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have　been　introduced　into　different　countries　in　two　different

ways。

　　　　　Sometimes　they　have　been　introduced；　in　the　manner　above

mentioned；　by　the　violent　operation；　if　one　may　say　so；　of　the

stocks　of　particular　merchants　and　undertakers；　who　established

them　in　imitation　of　some　foreign　manufactures　of　the　same　kind。

Such　manufactures；　therefore；　are　the　offspring　of　foreign

commerce；　and　such　seem　to　have　been　the　ancient　manufactures　of

silks；　velvets；　and　brocades；　which　flourished　in　Lucca　during

the　thirteenth　century。　They　were　banished　from　thence　by　the

tyranny　of　one　of　Machiavel's　heroes；　Castruccio　Castracani。　In

1310；　nine　hundred　families　were　driven　out　of　Lucca；　of　whom

thirty…one　retired　to　Venice　and　offered　to　introduce　there　the

silk　manufacture。　Their　offer　was　accepted；　many　privileges　were

conferred　upon　them；　and　they　began　the　manufacture　with　three

hundred　workmen。　Such；　too；　seem　to　have　been　the　manufactures　of

fine　cloths　that　anciently　flourished　in　Flanders；　and　which　were

introduced　into　England　in　the　beginning　of　the　reign　of

Elizabeth；　and　such　are　the　present　silk　manufactures　of　Lyons

and　Spitalfields。　Manufactures　introduced　in　this　manner　are

generally　employed　upon　foreign　materials；　being　imitations　of

foreign　manufactures。　When　the　Venetian　manufacture　was　first

established；　the　materials　were　all　brought　from　Sicily　and　the

Levant。　The　more　ancient　manufacture　of　Lucca　was　likewise

carried　on　with　foreign　materials。　The　cultivation　of　mulberry

trees　and　the　breeding　of　silk…worms　seem　not　to　have　been　common

in　the　northern　parts　of　Italy　before　the　sixteenth　century。

Those　arts　were　not　introduced　into　France　till　the　reign　of

Charles　IX。　The　manufactures　of　Flanders　were　carried　on　chiefly

with　Spanish　and　English　wool。　Spanish　wool　was　the　material；　not

of　the　first　woollen　manufacture　of　England；　but　of　the　first

that　was　fit　for　distant　sale。　More　than　one　half　the　materials

of　the　Lyons　manufacture　is　at　this　day；　foreign　silk；　when　it

was　first　established；　the　whole　or　very　nearly　the　whole　was　so。

No　part　of　the　materials　of　the　Spitalfields　manufacture　is　ever

likely　be　the　produce　of　England。　The　seat　of　such　manufactures；

as　they　are　generally　introduced　by　the　scheme　and　project　of　a

few　individuals；　is　sometimes　established　in　a　maritime　city；　and

sometimes　in　an　inland　town；　according　as　their　interest；

judgment；　or　caprice　happen　to　determine。

　　　　　At　other　times；　manufactures　for　distant　sale　group　up

naturally；　and　as　it　were　of　their　own　accord；　by　the　gradual

refinement　of　those　household　and　coarser　manufactures　which　must

at　all　times　be　carried　on　even　in　the　poorest　and　rudest

countries。　Such　manufactures　are　generally　employed　upon　the

materials　which　the　country　produces；　and　they　seem　frequently　to

have　been　first　refined　and　improved　in　such　inland　countries　as

were；　not　indeed　at　a　very　great；　but　at　a　considerable　distance

from　the　sea　coast；　and　sometimes　even　from　all　water　carriage。

An　inland　country；　naturally　fertile　and　easily　cultivated；

produces　a　great　surplus　of　provisions　beyond　what　is　necessary

for　maintaining　the　cultivators；　and　on　account　of　the　expense　of

land　carriage；　and　inconveniency　of　river　navigation；　it　may

frequently　be　difficult　to　send　this　surplus　abroad。　Abundance；

