money answers all things-第34部分

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shall　conclude　with　offering　something　about　the　Execution　of　this　Proposal。　But　shall　premise；　that　since　all　Trade　and　Commerce　is　founded　in　the　Wants　of　Mankind　solely；　and　that　these　can　be　supplied　only　by　Cultivation　and　Tillage；　all　other　Things　depending　intirely　thereon；　it　must　clearly　appear　to　what　Causes　to　attribute　that　Decay　of　Trade；　of　which　such　great　Complaints　have　been　made　from　all　Parts　of　the　Kingdom；　even　to　the　Parliament；　and　that　those　have　not　rightly　consider'd　the　Nature　and　Foundation　of　Trade；　who　have　so　vilely　traduced　as　wise　and　good　a　Government　as　this　Nation　ever　had；　when　they　have　insinuated；　at　least；　that　this　Decay　of　Trade　is　owing　in　any　Degree　to　their　Conduct。　　　　　For；　I　hope；　I　have　shewn　that　a　Decay　of　Trade　will　unavoidably　arise　from　the　Course　of　Things　themselves；　where　such　an　Addition　of　Land　is　not　annually　cultivated；　as　shall　at　least　hold　Proportion　to　the　natural　Increase　of　Mankind；　and　likewise　that　a　Decay　of　Trade　is　the　necessary　and　undeniable　Consequence　of　a　Decrease　of　the　Nation's　Cash；　since　the　Consumption　of　every　Thing　must　lessen　in　such　Degree；　as　the　Cash　circulating　amongst　the　People　lessens；　if　the　Prices　of　Things　in　general　be　not　reduced　in　like　Proportion；　by　the　Means　I　have　shewn。　　　　　For；　if　every　Thing　bears　the　same　Price；　and　the　Number　of　Consumers　is　not　lessen'd；　it's　plain；　they　having　in　this　Case　so　much　less　Money　amongst　them；　must　purchase　as　much　fewer　Things；　as　the　Want　of　so　much　Money　will　necessarily　prevent　them；　must　purchase　as　much　fewer　Things；　as　the　Want　of　so　much　Money　will　necessarily　prevent　them　from　buying；　and　this　will　increase　the　Number　of　Poor；　and　make　them　miserable；　according　as　the　Degree　of　the　Decrease　of　Cash　cuts　off　more　or　less　Business　from　amongst　the　People。　　　　　The　Consequences　will　be　just　the　same；　if　the　People　increase；　and　Cash　doth　not　increase　amongst　them　in　like　Proportion。　　　　　And　further；　I　think　it　appears；　that　it　is　not　Luxury　which　occasions　a　Decay　of　Trade；　but　that　such　a　Decay　of　Trade；　as　dispossesses　many　of　that　Property　their　Wants　and　natural　Rights　intitle　them　to；　is　that　alone　which　possesses　a　comparative　Few　with　such　Affluence；　as　both　causes　and　supports　their　Luxury；　and　allures　and　draws　in　many　into　such　luxurious　Excesses；　as　are　beyond　their　Abilities　to　support。　Therefore；　imputing　the　Decay　of　Trade　to　Luxury；　must　be　a　very　great　Error；　since　it　puts　the　Effect　for　the　Cause。　　　　　And　again；　I　believe　our　Paper　Effects　have　contributed　as　much　to　this　Decay　of　Trade；　as　all　the　rest　put　together；　by　inhancing　the　Price　of　every　Thing　amongst　us；　above　the　Rates　our　real　Specie　would　have　supported　them　at；　in　such　Proportion　as　the　Paper　Effects　amongst　us　are　greater　than　the　real　Specie　we　have　circulating；　for　this　is　the　natural　and　unavoidable　Effect　of　any　Thing　operating　as　Cash；　which　is　not　such。　　　　　But　to　return：　I　would　most　humbly　propose　that；　if　possible；　100；000　Acres　of　Land　be　for　some　Years　successively　taken　in；　and　inclosed；　as　near　London　as　such　a　Quantity　of　Land　is　to　be　had；　because　the　labouring　People　may；　I　believe；　be　more　easily　drawn　from　hence　to　cultivate　it；　than　from　any　other　Parts；　and　because　the　Cities　of　London　and　Westminister　will；　I　imagine；　sooner　feel　the　Effects　in　the　Cheapness　of　Provision　of　all　Kinds；　which　will　soon　put　the　Inhabitants　into　Circumstances　to　occupy　more　Houses；　and　cause　others　to　flow　to　them；　and　thereby　fill　the　empty　Houses；　for　where　the　Trade　is；　the　People　will　come。　　　　　