144 
Enrichment consequent on the 
[May, 
look for any commercial intercourse, except where there is mutual gain. Thus, 
for instance, if the weaver should be so happily circumstanced, that besides the 
cloth for his own use, in fabricating which he enjoyed advantages, he lived in a. 
country so fertile, that he obtained a sufficiency of food, with less labour than 
was required in preparing a quantity of cloth equal to a second man’s consump-- 
tion ; he would doubtless have no dealings with the husbandman, with whom we 
have just supposed him to be in commercial intercourse: — it would matter not 
to him, that the husbandman wanted cloth, and that he had food to offer in 
exchange for it j if it was a less quantity of food than he himself could raise, or 
if it was an equal quantity, but obtainable only through the greater labour of 
fabricating more cloth, there could be no gain ; there would, in fact, be loss expe- 
rienced by him, if he listened to the proposal of exchange made by the husband- 
man. Just so it is with nations; if one produces corn alone, and the other 
produces both cloth and corn, it matters not whether cloth can be obtained much 
moie readily in the one than in the other ; there can be no commercial intercourse, 
unless both nations gain on the transaction. 
We have just seen, how an increased income comes to be obtainable by the 
! timate consumeis ot goods, when these have become the subject of commercial 
interchange. We must now proceed to trace the formation of the income which it 
tails, m the process of time, to be the peculiar lot of a commercial class hi 
enjoy; and incidentally to shew, that it is not between primary and secondaiy 
wealth alone, that advantageous commercial interchange can take place ; we shall 
trace this progress under the supposition, that primary wealth alone exists. 
opposing men to labour under a necessity, not only for one description of 
vegetable or animal products, but for several ; and supposing that one individual 
occupies a tract peculiarly adapted for one description of production, while 
another occupies a tract peculiarly fitted for reproduction of a different nature; 
i each endeavours to raise a proportion of both products, they will both have 
to labour at a disadvantage ; and the joint reproductions of both will, on the 
" to e, be less, than if each devoted his time and land to the production for 
which the sods were peculiarly fitted. The incomes of both will, therefore, he 
increased, by each appropriating their lands to their proper purpose, and by 
their subsequently exchanging the produce. Now let us suppose, that each pro- 
ducer carrying his goods to his neighbour, is, in personally affecting this exchange, 
so taken off from attention to his peculiar business, that the utmost poffi® 
reproduction ,s not made available by his labour. If then an arrangement can 
be effected, by which this interruption is avoided, it follows, that a greater produce 
inen , n T rendere <J available for human consumption ; that an increased 
increased population.. Suppose then me '““ of supporting «• 
ers- if i-Hp . ’ > a carrier to step between these two produc- 
devote thei P v° r \ rep , r “ duct ‘°“’ conse qnent on these persons being allowed to 
devote then undivided labour to their peculiar business, be more than sufficient 
° f " ,S , r S .’ “ , WU1 be ““<*-* advantageous for both parties 
to employ him , and this is the origin of the income which, in later times,# 
com s to be he peculiar lot of the mercantile class to enjoy; as also of that 
Chante rz T T takes p, aC e amongst those nattons, where mer- 
peculiarly that description of production foj t\i f T"’ 
adapted ; and when they establish, i„ conseni enne e ’ * T’ * “with 
each other • thnn « i n , nsequence, commercial intercourse wita 
income, but the ’general incZe of' the "f merChants realize a newi >' erol,ed 
& the two countries will also experience a 
