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Front Page arrow Titles (by Subject) arrow 352.: ricardo to say1[Reply to 347.—Answered by 356] - The Works and Correspondence of David Ricardo, Vol. 8 Letters 1819-June 1821

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352.: ricardo to say1[Reply to 347.—Answered by 356] - David Ricardo, The Works and Correspondence of David Ricardo, Vol. 8 Letters 1819-June 1821 [1819]

Edition used:

The Works and Correspondence of David Ricardo, ed. Piero Sraffa with the Collaboration of M.H. Dobb (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 2005). Vol. 8 Letters 1819-1821.

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.


352.

ricardo to say1
[Reply to 347.—Answered by 356]

Dear Sir,

I received with very great pleasure on my coming to London, your present with the letter which accompanied it. I remember you remarked when I had the satisfaction of seeing you in Paris, that we should in every edition of our respective works approach more nearly to each others opinions, and I am persuaded the truth of this remark will be verified. We have already advanced some steps, and in proportion as we become better acquainted with the points of difference between us, we shall discover that many of them are merely verbal. Your chapter on value is, I think, greatly improved; but I cannot yet subscribe to all your doctrines on that most difficult part of the science of Political Economy.

In that Chapter you appear to have misapprehended a position of mine. I do not say that it is the value of labour which regulates the value of commodities, for that is an opinion I do all in my power to overthrow; but I say that it is the comparative quantity of labour necessary to the production of commodities, which regulates their relative value.

You appear to me to have mistaken also an opinion of mine on which you comment in a note of the translation of my book. My argument respecting rent, profit and taxes, is founded on a supposition that there is land in every country which pays no rent, or that there is capital employed on land before in cultivation for which no rent is paid. You answer the first position, but you take no notice of the second. The admission of either will answer my purpose.1

I beg your acceptance of the second edition of my book. It contains nothing new; I did not like to charge myself with the trouble of recasting it.

Political economy is making progress in this country. Every day correct principles advance, and your work continues, as it ought, to be regarded as of the first authority. The proceedings in parliament last sessions gave great satisfaction to the friends of the science. The true principles of currency were at length solemnly recognized; and I should hope that we never again can go astray.

Jeremy Bentham and M. Mill are both well. I saw them both not long ago. I hope your family are all enjoying good health. I beg you to give my respectful compliments to them.

I remain, my dear sir, very truly yours

David Ricardo.

[1 ]MS (a copy in Say’s handwriting) in the possession of M. Raoul-Duval; the original MS is missing.—Mélanges, pp. 103–5; Œuvres diverses, pp. 414–15 (in French translation).

[1 ]Cp. above, I, 412–13, n.