chap. XXIV. USE OF GOLD AND SILVER.

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The greater or less application of gold and silverto other purposes than money will depend muchon the increase of general wealth : not meaning bywealth money or metallic treasure, but that mate-rial wealth which so much exceeds it in value. Ifa silver spoon be equal in value to a bushel of wheat,more spoons will be used than if it required twobushels to obtain it. In this, as in other commo-dities, the use will increase as the value of it mea-sured by other commodities increases.

In the early part of the period we are now con-templating, commencing with the year 1700, littleprogress was made either in refinement of man-ners or in the augmentation of general wealth inEurope , when compared with the progress thatthe latter portion of the period has exhibited.

In France, though the early part of the reign of France .Louis XIV . had been distinguished by the splen-dour and magnificence which his flatterers calledglory, yet it had been much more distinguishedby thoughtless profusion, by reckless persecution,and by efforts directed to display rather than toutility, which covered with disgrace and morti-fication the close of his life. The regency of theprofligate Orleans found France in a state of weak-ness, not decrepitude; but a peaceful series ofyears, in spite of national insolvency and occa-sional hostilities, gave fresh energy to industry,whilst the voluptuous Louis XV . certainly intro-duced a refinement of manners. The increased