Again；　I　would　most　humbly　submit　it　to　the　Consideration　and　Goodness　of　His　most　Gracious　Majesty；　whether　his　Majesty　might　not；　by　giving　his　Crown　Lands　in　proper　Parcels　on　quit　Rents；　or　any　proper　Acknowledgments　for　a　Term　of　Years；　begin　this　good　Work；　and　relieve　the　poor　Artificiers　and　Manufacturers；　for　whom　His　Majesty　hath　from　the　Throne　most　graciously　expressed　great　Compassion。（37*）　　　　　And　if　His　most　Gracious　Majesty　shall　please　to　continue　to　add；　for　some　Years；　such　a　Quantity　of　Crown　Lands；　in　several　Parts　of　the　Kingdom；　to　be　cultivated　on　like　easy　Terms；　there　will　be　People　enough　that　will　accept　and　improve　them。　And　if　at　the　End　of　any　proper　Term；　when　such　Possessors　shall　pay　Rent　for　them；　an　Incouragement　be　given；　by　allowing　such　Parcels　of　Lands　on　easy　Rents；　for　some　further　Term　of　Years；　this　Incouragement　will　be　attented　with　the　utmost　Improvement　of　such　Lands；　and　Wealth　to　every　prudent　and　industrious　Possessor　of　them；　and　will；　in　a　few　Years；　be　a　very　considerable　Estate　to　the　Crown；　arising　by　these　Rents；　and　hereby；　the　dismal；　and　otherwise　irremediable　Calamity　of　many　will　be　alleviated　and　relieved；　Tears　wip'd　from　many　Eyes；　and　may　broken　Hearts　heal'd；　and　Multitudes　saved　from　Imprisonment；　Transportation；　and　the　Gallows；　besides　preventing　many　from　deserting　the　Kingdom；　as　they　are　now　continually　doing；　to　seek　that　Bread；　which　they　can't　find　in　their　native　Country；　to　support　them　with　Comfort。　　　　　Thus　will　His　most　Gracious　Majesty　become　a　Kind　of　Deity　to　his　People；　whilst　he　is　thus　imitating　the　Beneficence　of　our　heavenly　Father；　whose　Representative　on　Earth　he　will　thus　be；　in　the　most　exalted　Sense。　　　　　I　must；　indeed；　own　myself　a　Stranger　to　the　Quantity　of　Crown　Lands；　that　are　at　present　uncultivated；　though　I　can't　doubt　that　there　are　enough　to　set　this　useful；　and；　as　I　believe；　absolutely　needful　to　set　this　useful；　and；　as　I　believe；　absolutely　needful　Proposal　at　Work；　which　will　be　found　to　be　an　inexpressible　Benefit　to　all　Ranks　and　Degrees　of　Men　amongst　us；　if　fully　and　sufficiently　executed。　　　　　But　perhaps　it　may　be　thought；　such　an　Addition　of　Land　every　Year　may　reduce　the　Rents　of　Lands　too　much。　In　answer　to　which　I　shall　only　say　that；　when　the　Necessaries　of　Life　are　reduced　so　low　that　we　can　work　as　cheap　as　the　Nations　round　about　us；　and　that　the　Wages　of　a　working　Man　will　purchase　enough　to　support　such　a　Family；　as　the　Estimate　is　made　for；　in　the　Station　of　a　labouring　Man's　Family；　as　none　of　them　can　then　want　Work；　which　I　think　I　have　proved　by　shewing　how　great　the　Wants　of　the　People　are；　so　the　Rent　the　Lands　will　then　bear；　is　really　that　proper　and　fit　annual　Rent；　which　will　be　found　best　for　all　Ranks　and　Stations　of　Men。　　　　　But　if　Things　must　not　be　put　on　so　good　a　Foot；　I　cannot　help　thinking；　that　it　would　be　much　happier　for　the　People；　that　they　were　in　a　state　of　Nature；　where　all　Men　being　born　equal；　have　a　natural　Right　to　any　Quantity　of　Land　they　think　fit　to　use；　and　to　put　it　to　what　Use　they　please；　provided　it　be　not　occupied　by　any　other：　For　whoever　occupies　any　Land　in　this　Case；　is　the　rightful　Possessor　and　Proprietor；　so　long　as　he　continues　to　occupy　and　use　it。　For　though　I　don't　think　a　State　of　nature　to　compare　with　the　State　of　Civil　Government；　if　the　Plenty　be　made　great　enough　to　support　the　People　comfortably；　yet　if　the　Bulk　of　Mankind　be　made　miserable　by　the　Oppression　of　the　rest；　as　they　undoubtedly　are；　when　the　Wages　of　the　Labourer；　and　Price　of　Necessaries　for　such　a　Family　as　he　must　often　sustain；　and　which　indeed　he　was　chiefly　sent　in