Page:History of the Royal Society.djvu/426

 Trades themselves. That Country is still the richest and most powerful, which entertains most Manufactures. The Hands of Men employ'd are true Riches; the saving of those Hands by Inventions of Art, and applying them to other Works, will increase those Riches. Where this is done, there will never a sufficient Matter for Profit be wanting; for if there be not vent for their Productions at Home, we shall have it Abroad; but where the Ways of Life are few, the Fountains of Profit will be possess'd by few; and so all the rest must live in Idleness, on which inevitably ensues Beggary; whence it is manifest, that Poverty is caus'd by the fewness of Trades, and not by the multitude.

Nor is it enough to overthrow this, to tell us, that by this addition of Labourers all Things will become dearer, because more must be maintained: For the high rate of Things is an Argument of the Flourishing, and the cheapness of the Scarcity of Money, and ill peopling of all Countries. The first is a sign of many Inhabitants, which are true Greatness: The second is only a fit Subject for Poets to describe, and to compare to the Golden Age; for where all Things are without Price or Value, they will be without Arts or Empire, or Strength.

I will explain all this by a familiar and domestic Instance. It is probable that there are in England a hundred times more Trades than the Saxons or the Danes found here in their Invasions; and withal the particular Traders live now more plentifully, and the whole Nation is wonderfully stronger than before. This also may be seen in every particular City: The greater it is, the more kinds of Artificers it contains; whose Neighbourhood and Number is so far from Rh