Great Expence and a lojing Trade deffru&ive . 277 
in articles pernicious to health, the number will be alfo de- 
creafed by lives being Shortened. However obvious it may be, 
that a branch of trade is pernicious, it may be extremely diffi- 
cult to fupprefs it any other way than by the force of example ; 
for if we proceed to a degree of rigor, which is not confident 
with the liberty of a free date, the remedy will become vvorfe 
than the disease. This truth is verified in one light, in the 
affair of the cambrics, againd which nothing can prevail but 
faihion. 
Time and chance happens to all men ; and as it is fome- 
times difficult, if not impoffible, to trace out the latent caufes, 
of the adversity of individuals ; lo with regard to a commu- 
nity, it may be undermined in a secret manner. All the 
caufes may never be difcovered ; but where they are apparent, 
a people mud be abandoned indeed,, if they will not apply 
themfelves to the removal of them. 
It is the fame in the national account, a3 in private life ^ 
there mud be great revenues to fupport a great expence : 
againd every hurtful trade there mud be a beneficial one; 
but if, upon the force of a profitable trade, we fpend as if there 
was none unprofitable to draw back our gains, we mud be 
undone in the iffue. The circumdances of a whole community 
do not, in all indances, admit of a comparifon with thofe of a 
private family ; but who can difpute that the fame falfe max- 
ims which impoverifh one family, may, in the cour.fe of time,, 
impoverifh a million of families ? According to the. vulgar pro- 
verb, <4 what is sav’d is gain’d this alfo is not always trueirn 
private life, and lefs in. national concerns ; but it is true in fome 
in dances £ 
