Books: The Querist
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George Berkley >> The Querist
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139. Qu. Whether, nevertheless, there is any other people whose
wants may be more easily supplied from home?
140. Qu. Whether, if there was a wall of brass a thousand cubits
high round this kingdom, our natives might not nevertheless live
cleanly and comfortably, till the land, and reap the fruits of it?
141. Qu. What should hinder us from exerting ourselves, using our
hands and brains, doing something or other, man, woman, and child,
like the other inhabitants of God's earth?
142. Qu. Be the restraining our trade well or ill advised in our
neighbours, with respect to their own interest, yet whether it be
not plainly ours to accommodate ourselves to it?
143. Qu. Whether it be not vain to think of persuading other people
to see their interest, while we continue blind to our own?
144. Qu. Whether there be any other nation possess'd of so much good
land, and so many able hands to work it, which yet is beholden for
bread to foreign countries?
145. Qu. Whether it be true that we import corn to the value of two
hundred thousand pounds in some years?
146. Qu. Whether we are not undone by fashions made for other
people? And whether it be not madness in a poor nation to imitate a
rich one?
147. Qu. Whether a woman of fashion ought not to be declared a
public enemy?
148. Qu. Whether it be not certain that from the single town of Cork
were exported, in one year, no less than one hundred and seven
thousand one hundred and sixty-one barrels of beef; seven thousand
three hundred and seventy-nine barrels of pork; thirteen thousand
four hundred and sixty-one casks, and eighty-five thousand seven
hundred and twenty-seven firkins of butter? And what hands were
employed in this manufacture?
149. Qu. Whether a foreigner could imagine that one half of the
people were starving, in a country which sent out such plenty of
provisions?
150. Qu. Whether an Irish lady, set out with French silks and
Flanders lace, may not be said to consume more beef and butter than
a hundred of our labouring peasants?
151. Qu. Whether nine-tenths of our foreign trade be not carried on
singly to support the article of vanity?
152. Qu. Whether it can be hoped that private persons will not
indulge this folly, unless restrained by the public?
153. Qu. How vanity is maintained in other countries? Whether in
Hungary, for instance, a proud nobility are not subsisted with small
imports from abroad?
154. Qu. Whether there be a prouder people upon earth than the noble
Venetians, although they all wear plain black clothes?
155. Qu. Whether a people are to be pitied that will not sacrifice
their little particular vanities to the public. good? And yet,
whether each part would not except their own foible from this public
sacrifice, the squire his bottle, the lady her lace?
156. Qu. Whether claret be not often drank rather for vanity than
for health, or pleasure?
157. Qu. Whether it be true that men of nice palates have been
imposed on, by elder wine for French claret, and by mead for palm
sack?
158. Qu. Do not Englishmen abroad purchase beer and cider at ten
times the price of wine?
159. Qu. How many gentlemen are there in England of a thousand
pounds per annum who never drink wine in their own houses? Whether
the same may be said of any in Ireland who have even? one hundred
pounds per annum.
160. Qu. What reasons have our neighbours in England for
discouraging French wines which may not hold with respect to us
also?
161. Qu. How much of the necessary sustenance of our people is
yearly exported for brandy?
162. Qu. Whether, if people must poison themselves, they had not
better do it with their own growth?
163. Qu. If we imported neither claret from France, nor fir from
Norway, what the nation would save by it?
164. Qu. When the root yieldeth insufficient nourishment, whether
men do not top the tree to make the lower branches thrive?
165. Qu. Whether, if our ladies drank sage or balm tea out of Irish
ware, it would be an insupportable national calamity?
166. Qu. Whether it be really true that such wine is best as most
encourages drinking, i.e., that must be given in the largest dose to
produce its effect? And whether this holds with regard to any other
medicine?
167. Qu. Whether that trade should not be accounted most pernicious
wherein the balance is most against us? And whether this be not the
trade with France?
168. Qu. Whether it be not even madness to encourage trade with a
nation that takes nothing of our manufacture?
169. Qu. Whether Ireland can hope to thrive if the major part of her
patriots shall be found in the French interest?
170. Qu. Why, if a bribe by the palate or the purse be in effect the
same thing, they should not be alike infamous?
171. Qu. Whether the vanity and luxury of a few ought to stand in
competition with the interest of a nation?
