3io

Civil Society.

B. II.

for French manufactures. That minifter, in orderto monopolize every article of commerce , laid ahigh duty on Dutch goods brought into France .The Dutch , refenting this meafure , prohibitedtotally fome French manufactures, and laid a highduty on others; which had the effeCt to encouragethefe manufactures at home. The revocation ofthe edict of Nantz, drove a vaft number of French manufacturers into Holland; and perfected variousmanufactures formerly brought from France . Ina word, this meafure intended by Colbert to turnthe balance of trade entirely on the fide of hiscountry, had the effeCt of turning it more for theDutch than formerly The Swif|, fome years ago,imported all their wines from the King of Sar-dinia ’s dominions. The King laid a high duty onthefe wines, knowing that the Swifs had not readyaccefs to any other wine - country. He did notforefee, that this high duty was equal to a pre-miumforcultivatingthe vineathome. They fucceed-ed ; and now are provided with wine of theirown growth. The city of Lyons , by making fil-ver-thread in perfection, had maintained a mono-poly of that article againft: foreigners , as well asnatives. But a high duty on its exportation , inorder to monopolize alfo the manufacture of filver-lace, will probably excite foreigners to improvetheir own filver-thread and filver-lace ; andhrancewill be deprived of both monopolies , by the verymeans employed for fecuring both. Englifh goods,purchafed by Spaniards for the American market,pay to the King of Spain on exportation a duty