the querist-第1章

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The　Querist

by　George　Berkley

1735






The　Querist　containing　several　Queries　proposed　to　the
consideration　of　the　Public

I　the　Lord　have　brought　down　the　high　tree；　have　exalted　the　low
tree；　have　dried　up　the　green　tree；　and　have　made　the　dry　tree　to
flourish。　　Ezek。　xvii；　24。

Advertisement　by　the　Author

The　Querist　was　first　published　in　the　year　one　thousand　seven
hundred　and　thirty…five；　since　which　time　the　face　of　things　is
somewhat　changed。　In　this　edition　some　alterations　have　been
made。　The　three　Parts　are　published　in　one；　some　few　Queries　are
added；　and　many　omitted；　particularly　of　those　relating　to　the
sketch　or　plan　of　a　national　bank；　which　it　may　be　time　enough　to
take　again　in　hand　when　the　public　shall　seem　disposed　to　make
use　of　such　an　expedient。　I　had　determined　with　myself　never　to
prefix　my　name　to　the　Querist；　but　in　the　last　edition　was
overruled　by　a　friend；　who　was　remarkable　for　pursuing　the　public
interest　with　as　much　diligence　as　others　do　their　own。　I
apprehend　the　same　censure　on　this　that　I　incurred　upon　another
occasion；　for　meddling　out　of　my　profession；　though　to　feed　the
hungry　and　clothe　the　naked；　by　promoting　an　honest　industry；
will；　perhaps；　be　deemed　no　improper　employment　for　a　clergyman
who　still　things　himself　a　member　of　the　commonwealth。　As　the　sum
of　human　happiness　is　supposed　to　consist　in　the　goods　of　mind；
body；and　fortune；　I　would　fain　make　my　studies　of　some　use　to
mankind　with　regard　to　each　of　these　three　particulars；　and　hope
it　will　not　be　thought　faulty　or　indecent　in　any　man；　of　what
profession　soever；　to　offer　his　mite　towards　improving　the
manners；　health；　and　prosperity　of　his　fellow…creatures。


QUERY　1　Whether　there　ever　was；　is；　or　will　be；　an　industrious
nation　poor；　or　an　idle　rich？

2　Whether　a　people　can　be　called　poor；　where　the　common　sort　are
well　fed；　clothed；　and　lodged？

3　Whether　the　drift　and　aim　of　every　wise　State　should　not　be；　to
encourage　industry　in　its　members？　And　whether　those　who　employ
neither　heads　nor　hands　for　the　common　benefit　deserve　not　to　be
expelled　like　drones　out　of　a　well…governed　State？

4　Whether　the　four　elements；　and　man's　labour　therein；　be　not　the
true　source　of　wealth？

5　Whether　money　be　not　only　so　far　useful；　as　it　stirreth　up
industry；　enabling　men　mutually　to　participate　the　fruits　of　each
other's　labour？

6　Whether　any　other　means；　equally　conducing　to　excite　and
circulate　the　industry　of　mankind；　may　not　be　as　useful　as　money。

7　Whether　the　real　end　and　aim　of　men　be　not　power？　And　whether
he　who　could　have　everything　else　at　his　wish　or　will　would　value
money？

8　Whether　the　public　aim　in　every　well…governed　State　be　not　that
each　member；　according　to　his　just　pretensions　and　industry；
should　have　power？

9　Whether　power　be　not　referred　to　action；　and　whether　action
doth　not　follow　appetite　or　will？

10　Whether　fashion　doth　not　create　appetites；　and　whether　the
prevailing　will　of　a　nation　is　not　the　fashion？

11　Whether　the　current　of　industry　and　commerce　be　not　determined
by　this　prevailing　will？

12　Whether　it　be　not　owing　to　custom　that　the　fashions　are
agreeable？

13　Whether　it　may　not　concern　the　wisdom　of　the　legislature　to
interpose　in　the　making　of　fashions；　and　not　leave　an　affair　of
so　great　influence　to　the　management　of　women　and　fops；　tailors
and　vintners？

14　Whether　reasonable　fashions　are　a　greater　restraint　on　freedom
than　those　which　are　unreasonable？

15　Whether　a　general　good　taste　in　a　people　would　not　greatly
conduce　to　their　thriving？　And　whether　an　uneducated　gentry　be
not　the　greatest　of　national　evils？

16　Whether　customs　and　fashions　do　not　supply　the　place　of　reason
in　the　vulgar　of　all　ranks？　Whether；　therefore；　it　doth　not　very
much　import　that　they　should　be　wisely　framed？

17　Whether　the　imitating　those　neighbours　in　our　fashions；　to
whom　we　bear　no　likeness　in　our　circumstances；　be　not　one　cause
of　distress　to　this　nation？

18　Whether　frugal　fashions　in　the　upper　rank；　and　comfortable
living　in　the　lower；　be　not　the　means　to　multiply　inhabitants？

