his may seem strange, but it is literally true; the quarrels
between the India Company, and the free trade, as it is called, are an
ample proof of the truth of it. The free-trade-merchants chiefly act
under the name of agents for Swedish and Danish houses, so liberally
has England acted with regard to neutral nations.
-=-

[end of page #292]

It appears, then, very evident, that the envy and jealousy do not arise
from the _magnitude or value of foreign possessions_, but from some
other cause, though it is laid to that account. This cause is worth
inquiring into.

It appears that Holland and England have, alone, been causes of
jealousy to other nations, on account of foreign possessions; but, that
Spain, Portugal, and France, never have, though there was more real
reason for envy and jealousy.

The reason of this appears to be, that those nations, who excited no
envy, escaped it, because their indolence, or internal economy,
prevented them from becoming rich; but, that Holland and England,
which, in reality, owed their wealth chiefly to internal industry, and
very little of it to foreign possessions, have excited great envy, and
that England does so to the present hour. {221}

It is, then, wealth arising from industry, that is the object to be aimed
at, and that cannot be obtained by war or conquest. The purpose is not
advanced, but retarded, by such contests; and if those, who rule
nations, would condescend to enter into the merits of the case, they
would find, not only that the happiness of the people, and every
purpose at which they aim, would be better answered than by
contesting about the means of wealth, which, consisting in internal
industry, does not admit of a transfer. One nation may be ruined, and
another may rise, (as, indeed, they are continually doing,) but one
nation does not rise merely by ruining another; the wealth of a nation,
like the happiness of an individual, draws the source from its own

---
{221} From both the East and West Indies, England never has, till
within these last ten years, drawn three millions a year, that could be
termed profit or gain, and, even in the last and most prosperous times,
not eight millions, which is not equal to more than one-twentieth part
of the produce of national industry at home. Even the foreign
commerce of England, except so far as it procures us things we want,
in exchange for things we have to spare, is not productive of much
wealth. Supposing the bala