172. Qu. Whether national wants ought not to be the rule of trade?
And whether the most pressing wants of. the majority ought not to be
first consider'd?
173. Qu. Whether it is possible the country should be well improved,
while our beef is exported, and our labourers live upon potatoes?
174. Qu. If it be resolved that we cannot do without foreign trade,
whether, at least, it may not be worth while to consider what
branches thereof deserve to be entertained, and how far we may be
able to carry it on under our present limitations?
175. Qu. What foreign imports may be necessary for clothing and
feeding the families of persons not worth above one hundred pounds a
year? And how many wealthier there are in the kingdom, and what
proportion they bear to the other inhabitants?
176. Qu. Whether trade be not then on a right foot, when foreign
commodities are imported in exchange only for domestic
superfluities?
177. Qu. Whether the quantities of beef, butter, wool, and leather,
exported from this island, can be reckoned the superfluities of a
country, where there are so many natives naked and famished?
178. Qu. Whether it would not be wise so to order our trade as to
export manufactures rather than provisions, and of those such as
employ most hands?
179. Qu. Whether she would not be a very vile matron, and justly
thought either mad or foolish, that should give away the necessaries
of life from her naked and famished children, in exchange for pearls
to stick in her hair, and sweetmeats to please her own palate?
180. Qu. Whether a nation might not be consider'd as a family?
181. Qu. Whether other methods may not be found for supplying the
funds, besides the custom on things imported?
182. Qu. Whether any art or manufacture be so difficult as the
making of good laws?
183. Qu. Whether our peers and gentlemen are born legislators? Or,
whether that faculty be acquired by study and reflection?
184. Qu. Whether to comprehend the real interest of a people, and
the means to procure it, doth not imply some fund of knowledge,
historical, moral, and political, with a faculty of reason improved
by learning?
185. Qu. Whether every enemy to learning be not a Goth? And whether
every such Goth among us be not an enemy to the country?
186. Qu. Whether, therefore, it would not be an omen of ill presage,
a dreadful phenomenon in the land, if our great men should take it
in their heads to deride learning and education?
187. Qu. Whether, on the contrary, it should not seem worth while to
erect a mart of literature in this kingdom, under wiser regulations
and better discipline than in any other part of Europe? And whether
this would not be an infallible means of drawing men and money into
the kingdom?
188. Qu. Whether the governed be not too numerous for the governing
part of our college? And whether it might not be expedient to
convert thirty natives-places into twenty fellowships?
189. Qu. Whether, if we had two colleges, there might not spring a
useful emulation between them? And whether it might not be contrived
so to divide the fellows, scholars, and revenues between both, as
that no member should be a loser thereby?
190. Qu. Whether ten thousand pounds well laid out might not build a
decent college, fit to contain two hundred persons; and whether the
purchase money of the chambers would not go a good way towards
defraying the expense?
191. Qu. Where this college should be situated?
192. Qu. Whether it is possible a State should not thrive, whereof
the lower part were industrious, and the upper wise?
193. Qu. Whether the collected wisdom of ages and nations be not
found in books, improved and applied by study?
194. Qu. Whether it was not an Irish professor who first opened the
public schools at Oxford? Whether this island hath not been
anciently famous for learning? And whether at this day it hath any
better chance for being considerable?
195. Qu. Whether we may not with better grace sit down and complain,
when we have done all that lies in our power to help ourselves?
196. Qu. Whether the gentleman of estate hath a right to be idle;
and whether he ought not to be the great promoter and director of
industry among his tenants and neighbours?
197. Qu. Whether the real foundation for wealth must not be laid in
the numbers, the frugality, and the industry of the people? And
whether all attempts to enrich a nation by other means, as raising
the coin, stock-jobbing, and such arts are not vain?
198. Qu. Whether a door ought not to be shut against all other
methods of growing rich, save only by industry and. merit? And
whether wealth got otherwise would not be ruinous to the public?
199. Qu. Whether the abuse of banks and paper-money is a just
objection against the use thereof? And whether such abuse might not
easily be prevented?
200. Qu. Whether national banks are not found useful in Venice,
Holland, and Hamburg? And whether it is not possible to contrive one
that may be useful also in Ireland?
201. Qu. Whether any nation ever was in greater want of such an
expedient than Ireland?
