To the King's most excellent Majesty. SIRE, |HILST every one meditates some fit offering for your Majesty, such as may best agree with your happy exaltation to this Throne; I presume to offer what W my father, long since, wrote to shew the Weight and Importance of the English Crown. It was by him styled Political Arithmetic, inasmuch as things of Government, and of no less concern and extent than the glory of the Prince and the happiness and greatness of the People are, by the ordinary rules of Arithmetic, brought into a sort of Demonstration. He was allowed by all, to be the Inventor of this method of instruction, where the perplexed and intricate ways of the World are explained by a very mean piece of Science: and had not the Doctrines of this Essay offended France, they had, long since, seen the light [i.e., the Essay would have been printed in England, but for the French policy of CHARLES II.]; and had sound followers, as well as improvements, before this time, to the advantage, perhaps, of mankind. But this has been reserved to the felicity of your Majesty's reign, and to the expectation which the Learned have therein; and if, while in this I do some honour to the memory of a good father, I can also pay service, and some testimony of my zeal and reverence to so great a King, it will be the utmost ambition of SIRE, Your Majesty's Most dutiful and most obedient subject, SHELBORNE. The principal Conclusions of this CHAP. I. That a small country and few people may, by ... ... ... ... ... II. That some kind of taxes and public levies may ... ... ... ... p. 331 of the Kingdom ... p. 348 III. That France cannot, by reason of natural and perpetual impediments, be more powerful at sea than the English or Hollanders now are, or may be p. 356 IV. That the People and Territories of the King of England are, naturally, nearly as considerable for wealth and strength, as those of France ... p. 362 V. That the impediments of England's greatness are but contingent and removeable p. 374 VI. That the power and wealth of England hath increased, this forty years [i.e., since 1637 A.D.] p. 378 VII. That One-Tenth part of the Whole Expense of ... the King of England's subjects is sufficient to ... ... ... ... ... ... ... p. 380 VIII. That there are spare hands enough, among the King of England's subjects, to earn £2,000,000 ... ... ... IX. That there is Money sufficient to drive the Trade p. 382 ORASMUCH as men who are in a decaying condition or who have but an ill of their own concernments, instead of being, as some think, the more industrious to resist the evils they apprehend, do, contrariwise, become the more languid or ineffectual in all their endeavours; neither caring to attempt or prosecute even the probable means of their relief. Upon this consideration, as a member of the Common Wealth, next to knowing the precise truth, in what condition the common Interest stands, I would, in all doubtful cases, think the best! and consequently not despair without strong and manifest reasons, carefully examining whatever tends to lessen my hopes of the Public Welfare. I have therefore thought fit to examine the following Persuasions; which I find too current in the world, and too much to have affected the minds of some, to the prejudice all, viz.: concern That the rents of lands are generally fallen; that therefore, and for many other reasons, the whole Kingdom The fears of grows every day poorer and poorer. That formerly in the welfare it abounded with gold; but now, there is a great of England. scarcity, both of gold and silver. That there is no trade, nor employment for the people; and yet that the Land is underpeopled. That taxes have been many and great. That Ireland 328 PREJUDICES & IMPROVEMENTS OF ENGLAND. [Sir W. Petty. ? 1677 and the Plantations in America, and other additions to the Crown, are a burden to England. That Scotland is of no advantage. That Trade, in general, doth lamentably decay. That the Hollanders are at our heels, in the race for naval power: the French grow too fast upon both; and appear so rich and potent, that it is but their clemency that they do not devour their neighbours. And, finally, that the Church and State of England are in the same danger with the Trade of England. With many other dismal suggestions, which I had rather stifle than repeat. England. It is true, the expense of foreign commodities hath, of late The real Pre- been too great. Much of our plate, had it rejudices of mained money, would have better served trade. Too many matters have been regulated by Laws, which Nature, long custom, and general consent ought only to have governed. The slaughter and destruction of men by the late Civil Wars [1642-50], and Plague [1665], have been great. The Fire at London, and Disaster at Chatham have begotten opinions in the vulgus of the world, to our prejudice. The Nonconformists increase [!] The people of Ireland think long of their Settlement. The English there, apprehend themselves to be aliens, and are forced to seek a trade with foreigners, which they might as well maintain with their own relations in England. ments of England. But notwithstanding all this, the like whereof was always in all places, the buildings of London grow great and glorious. The Improve The American Plantations employ 400 Sail of Ships. Actions [Shares] in the East India Company are nearly double the principal money [the original nominal Stock]. Those who can give good security, may have money under Statute interest. Materials for building, even oak timber, are [but] little the dearer (some cheaper) for [all] the rebuilding of London. The Exchange seems as full of merchants as Petty formerly. No more beggars in the streets, nor executed for thieves, than heretofore. The number of coaches and splendour of equipage exceeds former Times. The public Theatres are very magnificent. The King has a greater Navy, and stronger Guards than before our calamities. The Clergy are rich, and the Cathedrals in repair. Much land has been improved, and the price of food is so reasonable as that men refuse to have it cheaper by admitting of Irish cattle. And, in brief, no man needs to want, that will take moderate pains. That some are poorer than others, ever was and ever will be and that many are naturally querulous and envious, is an evil as old as the world. These general observations, and that men eat, and drink, and laugh, as they used to do, have encouraged me to try if I could also comfort others: being satisfied myself, that the Interest and Affairs of England are in no deplorable condition. manner of The method I take, to do this, is not yet very usual. For (instead of using only comparative and superlative The Author's words, and intellectual arguments) I have taken Method and the course (as a specimen of the Political Arith- arguing. metic I have long aimed at) to express myself in Terms of Number, Weight, or Measure; to use only arguments of sense, and to consider only such causes as have visible foundations in Nature: leaving those that depend upon the mutable minds, opinions, appetites, and passions of particular men, to the consideration of others. Really professing myself as unable to speak satisfactorily upon those grounds (if they may be called grounds!) as to foretell the cast of a die [dice], to play well at tennis, billiards, or bowls (without long practice) by virtue of the most elaborate conceptions that ever have been written de projectilibus et missilibus, or of the angles of incidence and reflection. |