wealbk01-第73章

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of　the　far　greater　part　of　the　lands　of　the　country。　It　clearly

demonstrates　that　the　stock　and　population　of　the　country　did　not

bear　the　same　proportion　to　the　extent　of　its　territory　which

they　commonly　do　in　civilised　countries；　and　that　society　was　at

that　time；　and　in　that　country；　but　in　its　infancy。　From　the　high

or　low　money　price　either　of　goods　in　general；　or　of　corn　in

particular；　we　can　infer　only　that　the　mines　which　at　that　time

happened　to　supply　the　commercial　world　with　gold　and　silver　were

fertile　or　barren；　not　that　the　country　was　rich　or　poor。　But

from　the　high　or　low　money　price　of　some　sorts　of　goods　in

proportion　to　that　of　others；　we　can　infer；　with　a　degree　of

probability　that　approaches　almost　to　certainty；　that　it　was　rich

or　poor；　that　the　greater　part　of　its　lands　were　improved　or

unimproved；　and　that　it　was　either　in　a　more　or　less　barbarous

state；　or　in　a　more　or　less　civilised　one。

　　　　　Any　rise　in　the　money　price　of　goods　which　proceeded

altogether　from　the　degradation　of　the　value　of　silver　would

affect　all　sorts　of　goods　equally；　and　raise　their　price

universally　a　third；　or　a　fourth；　or　a　fifth　part　higher；

according　as　silver　happened　to　lose　a　third；　or　a　fourth；　or　a

fifth　part　of　its　former　value。　But　the　rise　in　the　price　of

provisions；　which　has　been　the　subject　of　so　much　reasoning　and

conversation；　does　not　affect　all　sorts　of　provisions　equally。

Taking　the　course　of　the　present　century　at　an　average；　the　price

of　corn；　it　is　acknowledged；　even　by　those　who　account　for　this

rise　by　the　degradation　of　the　value　of　silver；　has　risen　much

less　than　that　of　some　other　sorts　of　provisions。　The　rise　in　the

price　of　those　other　sorts　of　provisions；　therefore；　cannot　be

owing　altogether　to　the　degradation　of　the　value　of　silver。　Some

other　causes　must　be　taken　into　the　account；　and　those　which　have

been　above　assigned　will；　perhaps；　without　having　recourse　to　the

supposed　degradation　of　the　value　of　silver；　sufficiently　explain

this　rise　in　those　particular　sorts　of　provisions　of　which　the

price　has　actually　risen　in　proportion　to　that　of　corn。

　　　　　As　to　the　price　of　corn　itself；　it　has；　during　the

sixty…four　first　years　of　the　present　century；　and　before　the

late　extraordinary　course　of　bad　seasons；　been　somewhat　lower

than　it　was　during　the　sixty…four　last　years　of　the　preceding

century。　This　fact　is　attested；　not　only　by　the　accounts　of

Windsor　market；　but　by　the　public　fiars　of　all　the　different

counties　of　Scotland；　and　by　the　accounts　of　several　different

markets　in　France；　which　have　been　collected　with　great　diligence

and　fidelity　by　Mr。　Messance　and　by　Mr。　Dupre　de　St。　Maur。　The

evidence　is　more　complete　than　could　well　have　been　expected　in　a

matter　which　is　naturally　so　very　difficult　to　be　ascertained。

　　　　　As　to　the　high　price　of　corn　during　these　last　ten　or　twelve

years；　it　can　be　sufficiently　accounted　for　from　the　badness　of

the　seasons；　without　supposing　any　degradation　in　the　value　of

silver。　The　opinion；　therefore；　that　silver　is　continually

sinking　in　its　value；　seems　not　to　be　founded　upon　any　good

observations；　either　upon　the　prices　of　corn；　or　upon　those　of

other　provisions。

　　　　　The　same　quantity　of　silver；　it　may；　perhaps；　be　said；　will

in　the　present　times；　even　according　to　the　account　which　has

been　here　given；　purchase　a　much　smaller　quantity　of　several

sorts　of　provisions　than　it　would　have　done　during　some　part　of

the　last　century；　and　to　ascertain　whether　this　change　be　owing

to　a　rise　in　the　value　of　those　goods；　or　to　a　fall　in　the　value

of　silver；　is　only　to　establish　a　vain　and　useless　distinction；

which　can　be　of　no　sort　of　service　to　the　man　who　has　only　a

certain　quantity　of　silver　to　go　to　market　with；　or　a　certain

fixed　revenue　in　money。　I　certainly　do　not　pretend　that　the

knowledge　of　this　distinction　will　enable　him　to　buy　cheaper。　It

may　not；　however；　upon　that　account　be　altogether　useless。