202. Qu. Whether the banks of Venice and Amsterdam are not in the
hands of the public?
203. Qu. Whether it may not be worth while to inform ourselves in
the nature of those banks? And what reason can be assigned why
Ireland should not reap the benefit of such public banks as well as
other countries?
204. Qu. Whether a bank of national credit, supported by public
funds and secured by Parliament, be a chimera or impossible thing?
And if not, what would follow from the supposal of such a bank?
205. Qu. Whether the currency of a credit so well secured would not
be of great advantage to our trade and manufactures?
206. Qu. Whether the notes of such public bank would not have a more
general circulation than those of private banks, as being less
subject to frauds and hazards?
207. Qu. Whether it be not agreed that paper hath in many respects
the advantage above coin, as being of more dispatch in payments,
more easily transferred, preserved, and recovered when lost?
208. Qu. Whether, besides these advantages, there be not an evident
necessity for circulating credit by paper, from the defect of coin
in this kingdom?
209. Qu. Whether the public may not as well save the interest which
it now pays?
210. Qu. What would happen if two of our banks should break at once?
And whether it be wise to neglect providing against an event which
experience hath shewn us not to be impossible?
211. Qu. Whether such an accident would not particularly affect the
bankers? And therefore whether a national bank would not be a
security even to private bankers?
212. Qu. Whether we may not easily avoid the inconveniencies
attending the paper-money of New England, which were incurred by
their issuing too great a quantity of notes, by their having no
silver in bank to exchange for notes, by their not insisting upon
repayment of the loans at the time prefixed, and especially by their
want of manufactures to answer their imports from Europe?
213. Qu. Whether a combination of bankers might not do wonders, and
whether bankers know their own strength?
214. Qu. Whether a bank in private hands might not even overturn a
government? and whether this was not the case of the Bank of St.
George in Genoa? [Footnote: See the Vindication and Advancement of
our national Constitution and Credit. Printed in London 1710.]
215. Qu. Whether we may not easily prevent the ill effects of such a
bank as Mr Law proposed for Scotland, which was faulty in not
limiting the quantum of bills, and permitting all persons to take
out what bills they pleased, upon the mortgage of lands, whence by a
glut of paper, the prices of things must rise? Whence also the
fortunes of men must increase in denomination, though not in value;
whence pride, idleness, and beggary?
216. Qu. Whether such banks as those of England and Scotland might
not be attended with great inconveniences, as lodging too much power
in the hands of private men, and giving handle for monopolies,
stock-jobbing, and destructive schemes?
217. Qu. Whether the national bank, projected by an anonymous writer
in the latter end of Queen Anne's reign, might not on the other hand
be attended with as great inconveniencies by lodging too much power
in the Government?
218. Qu. Whether the bank projected by Murray, though it partake, in
many useful particulars, with that of Amsterdam, yet, as it placeth
too great power in the hands of a private society, might not be
dangerous to the public?
219. Qu. Whether it be rightly remarked by some that, as banking
brings no treasure into the kingdom like trade, private wealth must
sink as the bank riseth? And whether whatever causeth industry to
flourish and circulate may not be said to increase our treasure?
220. Qu. Whether the ruinous effects of Mississippi, South Sea, and
such schemes were not owing to an abuse of paper money or credit, in
making it a means for idleness and gaming, instead of a motive and
help to industry?
221. Qu. Whether those effects could have happened had there been no
stock-jobbing? And whether stock-jobbing could at first have been
set on foot, without an imaginary foundation of some improvement to
the stock by trade? Whether, therefore, when there are no such
prospects, or cheats, or private schemes proposed, the same effects
can be justly feared?
222. Qu. Whether by a national bank, be not properly understood a
bank, not only established by public authority as the Bank of
England, but a bank in the hands of the public, wherein there are no
shares: whereof the public alone is proprietor, and reaps all the
benefit?
223. Qu. Whether, having considered the conveniencies of banking and
paper-credit in some countries, and the inconveniencies thereof in
others, we may not contrive to adopt the former, and avoid the
latter?
224. Qu. Whether great evils, to which other schemes are liable, may
not be prevented, by excluding the managers of the bank from a share
in the legislature?
