342 Notice to Correspondents . 
explanation would be useless to him. Whatever my politics may 
be, I have none in this work . As to the questions of political 
economy — what are the principles of public action (under whate- 
ver rulers, or whatever form of government) that lead most direct- 
ly and permanently, to national wealth and national power — and 
are most consistent with national security and national prosperity — 
I shall continue to discuss them. They have been for some years, 
and still are under discussion among the ablest statesmen, and the 
best informed writers of Europe, and they are still unsettled. In 
this country, they were never touched, until my essay of 1799, 
and a brief view of the expedience of protecting foreign commerce, 
published soon after, by Dr. Priestley. At that time we were alone 
ih our views of the subject. At present I am fully persuaded, 
that a decided majority of the literati of Great Britain who have 
turned their attention to these questions, are with us. In this coun- 
try, the topics have been too little discussed, to allow any public 
sentiment to have been formed. The popular opinions— -prevalent 
among those who have not read or thought much on the subject, 
are greatly adverse here, to what I think a correct system : but 
who is it that says they ought not to be discussed ? can he be a friend 
to science, or a friend to his country ? Ganilh’s book, evidently 
published in opposition to Montgaillard’s, has been reviewed with 
much encomium in the best of our miscellanies, the Port-folio, and 
with much laboured panegyric in Mr. Walsh’s Review. What, 
is it a crime to dissent from their opinions ? 
The present series of the Emporium, professes to give, a connect- 
ed set of essays on the leading manufactures of Europe likely to 
be of advantage in this country, taking them up one by one. But 
us all readers cannot feel nterested in any one manufacture (unless 
men of general science) it is proposed to fill up at least a third of 
the work with miscellaneous essays. I greatly doubt whether I 
Can make this , an entertaining work. I fear I want qualifications : 
still loss can I undertake, that all the opinions I may advance, shall 
meet with the full assent and approbation of all my readers. But 
this I can promise, that when I have gone through my twelve 
jnonth’s editorship of this work, it shall not be thrown aside, or 
torn up for waste paper. Those who have it will keep it, or l 
shall not answer my own expectations. 
But the very design and intent of the Emporium, is, to give in- 
formation on those manufactures which it is worth while to attempt 
jji this country ; every such manufacture, if it succeed, will take 
