THE CORN LAWS. 3

like climate, where the foil is capable of being made highly produétive by labour, but without labour is nearly barren, the exertion of the inhabitants is called forth, and is rewarded by abundant crops.‘The population, manufactures, and com- merce of fuch nations, will increafe with the induftry and ca- pital employed in Agriculture, and can be limited-only by their territory.

Since the acquifition of the means of fubfftence muft pre- cede that of the conveniencies or the luxuries of life, fo the in- duftry which procures the firft, mul, in the order of time, as well as of importance, be prior to that which furnifhes the o- thers. The true riches, therefore, of all countries, both pri- marily and ultimately, muft be derived from bodily labour, and the food of mankind, produced by that labour; popula- tion, and every occupation of mankind, being entirely fupport- ed by, and dependant upon thefe main fources of national

wealth.

It is evident, that a much greater number of people, can be reared and fupported in the fame extent of territory, by the produétions of the vegetable, than poflibly can be by thofe of the animal worid. Thus the Hottentots, who lived by hunting, having been prefled backward by the Dutch colonifis at the Cape of Good Hope, have decreafed in numbers at leaft propor- tioned to the territory of which they have been divefted; yet, by the cultivation of the foil, the number of the Dutch colomifts, now comfortably fupported upon the fame fpace of land occu- pied by their predecefors, exceeds the latter probably fifty times. The fame obfervation may be applied to North America.

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CEHAP.T