Читать книгу An Essay on the State of England. In Relation to Its Trade, Its Poor, and Its Taxes, for Carrying on the Present War Against France онлайн

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Manufactures.The next thing is our Manufactures, whereby we Improve the value of our Products by the Labour of our Inhabitants, and make them useful in sundry manners both for our selves andothers, fitting them for such Services as of their own Natures without the help of Art theywould not have been proper, and those to suit the Necessities and Humours both of our own andForeign Countries to which we Export them, where they yield a price not only according to thetrue value of the Materials and Labour, but an overplus likewise suitable to the Necessity andFancy of the Buyer, and this adds to the profit of the Nation, and increases its Wealth.

These Manufactures as they Imploy Multitudes of People in their making, so also in Transporting them, and fetching several Forreign Materials used with our own, such as Oyl,Dye-stuffe, Silk, Wool, Cotten, Barrilia, and many others, which are either Manufactured hereof themselves, or wrought up with our Product.

Sheeps Wool.And first to begin with Sheeps Wool, whereof either by it self or mixt with Silk or Linnen we make various sorts of pretty things fit for all Climates, and proper for the wearing of bothSexes, wherein the Invention and Imitation of our Workmen is so great that they have no Idearepresented or Pattern set before them that is not soon out done; from a strong heavy Cloath fitto keep out cold in Winter they turn their Hands to a fine thin sort which will scarse keep warmin Summer, Ladies may now wear Gowns thereof so light that they can hardly know they havethem on; from hence they fell on Perpets, Serges, Crapes, Stuffs, Says, Rattoons, Gauzes,Anthrines, and many other sorts fit both for outward Garments and inward Linings, of variousColors Stripes and Flowers, some of them so fine and pleasant scarse to be known from Silk;besides those multitudes of courser Clothes for the Poor, also Rugs, Blankets, and all Furniturefor Houses, and such a Progress have they made in this sort of Manufactures, that a Man mayhave his Picture wrought in Tapestry with the same exactness both for Life and Colors as ifdrawn with a curious Pencil; for this I refer the Reader to those Hangings at the Custom-Housein London, where he may see the several Officers so lively represented in their Stations, thatwant of Motion seems to be the only thing which differs them from their Originals; OneWorkman endeavouring to exceed another they make things to answer all the ends of Silks,Calicoes, and Linnen, of bare Sheeps Wool, which if they were by Fashion brought intowearing would then be thought as handsom; fine Flannel for Shirts; white Crape forNeckclothes, Cuffs, and Head-Dresses; besides the pretty Laces, whereof we see various sortsused about the Dead; and Caduce of several Colours in imitation of Ribbons; also Hats, Stockings, and many such things are made of Wool and other Mixtures, both worn at home and Exported abroad.