Page:Tales in Political Economy by Millicent Garrett Fawcett.djvu/72

 tion as they parted with it. It was of no service at all to them if they shut it up in a box or hid it in the earth; it was useful only when they parted with it to their companions for the meat, clothing, and other articles produced by them. By this natural process, brought about by the desire of those who had money to buy with it the result of the labour of others, and the desire of those who had no money to procure it by offering commodities or services for it, a general distribution of the gold and silver which had been found was in a few months made among the whole of the inhabitants of Isle Pleasant. At first, before this distribution was effected, and while the money was in the hands of a few, the price obtained for articles was exceedingly high. Some of the finders of the money were so foolish as to leave off working, and as they were obliged to obtain food and clothing by some means or other, large prices for these necessaries were extracted from them. A man who had done nothing to obtain a dinner for himself would give a sovereign to share in the meal prepared by his neighbour,