225. Qu. Whether the rise of the bank of Amsterdam was not purely
casual, for the security and dispatch of payments? And whether the
good effects thereof, in supplying the place of coin, and promoting
a ready circulation of industry and commerce may not be a lesson to
us, to do that by design which others fell upon by chance?
226. Qu. Whether the bank proposed to be established in Ireland,
under the notion of a national bank, by the voluntary subscription
of three hundred thousand pounds, to pay off the national debt, the
interest of which sum to be paid the subscribers, subject to certain
terms of redemption, be not in reality a private bank, as those of
England and Scotland, which are national only in name, being in the
hands of particular persons, and making dividends on the money paid
in by subscribers? [Footnote: See a Proposal for the Relief of
Ireland, &c. Printed in Dublin A. D. 1734]
227. Qu. Whether plenty of small cash be not absolutely necessary
for keeping up a circulation among the people; that is, whether
copper be not more necessary than gold?
228. Qu. Whether it is not worth while to reflect on the expedients
made use of by other nations, paper-money, bank-notes, public funds,
and credit in all its shapes, to examine what hath been done and
devised to add to our own animadversions, and upon the whole offer
such hints as seem not unworthy the attention of the public?
229. Qu. Whether that, which increaseth the stock of a nation be not
a means of increasing its trade? And whether that which increaseth
the current credit of a nation may not be said to increase its
stock?
230. Qu. Whether it may not be expedient to appoint certain funds or
stock for a national bank, under direction of certain persons,
one-third whereof to be named by the Government, and one-third by
each House of Parliament?
231. Qu. Whether the directors should not be excluded from sitting
in either House, and whether they should not be subject to the audit
and visitation of a standing committee of both Houses?
232. Qu. Whether such committee of inspectors should not be changed
every two years, one-half going out, and another coming in by
ballot?
233. Qu. Whether the notes ought not to be issued in lots, to be let
at interest on mortgaged lands, the whole number of lots to be
divided among the four provinces, rateably to the number of hearths
in each?
234. Qu. Whether it may not be expedient to appoint four
counting-houses, one in each province, for converting notes into
specie?
235. Qu. Whether a limit should not be fixed, which no person might
exceed, in taking out notes?
236. Qu. Whether, the better to answer domestic circulation, it may
not be right to issue notes as low as twenty shillings?
237. Qu. Whether all the bills should be issued at once, or rather
by degrees, that so men may be gradually accustomed and reconciled
to the bank?
238. Qu. Whether the keeping of the cash, and the direction of the
bank, ought not to be in different hands, and both under public
control?
239. Qu. Whether the same rule should not alway be observed, of
lending out money or notes, only to half the value of the mortgaged
land? and whether this value should not alway be rated at the same
number of years' purchase as at first?
240. Qu. Whether care should not be taken to prevent an undue rise
of the value of land?
241. Qu. Whether the increase of industry and people will not of
course raise the value of land? And whether this rise may not be
sufficient?
242. Qu. Whether land may not be apt to rise on the issuing too
great plenty of notes?
243. Qu. Whether this may not be prevented by the gradual and slow
issuing of notes, and by frequent sales of lands?
244. Qu. Whether interest doth not measure the true value of land;
for instance, where money is at five per cent, whether land is not
worth twenty years' purchase?
245. Qu. Whether too small a proportion of money would not hurt the
landed man, and too great a proportion the monied man? And whether
the quantum of notes ought not to bear proportion to the pubic
demand? And whether trial must not shew what this demand will be?
246. Qu. Whether the exceeding this measure might not produce divers
bad effects, one whereof would be the loss of our silver?
247. Qu. Whether interest paid into the bank ought not to go on
augmenting its stock?
248. Qu. Whether it would or would not be right to appoint that the
said interest be paid in notes only?
249. Qu. Whether the notes of this national bank should not be
received in all payments into the exchequer?
250. Qu. Whether on supposition that the specie should fail, the
credit would not, nevertheless, still pass, being admitted in all
payments of the public revenue?
251. Qu. Whether the pubic can become bankrupt so long as the notes
are issued on good security?
252. Qu. Whether mismanagement, prodigal living, hazards by trade,
which often affect private banks, are equally to be apprehended in a
pubic one?
253. Qu. Whether as credit became current, and this raised the value
of land, the security must not of course rise?
