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adventurers were reported to have found； however； was sufficient
to inflame the avidity of all their countrymen。 Every Spaniard
who sailed to America expected to find an Eldorado。 Fortune； too；
did upon this what she has done upon very few other occasions。
She realized in some measure the extravagant hopes of her
votaries； and in the discovery and conquest of Mexico and Peru
（of which the one happened about thirty； the other about forty
years after the first expedition of Columbus）； she presented them
with something not very unlike that profusion of the precious
metals which they sought for。
A project of commerce to the East Indies； therefore； gave
occasion to the first discovery of the West。 A project of
conquest gave occasion to all the establishments of the Spaniards
in those newly discovered countries。 The motive which excited
them to this conquest was a project of gold and silver mines； and
a course of accidents； which no human wisdom could foresee；
rendered this project much more successful than the undertakers
had any reasonable grounds for expecting。
The first adventurers of all the other nations of Europe who
attempted to make settlements in America were animated by the
like chimerical views； but they were not equally successful。 It
was more than a hundred years after the first settlement of the
Brazils before any silver； gold； or diamond mines were discovered
there。 In the English； French； Dutch； and Danish colonies； none
have ever yet been discovered； at least none that are at present
supposed to be worth the working。 The first English settlers in
North America； however； offered a fifth of all the gold and
silver which should be found there to the king； as a motive for
granting them their patents。 In the patents to Sir Walter
Raleigh； to the London and Plymouth Companies； to the Council of
Plymouth； etc。； this fifth was accordingly reserved to the crown。
To the expectation of finding gold and silver mines； those first
settlers； too； joined that of discovering a northwest passage to
the East Indies。 They have hitherto been disappointed in both。
PART 2
Causes of Prosperity of New Colonies
THE colony of a civilised nation which takes possession
either of a waste country； or of one so thinly inhabited that the
natives easily give place to the new settlers； advances more
rapidly to wealth and greatness than any other human society。
The colonists carry out with them a knowledge of agriculture
and of other useful arts superior to what can grow up of its own
accord in the course of many centuries among savage and barbarous
nations。 They carry out with them； too； the habit of
subordination； some notion of the regular government which takes
place in their own country； of the system of laws which support
it； and of a regular administration of justice； and they
naturally establish something of the same kind in the new
settlement。 But among savage and barbarous nations； the natural
progress of law and government is still slower than the natural
progress of arts； after law and government have been go far
established as is necessary for their protection。 Every colonist
gets more land than he can possibly cultivate。 He has no rent；
and scarce any taxes to pay。 No landlord shares with him in its
produce； and the share of the sovereign is commonly but a trifle。
He has every motive to render as great as possible a produce；
which is thus to be almost entirely his own。 But his land is
commonly so extensive that； with all his own industry； and with
all the industry of other people whom he can get to employ； he
can seldom make it produce the tenth part of what it is capable
of producing。 He is eager； therefore； to collect labourers from
all quarters； and to reward them with the most liberal wages。 But
those liberal wages； joined to the plenty and cheapness of land；
soon make those labourers leave him； in order to become landlords
themselves； and to reward； with equal liberality； other
labourers； who soon leave them for the same reason that they left
their first master。 The liberal reward of labour encourages
marriage。 The children； during the tender years of infancy； are
well fed and properly taken care of； and when they are grown up；
the value of their labour greatly overpays their maintenance。
When arrived at maturity； the high price of labour； and the low
price of land； enable them to establish themselves in the same
manner as their fathers did before them。
In other countries； rent and profit eat up wages； and the
two superior orders of people oppress the inferior one。 But in
new colonies the interest of the two superior orders obliges them
to treat the inferior one with more generosity and humanity； at
least where that inferior one is not in a state of slavery。 Waste
lands of the greatest natural fertility are to be had for a
trifle。 The increase of revenue which the proprietor； who is
always the undertaker； expects from their improvement；
constitutes his profit which in these circumstances is commonly
very great。 But this great profit cannot be made without
employing the labour of other people in clearing and cultivating
the land； and the disproportion between the great extent of the
land and the small number of the people； which commonly takes
place in new colonies； makes it difficult for him to get this
labour。 He does not； therefore； dispute about wages； but is
willing to employ labour at any price。 The high wages of labour
encourage population。 The cheapness and plenty of good land
encourage improvement； and enable the proprietor to pay those
high wages。 In those wages consists almost the whole price of the
land； and though they are high considered as the wages of labour；
they are low considered as the price of what is so very valuable。
What encourages the progress of population and improvement
encourages that of real wealth and greatness。
The progress of many of the ancient Greek colonies towards
wealth and greatness seems accordingly to have been very rapid。
In the course of a century or two； several of them appear to have
rivalled； and even to have surpassed their mother cities。
Syracuse and Agrigentum in Sicily； Tarentum and Locri in Italy；
Ephesus and Miletus in Lesser Asia； appear by all accounts to
have been at least equal to any of the cities of ancient Greece。
Though posterior in their establishment； yet all the arts of
refinement； philosophy； poetry； and eloquence seem to have been
cultivated as early； and to have been improved as highly in them
as in any part of the mother country。 The schools of the two
oldest Greek philosophers； those of Thales and Pythagoras； were
established； it is remarkable； not in ancient Greece； but the one
in an Asiatic； the other in an Italian colony。 All those colonies
had established themselves in countries inhabited by savage and
barbarous nations； who easily gave place to the new settlers。
They had plenty of good land； and as they were altogether
independent of the mother city； they were at liberty t