some considerations of the lowering of interest-第21章

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g　in　the　same　proportion　to　be　imploy'd　and　distributed　still　in　all　the　parts　of　its　circulation；　so　much　as　its　quantity　is　lessen'd；　so　much　must　the　share　of　every　one；　that　has　a　right　to　this　Money；　be　the　less；　whether　he　be　Landholder；　for　his　Goods；　or　Labourer；　for　his　Hire；　or　Merchant；　for　his　Brokage。　Though　the　Landholder　usually　finds　it　first。　Because　Money　failing；　and　falling　short；　People　have　not　so　much　Money　as　formerly　to　lay　out；　and　so　less　Money　is　brought　to　Market；　by　which　the　price　of　things　must　necessarily　fall。　The　Labourer　feels　it　next。　For　when　the　Landholder's　Rent　falls；　he　must　either　bate　the　Labourer's　Wages；　or　not　imploy；　or　not　pay　him；　which　either　way　makes　him　feel　the　want　of　Money。　The　Merchant　feels　it　last。　For　though　he　sell　less；　and　at　a　lower　rate；　he　buys　also　our　Native　Commodities；　which　he　Exports；　at　a　lower　rate　too：　and　will　be　sure　to　leave　our　Native　Commodities　unbought；　upon　the　Hands　of　the　Farmer；　or　Manufacturer；　rather　than　Export　them　to　a　Market；　which　will　not　afford　him　Returns　with　Profit。　　　　　If　one　Third　of　the　Money　imployed　in　Trade　were　lock'd　up；　or　gone　out　of　England；　must　not　the　Landholders　necessarily　receive　one　Third　less　for　their　Goods；　and　consequently　Rents　fall；　A　less　quantity　of　Money　by　one　Third　being　to　be　distributed　amongst　an　equal　number　of　Receivers？　lndeed；　People　not　perceiving　the　Money　to　be　gone；　are　apt　to　be　jealous　one　of　another；　and　each　suspecting　anothers　inequality　of　Gain　to　rob　him　of　his　share；　every　one　will　be　imploying　his　skill；　and　power；　the　best　he　can；　to　retrieve　it　again；　and　to　bring　Money　into　his　Pocket　in　the　same　plenty　as　formerly。　But　this　is　but　scrambling　amongst　our　selves；　and　helps　no　more　against　our　want；　than　the　pulling　of　a　short　Coverlet　will；　amongst　Children；　that　lye　together；　preserve　them　all　from　the　Cold。　Some　will　starve；　unless　the　Father　of　the　Family　provide　better；　and　enlarge　the　scanty　Covering。　This　pulling　and　contest　is　usually　between　the　Landed…man　and　the　Merchant。　For　the　Labourer's　share；　being　seldom　more　than　a　bare　subsistence；　never　allows　that　body　of　Men　time　or　opportunity　to　raise　their　Thoughts　above　that；　or　struggle　with　the　Richer　for　theirs；　（as　one　common　Interest；）　unless　when　some　common　and　great　Distress；　uniting　them　in　one　universal　Ferment；　makes　them　forget　Respect；　and　emboldens　them　to　carve　to　their　Wants　with　armed　force：　And　then　sometimes　they　break　in　upon　the　Rich；　and　sweep　all　like　a　deluge。　But　this　rarely　happens　but　in　the　mal…administration　of　neglected　or　mis…manag'd　Government。　　　　　The　usual　struggle　and　contest；　as　I　said　before；　in　the　decays　of　Wealth　and　Riches；　is　between　the　Landed　Man　and　the　Merchant；　with　whom　I　may　here　join　the　Monied　Man。　The　Landed　Man　finds　himself　aggrieved；　by　the　falling　of　his　Rents；　and　the　streightning　of　his　Fortune；　whilst　the　Monied　Man　keeps　up　his　Gain；　and　the　Merchant　thrives　and　grows　rich　by　Trade。　These　he　thinks　steal　his　Income　into　their　Pockets；　build　their　Fortunes　upon　his　Ruin；　and　Ingross　more　of　the　Riches　of　the　Nation　than　comes　to　their　share。　He　therefore　endeavours；　by　Laws；　to　keep　up　the　value　of　Lands；　which　he　suspects　lessened　by　the　others　excess　of　Profit：　But　all　in　vain。　The　cause　is　mistaken；　and　the　remedy　too。　'Tis　not　the　Merchants　nor　Monied　Man's　Gains　that　makes　Land　fall：　But　the　want　of　Money　and　lessening　of　our　Treasure　wasted　by　extravagant　Expences；　and　a　mis…manag'd　Trade；　which　the　Land　always　first　feels。　