　　　　　It　may　be　of　some　use　to　the　public　by　affording　an　easy

proof　of　the　prosperous　condition　of　the　country。　If　the　rise　in

the　price　of　some　sorts　of　provisions　be　owing　altogether　to　a

fall　in　the　value　of　silver；　it　is　owing　to　a　circumstance　from

which　nothing　can　be　inferred　but　the　fertility　of　the　American

mines。　The　real　wealth　of　the　country；　the　annual　produce　of　its

land　and　labour；　may；　notwithstanding　this　circumstance；　be

either　gradually　declining；　as　in　Portugal　and　Poland；　or

gradually　advancing；　as　in　most　other　parts　of　Europe。　But　if

this　rise　in　the　price　of　some　sorts　of　provisions　be　owing　to　a

rise　in　the　real　value　of　the　land　which　produces　them；　to　its

increased　fertility；　or；　in　consequence　of　more　extended

improvement　and　good　cultivation；　to　its　having　been　rendered　fit

for　producing　corn；　it　is　owing　to　a　circumstance　which　indicates

in　the　clearest　manner　the　prosperous　and　advancing　state　of　the

country。　The　land　constitutes　by　far　the　greatest；　the　most

important；　and　the　most　durable　part　of　the　wealth　of　every

extensive　country。　It　may　surely　be　of　some　use；　or；　at　least；　it

may　give　some　satisfaction　to　the　public；　to　have　so　decisive　a

proof　of　the　increasing　value　of　by　far　the　greatest；　the　most

important；　and　the　most　durable　part　of　its　wealth。

　　　　　It　may；　too；　be　of　some　use　to　the　public　in　regulating　the

pecuniary　reward　of　some　of　its　inferior　servants。　If　this　rise

in　the　price　of　some　sorts　of　provisions　be　owing　to　a　fall　in

the　value　of　silver；　their　pecuniary　reward；　provided　it　was　not

too　large　before；　ought　certainly　to　be　augmented　in　proportion

to　the　extent　of　this　fall。　If　it　is　not　augmented；　their　real

recompense　will　evidently　be　so　much　diminished。　But　if　this　rise

of　price　is　owing　to　the　increased　value；　in　consequence　of　the

improved　fertility　of　the　land　which　produces　such　provisions；　it

becomes　a　much　nicer　matter　to　judge　either　in　what　proportion

any　pecuniary　reward　ought　to　be　augmented；　or　whether　it　ought

to　be　augmented　at　all。　The　extension　of　improvement　and

cultivation；　as　it　necessarily　raises　more　or　less；　in　proportion

to　the　price　of　corn；　that　of　every　sort　of　animal　food；　so　it　as

necessarily　lowers　that　of；　I　believe；　every　sort　of　vegetable

food。　It　raises　the　price　of　animal　food；　because　a　great　part　of

the　land　which　produces　it；　being　rendered　fit　for　producing

corn；　must　afford　to　the　landlord　and　farmer　the　rent　and　profit

of　corn…land。　It　lowers　the　price　of　vegetable　food；　because；　by

increasing　the　fertility　of　the　land；　it　increases　its　abundance。

The　improvements　of　agriculture；　too；　introduce　many　sorts　of

vegetable　food；　which；　requiring　less　land　and　not　more　labour

than　corn；　come　much　cheaper　to　market。　Such　are　potatoes　and

maize；　or　what　is　called　Indian　corn；　the　two　most　important

improvements　which　the　agriculture　of　Europe；　perhaps；　which

Europe　itself　has　received　from　the　great　extension　of　its

commerce　and　navigation。　Many　sorts　of　vegetable　food；　besides；

which　in　the　rude　state　of　agriculture　are　confined　to　the

kitchen…garden；　and　raised　only　by　the　spade；　come　in　its

improved　state　to　be　introduced　into　common　fields；　and　to　be

raised　by　the　plough：　such　as　turnips；　carrots；　cabbages；　etc。　If

in　the　progress　of　improvement；　therefore；　the　real　price　of　one

species　of　food　necessarily　rises；　that　of　another　as　necessarily

falls；　and　it　becomes　a　matter　of　more　nicety　to　judge　how　far

the　rise　in　the　one　may　be　compensated　by　the　fall　in　the　other。

When　the　real　price　of　butcher's　meat　has　once　got　to　its　height

（which；　with　regard　to　every　sort；　except；　perhaps；　that　of　hogs'

flesh；　it　seems　to　have　done　through　a　great　part　of　England　more

than　a　century　ago）；　any　rise　which　can　afterwards　happen　in　that

of　any　other　sort　of　animal　food　cannot　much　affect　the

circumstances　of　the　inferior　ranks　of　people。　The　circumstances

of　the　poor　through　a　great　part　of　England　cannot　s