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To the Reader. - John Ramsay McCulloch, A Select Collection of Early English Tracts on Commerce from the Originals of Mun, Roberts, North, and Others [1856]

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A Select Collection of Early English Tracts on Commerce from the Originals of Mun, Roberts, North, and Others, with a Preface and Index (London: Printed for the Political Economy Club, 1856).

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To the Reader.

MOST of the things in these Papers are directly contrary to the receiv’d Opinions, and therefore ought not to be sent abroad without the clearest Evidence; For this, instead of using only comparative and superlative Words to amuse the Reader, the Author has endeavour’d after the manner of the Political Arithmetick, to express himself in Terms of Number, Weight, and Measure; and he hopes, he shall not be thought to speak with confidence, of any thing that is not as certain as the very Principles of Geometry. The East-India Trade, the Division of the Companies, the influence of that upon Publick Affairs, are become the general Subject of Conversation; every Man, with the greatest freedom, bestows his Censure upon these things. Some are for the Dissolution of one, others of both the Companies; some are for an Union, many are against the Trade itself, as that which carries away the Bullion, destroys the Manufactures, and abates the Rents of the Kingdom. The Author too, as well as others, has thought of these things, and is convinc’d himself, that the Bullion, the Manufactures, and the Rents of England, are increas’d by the East-India Trade; that the same is of all others, the most profitable to the Kingdom; that it is become still more so, by the competition of the two Companies; and that by the Dissolution of both, it wou’d be carried on to the very utmost Advantage. He has often said these things among his Friends; to these, his Reasons have been so very convincing, that they have advis’d the Author, that the present time were not unseasonable to make ’em Publick. But then, that the Season for doing this shou’d not be over, the Composition has been very hasty; the same attended with frequent and very melancholy Interruptions, and at last carried to the Press without the Correction, and indeed without so much as the Review of the Author. Wherefore, he thinks himself oblig’d to beg the Reader’s Pardon for his unnecessary Repetitions, for his Negligences, for his Affectations, and for every other Fault, but only want of Demonstration: This he hopes is never wanting, and if it is, he does not ask Forgiveness. The Author has compar’d the Trade to the East-Indies with only that of Fishing; he had also design’d to compare it with other Trades, but was forc’d to break off by the loss of his dearest Friend. He has too much Tenderness in his eomposition, to think at such a time of any other Subject.