therefore；　renders　provisions　cheap；　and　encourages　a　great

number　of　workmen　to　settle　in　the　neighbourhood；　who　find　that

their　industry　can　there　procure　them　more　of　the　necessaries　and

conveniencies　of　life　than　in　other　places。　They　work　up　the

materials　of　manufacture　which　the　land　produces；　and　exchange

their　finished　work；　or　what　is　the　same　thing　the　price　of　it；

for　more　materials　and　provisions。　They　give　a　new　value　to　the

surplus　part　of　the　rude　produce　by　saving　the　expense　of

carrying　it　to　the　water　side　or　to　some　distant　market；　and　they

furnish　the　cultivators　with　something　in　exchange　for　it　that　is

either　useful　or　agreeable　to　them　upon　easier　terms　than　they

could　have　obtained　it　before。　The　cultivators　get　a　better　price

for　their　surplus　produce；　and　can　purchase　cheaper　other

conveniences　which　they　have　occasion　for。　They　are　thus　both

encouraged　and　enabled　to　increase　this　surplus　produce　by　a

further　improvement　and　better　cultivation　of　the　land；　and　as

the　fertility　of　the　land　had　given　birth　to　the　manufacture；　so

the　progress　of　the　manufacture　reacts　upon　the　land　and

increases　still　further　its　fertility。　The　manufacturers　first

supply　the　neighbourhood；　and　afterwards；　as　their　work　improves

and　refines；　more　distant　markets。　For　though　neither　the　rude

produce　nor　even　the　coarse　manufacture　could；　without　the

greatest　difficulty；　support　the　expense　of　a　considerable　land

carriage；　the　refined　and　improved　manufacture　easily　may。　In　a

small　bulk　it　frequently　contains　the　price　of　a　great　quantity

of　rude　produce。　A　piece　of　fine　cloth；　for　example；　which　weighs

only　eighty　pounds；　contains　in　it；　the　price；　not　only　of　eighty

pounds'　weight　of　wool；　but　sometimes　of　several　thousand　weight

of　corn；　the　maintenance　of　the　different　working　people　and　of

their　immediate　employers。　The　corn；　which　could　with　difficulty

have　been　carried　abroad　in　its　own　shape；　is　in　this　manner

virtually　exported　in　that　of　the　complete　manufacture；　and　may

easily　be　sent　to　the　remotest　corners　of　the　world。　In　this

manner　have　grown　up　naturally；　and　as　it　were　of　their　own

accord；　the　manufactures　of　Leeds；　Halifax；　Sheffield；

Birmingham；　and　Wolverhampton。　Such　manufactures　are　the

offspring　of　agriculture。　In　the　modern　history　of　Europe；　their

extension　and　improvement　have　generally　been　posterior　to　those

which　were　the　offspring　of　foreign　commerce。　England　was　noted

for　the　manufacture　of　fine　cloths　made　of　Spanish　wool　more　than

a　century　before　any　of　those　which　now　flourish　in　the　places

above　mentioned　were　fit　for　foreign　sale。　The　extension　and

improvement　of　these　last　could　not　take　place　but　in　consequence

of　the　extension　and　improvement　of　agriculture　the　last　and

greatest　effect　of　foreign　commerce；　and　of　the　manufactures

immediately　introduced　by　it；　and　which　I　shall　now　proceed　to

explain。　　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　IV



How　the　Commerce　of　the　Towns　Contributed　to　the　Improvement　of

the　Country



　　　　　THE　increase　and　riches　of　commercial　and　manufacturing

towns　contributed　to　the　improvement　and　cultivation　of　the

countries　to　which　they　belonged　in　three　different　ways。

　　　　　First；　by　affording　a　great　and　ready　market　for　the　rude

produce　of　the　country；　they　gave　encouragement　to　its

