, "your
Adam Smiths are nothing, but" (he added, turning to the company) "that
is his love; we must spare him there." "I think," replied Lauderdale,
"he is everything." "That," rejoined Fox, "is a great proof of your
affection." Fox was no believer in free trade, and actively opposed
the Commercial Treaty with France in 1787 on the express and most
illiberal ground that it proceeded from a novel system of doctrines,
that it was a dangerous departure from the established principles of
our forefathers, and that France and England were enemies by nature,
and ought to be kept enemies by legislation.

It is curious therefore that in a House where Smith had many admirers
and not a few disciples, his book was never mentioned for near eight
years after its appearance, and was mentioned then by an enemy of its
principles. Fox's quotation from it on that occasion was of the most
unimportant character. It was in his speech on the Address of Thanks
to the Throne, and he said: "There was a maxim laid down in an
excellent book upon the Wealth of Nations which had been ridiculed for
its simplicity, but which was indisputable as to its truth. In that
book it was stated that the only way to become rich was to manage
matters so as to make one's income exceed one's expenses. This maxim
applied equally to an individual and to a nation. The proper line of
conduct therefore was by a well-directed economy to retrench every
current expense, and to make as large a saving during the peace as
possible."[248] To think of this allusion having any influence on the
fortunes of the work is of course out of reason. It was never even
mentioned in the House again till the year 1787, when Mr. Robert
Thornton invoked it in support of the Commercial Treaty with France,
and Mr. George Dempster read an extract from it in the debate on the
proposal to farm the post-horse duties. It was quoted once in 1788, by
Mr. Hussy on the Wool Exportation Bill, and not referred to again
until Pitt introduced his Budget on the 17th February 1792. In then
explaining the progressive accumulation of capital that was always
spontaneously going on in a country when it was not checked by
calamity or by vicious legislation, that great minister, a deep
student of Smith's book and the most convinced of all Smith's
disciples, made the remark: "Simple and obvious as this principle is,
and felt and observed as it must have been in a greater or less degree
even from the earliest period