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Front Page arrow Titles (by Subject) arrow 157.: ricardo to malthus1[Answered by 158] - The Works and Correspondence of David Ricardo, Vol. 7 Letters 1816-1818

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157.: ricardo to malthus1[Answered by 158] - David Ricardo, The Works and Correspondence of David Ricardo, Vol. 7 Letters 1816-1818 [1816]

Edition used:

The Works and Correspondence of David Ricardo, ed. Piero Sraffa with the Collaboration of M.H. Dobb (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 2005). Vol. 7 Letters 1816-1818.

Part of: The Works and Correspondence of David Ricardo, 11 vols (Sraffa ed.)

About Liberty Fund:

Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals.


157.

ricardo to malthus1
[Answered by 158]

My dear Sir

I arrived in town yesterday, with the whole of my numerous family. We are already as comfortably settled in Brook Street as under all circumstances we can expect, and I hasten to inform you that we have a bed ready for you, which I hope you will very soon occupy. I have forgotten on which Saturday in the month you meet at the King of Clubs, but conclude from your last meeting that it is the 2d.. If so you will probably be in town to-morrow, or friday, when I shall hope that you will lodge at our house, and give us as much of your company as your numerous friends will allow you to do.—

You have probably ere this seen my book1 —I have been reading it in its present dress, and very much lament that I make no progress in the very difficult art of composition. I believe that ought to be my study before I intrude any more of my crude notions on the public.

It is said that the Bank have made some agreement with Government, but what it is is not exactly known. They talk of the Bank advancing to Government 6 millions at 4 pct.—, besides continuing the loan of 3 millions without interest. We shall not however be long in suspence on this subject, as a general court of Proprietors is to be held to-morrow when the Directors will make some communication to the proprietors, and ask for their vote to sanction their agreement. They will ask for this without giving them any information, either respecting their savings, their profits, or the amount of public deposits.—Is not this a ridiculous piece of mockery, and an insult to our common sense? I hope there may be a few independent proprietors present who may call for information,—or who may at least demand a ballot—for which purpose 9 only are necessary.—You would be surprised at the abjectness of the city men, and the great influence which the directors have in consequence of their powers of discounting bills. I am persuaded many of the proprietors would vote very differently at a ballot, to what they would by a shew of hands.2 — I have not thought much on our old subject,—my difficulty is in so presenting it to the minds of others as to make them fall into the same chain of thinking as myself.—If I could overcome the obstacles in the way of giving a clear insight into the origin and law of relative or exchangeable value I should have gained half the battle.—

Mrs. Ricardo joins with me in kind regards to Mrs. Malthus.

Very truly Yours

David Ricardo

[1 ]Addressed: ‘To / The Revd. T R Malthus / East India College / Hertford’.

MS at Albury.—Letters to Malthus, XLIII.

[1 ]Economical and Secure Currency.

[2 ]At the Bank Court which was held on 8 February the Governor announced the proposed advances, which were as anticipated. Ricardo, who was present, asked a question but obtained no information. According to The Times of the following day ‘only two or three hands’ were held against the motion of the Governor—presumably those of Ricardo, Grenfell and Bouverie who were the hostile speakers. See above, V, 465 and IV, 88, n.