254. Qu. Whether, as our current domestic credit grew, industry
would not grow likewise; and if industry, our manufactures; and if
these, our foreign credit?
255. Qu. Whether by degrees, as business and people multiplied, more
bills may not be issued, without augmenting the capital stock,
provided still, that they are issued on good security; which further
issuing of new bills, not to be without consent of Parliament?
256. Qu. Whether such bank would not be secure? Whether the profits
accruing to the pubic would not be very considerable? And whether
industry in private persons would not be supplied, and a general
circulation encouraged?
257. Qu. Whether such bank should, or should not, be allowed to
issue notes for money deposited therein? And, if not, whether the
bankers would have cause to complain?
258. Qu. Whether, if the public thrives, all particular persons must
not feel the benefit thereof, even the bankers themselves?
259. Qu. Whether, beside the Bank-Company, there are not in England
many private wealthy bankers, and whether they were more before the
erecting of that company?
260. Qu. Whether as industry increased, our manufactures would not
flourish; and as these flourished, whether better returns would not
be made from estates to their landlords, both within and without the
kingdom?
261. Qu. Whether we have not paper-money circulating among, whether,
therefore, we might not as well have that us already which is
secured by the public, and whereof the pubic reaps the benefit?
262. Qu. Whether there are not two general ways of circulating
money, to wit, play and traffic? and whether stock-jobbing is not to
be ranked under the former?
263. Qu. Whether there are more than two things that might draw
silver out of the bank, when its credit was once well established,
to wit, foreign demands and small payments at home?
264. Qu. Whether, if our trade with France were checked, the former
of these causes could be supposed to operate at all? and whether the
latter could operate to any great degree?
265. Qu. Whether the sure way to supply people with tools and
materials, and to set them at work, be not a free circulation of
money, whether silver or paper?
266. Qu. Whether in New England all trade and business is not as
much at a stand, upon a scarcity of paper-money, as with us from the
want of specie?
267. Qu. Whether paper-money or notes may not be issued from the
national bank, on the security of hemp, of linen, or other
manufactures whereby the poor might be supported in their industry?
268. Qu. Whether it be certain that the quantity of silver in the
bank of Amsterdam be greater now than at first; but whether it be
not certain that there is a greater circulation of industry and
extent of trade, more people, ships, houses, and commodities of all
sorts, more power by sea and land?
269. Qu. Whether money, lying dead in the bank of Amsterdam, would
not be as useless as in the mine?
270. Qu. Whether our visible security in land could be doubted? And
whether there be anything like this in the bank of Amsterdam?
271. Qu. Whether it be just to apprehend danger from trusting a
national bank with power to extend its credit, to circulate notes
which it shall be felony to counterfeit, to receive goods on loans,
to purchase lands, to sell also or alienate them, and to deal in
bills of exchange; when these powers are no other than have been
trusted for many years with the bank of England, although in truth
but a private bank?
272. Qu. Whether the objection from monopolies and an overgrowth of
power, which are made against private banks, can possibly hold
against a national one?
273. Qu. Whether banks raised by private subscription would be as
advantageous to the public as to the subscribers? and whether risks
and frauds might not be more justly apprehended from them?
274. Qu. Whether the evil effects which of late years have attended
paper-money and credit in Europe did not spring from subscriptions,
shares, dividends, and stock-jobbing?
275. Qu. Whether the great evils attending paper-money in the
British Plantations of America have not sprung from the overrating
their lands, and issuing paper without discretion, and from the
legislators breaking their own rules in favour of themselves, thus
sacrificing the public to their private benefit? And whether a
little sense and honesty might not easily prevent all such
inconveniences?
276. Qu. Whether an argument from the abuse of things, against the
use of them, be conclusive?
277. Qu. Whether he who is bred to a part be fitted to judge of the
whole?
278. Qu. Whether interest be not apt to bias judgment? and whether
traders only are to be consulted about trade, or bankers about
money?
279. Qu. Whether the subject of Freethinking in religion be not
exhausted? And whether it be not high time for our freethinkers to
turn their thoughts to the improvement of their country?
280. Qu. Whether any man hath a right to judge, that will not be at
the pains to distinguish?
281. Qu. Whether there be not a wide difference between the profits
going to augment the national stock, and being divided among private
sharers? And whether, in the former case, there can possibly be any
gaming or stock-jobbing?
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