If　the　Landed　Gentleman　will　have；　and　by　his　example　make　it　fashionable　to　have；　more　Claret；　Spice；　Silk；　and　other　Foreign　Consumable　Wares；　than　our　Exportation　of　Commodities　does　exchange　for。　Money　must　unavoidably　follow　to　ballance　the　Account；　and　pay　the　Debt。　And　therefore　I　fear　that　another　Proposal；　I　hear　talked　of；　to　hinder　the　Exportation　of　Money　and　Bullion；　will　shew　more　our　need　of　care　to　keep　our　Money　from　going　from　us；　than　a　way　and　method；　how　to　preserve　it　here。　　　　　'Tis　Death　in　Spain　to　export　Money。　And　yet　they；　who　furnish　all　the　World　with　Gold　and　Silver；　have　least　of　it　amongst　themselves。　Trade　fetches　it　away　from　that　lazy　and　indigent　People；　notwithstanding　all　their　artificial　and　forced　contrivances　to　keep　it　there。　It　follows　Trade　against　the　rigour　of　their　Laws；　and　their　want　of　Foreign　Commodities　makes　it　openly　be　carried　out　at　Noon…Day。　Nature　has　bestowed　Mines　on　several　parts　of　the　World：　But　their　Riches　are　only　for　the　Industrious　and　Frugal。　Whomever　else　they　visit；　'tis　with　the　Diligent　and　Sober　only　they　stay。　And　ifthe　Vertue；　and　provident　way　of　Living　of　our　Ancestors　（content　with　our　Native　conveniences　of　Life；　without　the　costly　Itch　after　the　Materials　of　Pride　and　Luxury　from　abroad）　were　brought　in　fashion　and　countenance　again　amongst　us；　this　alone　would　do　more　to　keep；　and　increase　our　Wealth；　and　inrich　our　Land；　than　all　our　Paper　helps　about　Interest；　Money；　Bullion；　&c。　which　however　eagerly　we　may　catch　at；　will　not；　I　fear；　without　better　Husbandry；　keep　us　from　sinking；　whatever　contrivances　we　may　have　recourse　to。　'Tis　with　a　Kingdom；　as　with　a　Family。　Spending　less　than　our　own。　Commodities　will　pay　for；　is　the　sure　and　only　way　for　the　Nation　to　grow　Rich。　And　when　that　begins　once　seriously　to　be　consider'd；　and　our　faces　and　steps　are　in　earnest　turn'd　that　way；　we　may　hope　to　have　our　Rents　rise；　and　the　publick　Stock　thrive　again。　Till　then；　we　in　vain；　I　fear；　endeavour　with　noise；　and　weapons　of　Law；　to　drive　the　Wolf　from　our　own；　to　one　anothers　Doors：　The　Breed　ought　to　be　extirpated　out　of　the　Island。　For　Want；　brought　in　by　ill　management；　and　nursed　up　by　expensive　Vanity；　will　make　the　Nation　Poor；　and　spare　no　body。　　　　　If　Three　Millions　were　necessary　for　the　carrying　on　the　Trade　of　England；　whereof　One　Million　were　for　the　Landholder；　to　maintain　him；　and　another　were　for　the　payment　of　the　Labourer　and　Handicraftsman；　and　the　Third　were　the　share　of　the　Brokers；　coming　to　them　for　their　care　and　pains　in　distributing；　If　One　Million　of　this　Money　were　gone　out　of　the　Kingdom；　must　not　there　be　One　Third　less　to　be　shared　amongst　them　for　the　product　of　their　Land；　their　Labour　and　their　Distribution？　I　do　not　say　they　will　feel　it　at　the　same　time。　But　the　Landholder　having　nothing；　but　what　the　Product　of　his　Land　will　yield；　and　the　Buyer　according　to　the　Plenty　or　Scarcity　of　Money　he　has；　always　setting　the　Price　upon　what　is　offered　to　Sale；　The　Landholder　must　be　content　to　take　the　Market…Rate；　for　what　he　brings　thither；　which　always　following　the　scarcity　or　plenty　of　Money；　if　any　part　of　our　Money　be　gone；　he　is　sure　first　to　find　it　in　the　price　of　his　Commodities。　For　the　Broker　and　Merchant；　though　he　Sell　cheaper；　yet　he　Buys　cheaper　too：　And　he　will　be　sure　to　get　by　his　Returns；　or　let　alone　a　Commodity；　which　will　not　produce　him　Gain：　And　whatsoever　is　so　let　alone；　and　left　upon　hands；　always　turns　to　the　Landholders　loss。　　　　　Supposing　that　of　our　Woollen　Manufacture；　Foreign　Markets　took　off　one　half；　and　the　other　half　were　consumed　amongst　our　selves：　If　a　sensible　part；　（as　One　Third）　of　our　Coin　were