cultivation　and　further　improvement。　This　benefit　was　not　even

confined　to　the　countries　in　which　they　were　situated；　but

extended　more　or　less　to　all　those　with　which　they　had　any

dealings。　To　all　of　them　they　afforded　a　market　for　some　part

either　of　their　rude　or　manufactured　produce；　and　consequently

gave　some　encouragement　to　the　industry　and　improvement　of　all。

Their　own　country；　however；　on　account　of　its　neighbourhood；

necessarily　derived　the　greatest　benefit　from　this　market。　Its

rude　produce　being　charged　with　less　carriage；　the　traders　could

pay　the　growers　a　better　price　for　it；　and　yet　afford　it　as　cheap

to　the　consumers　as　that　of　more　distant　countries。

　　　　　Secondly；　the　wealth　acquired　by　the　inhabitants　of　cities

was　frequently　employed　in　purchasing　such　lands　as　were　to　be

sold；　of　which　a　great　part　would　frequently　be　uncultivated。

Merchants　are　commonly　ambitious　of　becoming　country　gentlemen；

and　when　they　do；　they　are　generally　the　best　of　all　improvers。　A

merchant　is　accustomed　to　employ　his　money　chiefly　in　profitable

projects；　whereas　a　mere　country　gentleman　is　accustomed　to

employ　it　chiefly　in　expense。　The　one　often　sees　his　money　go

from　him　and　return　to　him　again　with　a　profit；　the　other；　when

once　he　parts　with　it；　very　seldom　expects　to　see　any　more　of　it。

Those　different　habits　naturally　affect　their　temper　and

disposition　in　every　sort　of　business。　A　merchant　is　commonly　a

bold；　a　country　gentleman　a　timid　undertaker。　The　one　is　not

afraid　to　lay　out　at　once　a　large　capital　upon　the　improvement　of

his　land　when　he　has　a　probable　prospect　of　raising　the　value　of

it　in　proportion　to　the　expense。　The　other；　if　he　has　any

capital；　which　is　not　always　the　case；　seldom　ventures　to　employ

it　in　this　manner。　If　he　improves　at　all；　it　is　commonly　not　with

a　capital；　but　with　what　he　can　save　out　of　his　annual　revenue。

Whoever　has　had　the　fortune　to　live　in　a　mercantile　town　situated

in　an　unimproved　country　must　have　frequently　observed　how　much

more　spirited　the　operations　of　merchants　were　in　this　way　than

those　of　mere　country　gentlemen。　The　habits；　besides；　of　order；

economy；　and　attention；　to　which　mercantile　business　naturally

forms　a　merchant；　render　him　much　fitter　to　execute；　with　profit

and　success；　any　project　of　improvement。

　　　　　Thirdly；　and　lastly；　commerce　and　manufactures　gradually

introduced　order　and　good　government；　and　with　them；　the　liberty

and　security　of　individuals；　among　the　inhabitants　of　the

country；　who　had　before　lived　almost　in　a　continual　state　of　war

with　their　neighbours　and　of　servile　dependency　upon　their

superiors。　This；　though　it　has　been　the　least　observed；　is　by　far

the　most　important　of　all　their　effects。　Mr。　Hume　is　the　only

writer　who；　so　far　as　I　know；　has　hitherto　taken　notice　of　it。

　　　　　In　a　country　which　has　neither　foreign　commerce；　nor　any　of

the　finer　manufactures；　a　great　proprietor；　having　nothing　for

which　he　can　exchange　the　greater　part　of　the　produce　of　his

lands　which　is　over　and　above　the　maintenance　of　the　cultivators；

consumes　the　whole　in　rustic　hospitality　at　home。　If　this　surplus

produce　is　sufficient　to　maintain　a　hundred　or　a　thousand　men；　he

can　make　use　of　it　in　no　other　way　than　by　maintaining　a　hundred

or　a　thousand　men。　He　is　at　all　times；　therefore；　surrounded　with

a　multitude　of　retainers　and　dependants；　w