ry, they are blamed. To wish for
the Encrease of Trade and Navigation, and the Decrease of Luxury at the
same Time, is a Contradiction. For suppose, that the Legislature, by
the Help of the Clergy, could introduce a general Frugality in this
Nation, we could never keep up our Traffick, and employ the same Hands
and Shipping, unless they could likewise persuade the Nations, we deal
with, to be more profuse than now they are, that they might take off
from our Hands so much more of the Implements of Luxury, as our
Consumption of them should be less than it had been before.

The very same Things, which are Blessings in One Year, are Calamities
in another. In every Nation, those who are employ'd in Gardening and
Agriculture, are taught by Experience to manage their Affairs, as is
most suitable to the Climate and the Certainty or Irregularities of the
Seasons. If there were no Blasts in _England_, nine Tenths of the
Apple-trees would be superfluous. Ask the Gardeners about _London_,
whether they don't get more by a middling Crop, than a plentiful
Product; and whether Half of them would not be ruin'd, if every Thing
they sow or plant should come to Perfection: Yet Every body wishes for
Plenty and Cheapness of Provisions: But they are often Calamities to a
great Part of the Nation. If the Farmer can't have a reasonable Price
for his Corn, he can't pay his Landlord. We have often had the good
Fortune of having great Plenty, when other Nations have wanted. This is
a real Gain: But when all our Neighbours are sufficiently provided, and
we can no where export our Corn with Profit, Two plentiful Years, one
after an other, are a greater Detriment to the Publick by far, than a
middling Scarcity. A benevolent Man, who has a favourable Opinion of
his Kind, would perhaps imagine, that Labourers of all Sorts would go
to their Work with greater Alacrity, and bear the Fatigue of it with
more Chearfulness, in plentiful Years, than when Corn is at a high
Price, and with all their Industry they can hardly procure Food for
their Families. But the Contrary is true; and ask all considerable
Dealers, of Experience, who for many Years have employ'd a great Number
of Hands in the Woollen Manufacture, in Hard Ware, or Agriculture, and
they will tell you unanimously, that the Poor are most insolent, and
their Labour is least to be depended upon, when Provisions are very
cheap; and that they never can have so much Work done, or their Orders
so punctual