improved by circumfpection, will be more mellowed by age. In this manner, will pofterity be enabled to meet the evil day, which your fecond fight clearly foresees, and your prophetic fpirit loudly foretells*. As hoftilities approached our fhores, the affected philofophers, and puny pamphleteers, raised a concerted cry against the funding-fyftem, which no longer existed in our policy, but might exift, in our practice, as one of the refources of the nation. The ninister of the revenue, with the applause of the country, had relinquished erewhile the fundingfyftemt. His attention had already found means to provide for great exigencies, without the help of the funding-fyftem. His activity had moreover established the finking-fund, which may be regarded, as the true anodyne of the funding-fyftem; and which mitigates the malady, that will lurk in the habit. But, this anodyne does not allay your irritations. Your painful fenfations, no doubt, made you cry out with thofe, who affect great care for pofterity, against the funding-fyftem, which no longer exifted in ufe; but which neceffity might again bring into action. You faw neceffity coming forward with her command; yet, difregarding the prime wisdom, you step afide from daily life, to in * In p. 5-7. The expence of preparing lately for a rupture with Spain, amounting to about . 3,000,000, was provided for without funding. See A Brief Examination, &c. p. 43. struct us, that this command ought not to be obeyed. And, you vociferate through many a page, Neceffity and chance Approach not me; and what I will is fate." Nay, if what you will be fate, it is in vain to plead, neceffitas quod cogit defendit. And, however neceffary the funding-fyftem may be, during the preffures of war, the neceffity is no justification, in your fyftem of ethics, though it is then adopted, as one of the resources of the state. But, fuch is the power of your logic, that the ever and anon confounds the good with the bad; and fuch the confiftency of your wifdom, that, in ftriking at the abuse, the meantime ftabs the use of a principal ftrength, which defends your affaulted country. In this ftrain of logic it is, that you argue, becaufe all things muft have an end, the fundingsystem must have an immediate end. Are we to go on for ever in this extraordinary career, you ask. It is impoffible, you inftantly add. For, "the "refources, through which we have been enabled "to fuftain our enormous burdens, are in a great "measure dried up." ." When you iffue your will, you make our burdens increafe, notwithstanding the conftant operations of the finking-fund. And, when you wave your wand," the whole fabric of our profperity totters to the bafe +." But, your enchantments, I have already broken a thoufand times, by a power, which no enchantments can * In p. 7. † In p. 6—7. 4 ftand, stand. By facts, I have proved, that the epoch of the war was alfo the epoch of our greatest profperity, when the fources of our power were neither dried up in their fountain, nor leffened in their flow. By experience, I have shown, that our people enjoyed, at that æra, more productive income, from land, and from labour, from manufacture and traffic, from fhipping and adventure, than they had ever poffeffed, in the most profperous period. And, the following Eftimate adds its confirmations of this experience, and of those facts, by fhowing the caufes, and tracing the progress, of our unexampled prosperity. Yet, your fceptical doubts, are not fatisfied. You declare it to be impoffible, that this extraordinary career can go on-for ever. Nay; for ever! I pretend not to enquire what is to happen to the end of time. This is one of the four points, which ARISTOTLE faith, ought not to be brought in question; and which your relation Doctor Wilfon, fets forth; because fome heades are very bold to enter farther than witte can reache, or els have a mynde vainly to queftion of things not needfull*. But, of things, that are needful, I will inquire. What space, and what time, are to bound the industry of an industrious people, is the question; while their industry shall continue, to act, and improve; to be urged by intereft, and quickened by profit; to be enlight * Logike, 1587, p. 88. ened ened by genius, and helped by machinery; to be excited by emulation, and exalted by opulence. Let us attend their progrefs with our regard, and illuftrate their modes by examples. The youth, when he enters the commercial world, is without money, without experience, and without connections. Every ftep he takes, he perceives, from his embarraffiments, the want of all thefe helps. He fees before him, in the career of industry, his elders, who have the aid of money, the guide of experience, and the help of connections. He feels the match to be unequal. And, he knows, that he has only to truft to more active diligence, to redoubled œconomy, and to persevering management. He now beholds, that by thefe means, he has made fo great an advance, as to have more behind, than before, him. And he perfeveres, in his industry, with augmented means, till he arrives at the goal, with none before him, and crowds behind him. May we not take the example of a town, which is poffibly compofed of many fuch individuals. Liverpool we have feen run the fame race of enterprize, and obtain a fimilar reward of wealth. The hamlets, in her neighbourhood, may advance into villages, while they act, in fubfervience to her career, but without vaft efforts of diligence, and great attention to themselves, they cannot expect to gain her extent, or opulence. Nations, in running the fame race, See the rapid progrefs of Liverpool before, x-xi, feel feel fimilar weakness, when they start: they too grow ftronger as they advance; and, redoubling their efforts as they run, they arrive at the goal, with augmen ed ftrength. We have alfo beheld Great Britain run this career *. Yet, has it been ably debated, in our own times, whether a rich, and induftrious, people, can be overpowered, or emulated, in trials of manufacture, of traffic, and adventure, by a poor, and idle, people. And, the golden prize was awarded, by univerfal fuffrage, to the most wealthy, and diligent, people. But, may not a nation be compared with itfelf; at different periods of its rife, from feebleness, to vigour, and from vigour to maturity? The chief object of the following Estimate is, to exhibit to the beholder, Great Britain under every appearance of her various fortunes, in peace, and in war, from an inconfiderable beginning, and an uncommon advance, to unexampled prosperity, in 1792, when she had acquired all, that can make her more profperous; fkill and capital; experience and connection. In this propitious moment, you step out on the stage, with your harlequin's fword, to ftop her ardent career. You again You again call enchantment to your aid: "Let the mutinous winds Strike the proud cedars against the fiery sun, Murdering impoffibility, to make What cannot be, flight work.” See before, p. xv.-xvi. In |