s, would be sufficient for the whole kingdom, even
under our great and most unnecessary distress for the want of silver;
and that, without such a distress, half the sum would suffice. For, I
compute and reason thus: the city of Dublin, by a gross computation,
contains ten thousand families; and I am told by shopkeepers, "That if
silver were as plenty as usual, two shillings in copper would be
sufficient, in the course of business, for each family." But, in
consideration of the want of silver, I would allow five shillings to
each family, which would amount to _2,500l._; and, to help this, I would
recommend a currency of all the genuine undefaced harp-halfpence, which
are left, of Lord Dartmouth's and Moor's patents under King Charles II.;
and the small Patrick and David for farthings. To the rest of the
kingdom, I would assign the _7,50l._ remaining; reckoning Dublin to
answer one-fourth of the kingdom, as London is judged to answer (if I
mistake not) one-third of England; I mean in the view of money only.

To compute our want of small change by the number of souls in the
kingdom, besides being perplexed, is, I think, by no means just. They
have been reckoned at a million and a half; whereof a million at least
are beggars in all circumstances, except that of wandering about for
alms; and that circumstance may arrive soon enough, when it will be time
to add another ten thousand pounds in copper. But, without doubt, the
families of Ireland, who lie chiefly under the difficulties of wanting
small change, cannot be above forty or fifty thousand, which the sum of
ten thousand pounds, with the addition of the fairest old halfpence,
would tolerably supply; for, if we give too great a loose to any
projector to pour in upon us what he pleases, the kingdom will be, (how
shall I express it under our present circumstances?) more than undone.

And hence appears, in a very strong light, the villainy of Wood, who
proposed the coinage of one hundred and eight thousand pounds in copper,
for the use of Ireland; whereby every family in the kingdom would be
loaden with ten or a dozen shillings, although Wood might not transgress
the bounds of his patent, and although no counterfeits, either at home
or abroad, were added to the number; the contrary to both which would
indubitably have arrived. So ill informed are great men on the other
side, who talk of a million with as little ceremony as we do of
half-a-crown!

But to return to the propo