Page:The wealth of nations, volume 3.djvu/451

 preserving them the great obstacle to cultivating them for general diet, 250.

Poverty sometimes urges nations to inhuman customs, i. 40; is no check to the production of children, 139; but very unfavorable to raising them, 140.

Poultry, the cause of their cheapness, i. 334; is a more important article of rural economy in France than in England, 335.

Pragmatic Sanction in France, the object of, iii. 196; is followed by the Concordat, ibid.

Preferments, ecclesiastical, the means by which a national clergy ought to be managed by the civil magistrate, iii. 186–187; alterations in the mode of electing to them, 188–189, 195.

Presbyterian church government, the nature of, described, iii. 203; character of the clergy of, ibid., 208.

Prices, real and nominal, of commodities distinguished, i. 80; money price of goods explained, 97; rent for land enters into the price of the greater part of all commodities, 102; the component parts of the prices of goods explained, 103; natural and market prices distinguished, and how governed, 108, 149.—Though raised at first by an increase of demand, are always reduced by it in the result, iii. 121.

Primogeniture, origin and motive of the law of succession by, under the feudal government, ii. 75; is contrary to the real interests of families, 77–78.

Princes, why not well calculated to manage mercantile projects for the sake of a revenue, iii. 215–216.

Prodigality, the natural tendency of, both to the individual and to the public, ii. 16–17; prodigal men enemies to their country, 22.

Produce of land and labor, the source of all revenue, ii. 9; the value of, how to be increased, 25.

Professors in universities, circumstances which determine their merit, iii. 204–206.

Profit, the various articles of gain that pass under the common idea of, i. 106; an average rate of, in all countries, 107; averages of, extremely difficult to ascertain, 151; interest of money the best standard of, 152; the diminution of, a natural consequence of prosperity, 156; clear and gross profit, distinguished, 162; the nature of the highest ordinary rate of, defined, 163; double interest, deemed in Great Britain a reasonable mercantile profit, ibid.; in thriving countries, low profit may compensate the high wages of labor, 164; the operation of high profits and high wages, compared, ibid.; compensates inconveniences and disgrace, 167–168; of stock, how affected, 181–182; large profits must be made from small capitals, 183; why goods are cheaper in the metropolis than in country villages, 184; great fortunes more frequently made by trade in large towns than in small ones, 185; is naturally low in rich and high in poor countries, 371.—How that of the different classes of traders is raised, ii. 48–49; private, the sole motive of employing capitals in any branch of business, 66; when raised by monopolies, encourage luxury, 377.