y fine
counties of England, as in some very indifferent ones here; or, if there
be any difference, that vein of thrift and prudence in economy, which
passes there without reproach, (and chiefly in London itself,) would
amply make up the difference. But the article of French wine is hardly
tolerable, in any degree of plenty, to a middling fortune; and this is
it, which, by growing habitual, wholly turns the scale with those few
landed men, disengaged from employments, who content themselves to live
hospitably with plenty of good wine in their own country, rather than in
penury and obscurity in another, with bad, or with none at all.

Having, therefore, as far as in me lies, abolished this additional duty
upon wine; for I am not under the least concern about paying the
interest of the national debt, but leave it, as in loyalty bound, wholly
to the wisdom of the honourable House of Commons; I come now to consider
by what methods we may be able to put off and delay our utter undoing as
long as it is possible.

I never have discoursed with any reasonable man upon this subject, who
did not allow that there was no remedy left us, but to lessen the
importation of all unnecessary commodities as much as it was possible;
and likewise either to persuade our absentees to spend their money at
home, which is impossible; or tax them at five shillings in the pound
during their absence, with such allowances, upon necessary occasions, as
it shall be thought convenient: or, by permitting us a free trade, which
is denied to no other nation upon earth. The three last methods are
treated by Mr. Prior, in his most useful treatise, added to his list of
absentees.[128]

It is to gratify the vanity, and pride, and luxury of the women, and of
the young fops who admire them, that we owe this insupportable
grievance, of bringing in the instruments of our ruin. There is annually
brought over to this kingdom near ninety thousand pounds worth of silk,
whereof the greater part is manufactured. Thirty thousand pounds more is
expended in muslin, holland, cambric, and calico. What the price of lace
amounts to, is not easy to be collected from the custom-house book,
being a kind of goods that takes up little room, and is easily run; but,
considering the prodigious price of a woman's head-dress, at ten,
twelve, twenty pounds a yard, must be very great. The tea, rated at
seven shillings per pound, comes to near twelve thousand pounds; but,
considering it a