2 94 ^ ea with refpeSljo the Export of Gold and Silver . 
of them ! But if it could be proved in theory, fliould we fhort- 
lighted mortals truft to fuch theory ? How many things are 
mathematically demonstrable, which cannot be reduced to prac- 
tice. Archimedes offered to move the earth, but he required 
fuch a place to fet his feet upon, as can never be difcovered. 
Would a wife politician look on with indifference at any traffic 
or consumption, which has a tendency to try the experiment, 
whether a people may, without danger, drain off all their gold 
and filver ? No nation can have fuch univerfal commerce as 
this enjoys, if they prohibit the exportation of gold and filver in 
all cafes ; but fhall we therefore check the export in no case ? 
Or fhall we endevor to hide from ourfelves what is paid away 
to France, or exported for the article of tea? 
You may eafily perceive, what a vaft difference there is be- 
tween a raw commodity which gives employment to our ma- 
nufacturers, and afterwards draws gold and silver, or even 
good manufacturers, from other countries ; and a dead ar- 
ticle which we confume ourfelves, the greatest part, if not 
the whole of fuch dead article, being purchafed in exchange 
for gold and filver. 
You may alfo, without the leafl difficulty, conceive how gold 
and filver differ from all other commodities, by obferving that 
there is nothing ferviceable to life, in any corner of the globe, 
which we cannot purchafe with them. We can even engage 
foreigners to light our battles, and five our country, without 
the expence of our own blood. Without them we cannot 
even carry on a defensive war in our own country. It would 
i be 
