied with men and money? 
IF one of the two millions now fpent in tea, were laid out 
annually in plantations, in making public gardens, in pav- 
ing and widening streets, in making roads, in rendering 
rivers navigable, or ere&ing palaces, building neat and conve- 
nient houfes, where are now only huts ; draining lands, or 
rendering thofe which are now barren of fome ufe ; fhould we 
not be gainers, compared with the confequences of the tea 
trade ? There is no danger whilft luxury reigns, that we fhall 
become indolent. Arts and fciences, agriculture and manu- 
fa&ury, will keep pace with luxury. But upon this principle 
was tea out of the queftion, we fhould ftill be luxurious 
enough ; and it would remove one great objedt of extrava- 
gance from the poor, in whom luxury is moft dangerous. 
But whilft individuals are attentive to their private concerns, 
the fkilful flatefman will endevor to difcover when we go 
too fast or too slow ; he will obferve what trades are moft 
advantageous, and which are prejudicial, and cherifh or dis- 
countenance them accordingly. A profitable trade will ever 
produce the contrary effe&s of a lofing branch of commerce. 
The firft increafes riches, and invites foreigners : they covet to 
refide in countries where riches abound, and alfo to fend their 
fortunes there to be improved. Thus riches create riches, and 
they generally augment the number of inhabitants. In fuch 
countries induftry will fiouriFh, and arts will be improved. 
But a lofing trade impoveriFhes ; it lowers the reputation of 
a nation ; it drives people into other countries, confequently 
diminiflies their numbers. And if fuch a lofing trade confifis 
in 
