A General View of TEA* 303 
as it may, the nation which consumes most of Indian or Chi- 
nese produce, or manufactures, contributes most to the ge- 
neral ballance with thefe countries \ and the less intrinfically 
valuable, and the more coftly the article confumed is, the 
greater dupe is the nation which confumes it ; and confe- 
quently, we who confume fo much tea, are the greateft dupes 
of any nation in Europe. Had we virtue or wit enough to 
abftain from tea for a fhort time, were it only to try the expe- 
riment, we fhould find that very little would be brought into 
Europe ; and infiead of an ounce of filver for five or fix pounds 
of tea, the Chinese might accept of five (hillings value in our 
woollen cloth, in exchange for half a hundred weight of this 
commodity. 
With regard to the conduct and fashion of the reft of man- 
kind, in refpeCt to tea ; or the ufe of infusions which anfwer 
the fame purpofe ; as far as my knowledge goes, I will inform 
you. The french drink coffee in abundance, which they pur- 
chafe in turky in exchange for cloth : of late years they drink 
tea, among the better fort of people, and it feems to increafe ; 
but the whole is not a fifth part of what they have annually 
broughthome for fome years paft. — The united provinces con- 
fume more than a third part of what they bring home, viz. near 
a million of pounds weight. During the ostend china trade, 
the flanderkins confumed a confiderable quantity of tea ; 
but the prefent poverty of the inhabitants of that country, di- 
verts them from this expenfive cuftom. — The Germans drink 
tea, but nothing to be compared with us, coffee being more in 
ufe, and they pay for it chiefly with linen manufactures, and 
, other 