19　Whether　the　bulk　of　our　Irish　natives　are　not　kept　from
thriving；　by　that　cynical　content　in　dirt　and　beggary　which　they
possess　to　a　degree　beyond　any　other　people　in　Christendom？

20　Whether　the　creating　of　wants　be　not　the　likeliest　way　to
produce　industry　in　a　people？　And　whether；　if　our　peasants　were
accustomed　to　eat　beef　and　wear　shoes；　they　would　not　be　more
industrious？

21　Whether　other　things　being　given；　as　climate；　soil；　etc。；　the
wealth　be　not　proportioned　to　the　industry；　and　this　to　the
circulation　of　credit；　be　the　credit　circulated　or　transferred　by
what　marks　or　tokens　soever？

22　Whether；　therefore；　less　money　swiftly　circulating；　be　not；　in
effect；　equivalent　to　more　money　slowly　circulating？　Or；　whether；
if　the　circulation　be　reciprocally　as　the　quantity　of　coin；　the
nation　can　be　a　loser？

23　Whether　money　is　to　be　considered　as　having　an　intrinsic
value；　or　as　being　a　commodity；　a　standard；　a　measure；　or　a
pledge；　as　is　variously　suggested　by　writers？　And　whether　the
true　idea　of　money；　as　such；　be　not　altogether　that　of　a　ticket
or　counter？

24　Whether　the　value　or　price　of　things　be　not　a　compounded
proportion；　directly　as　the　demand；　and　reciprocally　as　the
plenty？

25　Whether　the　terms　crown；　livre；　pound　sterling；　etc。；　are　not
to　be　considered　as　exponents　or　denominations　of　such
proportion？　And　whether　gold；　silver；　and　paper　are　not　tickets
or　counters　for　reckoning；　recording；　and　transferring　thereof？

26　Whether　the　denominations　being　retained；　although　the　bullion
were　gone；　things　might　not　nevertheless　be　rated；　bought；　and
sold；　industry　promoted；　and　a　circulation　of　commerce
maintained？

27　Whether　an　equal　raising　of　all　sorts　of　gold；　silver；　and
copper　coin　can　have　any　effect　in　bringing　money　into　the？　And
whether　altering　the　proportions　between　the　kingdom　several
sorts　can　have　any　other　effect　but　multiplying　one　kind　and
lessening　another；　without　any　increase　of　the　sum　total？

28　Whether　arbitrary　changing　the　denomination　of　coin　be　not　a
public　cheat？

29　What　makes　a　wealthy　people？　Whether　mines　of　gold　and　silver
are　capable　of　doing　this？　And　whether　the　negroes；　amidst　the
gold　sands　of　Afric；　are　not　poor　and　destitute？

30　Whether　there　be　any　virtue　in　gold　or　silver；　other　than　as
they　set　people　at　work；　or　create　industry？

31　Whether　it　be　not　the　opinion　or　will　of　the　people；　exciting
them　to　industry；　that　truly　enricheth　a　nation？　And　whether　this
doth　not　principally　depend　on　the　means　for　counting；
transferring；　and　preserving　power；　that　is；　property　of　all
kinds？

32　Whether　if　there　was　no　silver　or　gold　in　the　kingdom；　our
trade　might　not；　nevertheless；　supply　bills　of　exchange；
sufficient　to　answer　the　demands　of　absentees　in　England　or
elsewhere？

33　Whether　current　bank…notes　may　not　be　deemed　money？　And
whether　they　are　not　actually　the　greater　part　of　the　money　of
this　kingdom？

34　Provided　the　wheels　move；　whether　it　is　not　the　same　thing；　as
to　the　effect　of　the　machine；　be　this　done　by　the　force　of　wind；
or　water；　or　animals？

35　Whether　power　to　command　the　industry　of　others　be　not　real
wealth？　And　whether　money　be　not　in　truth　tickets　or　tokens　for
conveying　and　recording　such　power；　and　whether　it　be　of　great
consequence　what　materials　the　tickets　are　made　of？

36　Whether　trade；　either　foreign　or　domestic；　be　in　truth　any
more　than　this　commerce　of　industry？

37　Whether　to　promote；　transfer；　and　secure　this　commerce；　and
this　property　in　human　labour；　or；　in　other　words；　this　power；　be
not　the　sole　means　of　enriching　a　people；　and　how　far　this　may　be
done　independently　of　gold　and　silver？

38　Whether　it　were　not　wrong　to　suppose　land　itself　to　be　wealth？
And　whether　the　industry　of　the　people　is　not　first　to　be
considered；　as　that　which　constitutes　wealth；　which　makes　even
land　and　silver　to　be　wealth；　neither　of　which　would　have；　any
value　but　as　means　and　motives　to　industry？

39　Whether　in　the　wastes　of　America　a　man　might　not　possess