20.7. 7. The Spirit of England with respect to Commerce.
The tariff or customs of England are very unsettled with respect to other nations;
they are changed, in some measure, with every parliament, either by
taking off particular duties, or by imposing new ones. They endeavour by
these means still to preserve their independence. Supremely jealous with
respect to trade, they bind themselves but little by treaties, and
depend only on their own laws.
Other nations have made the interests of commerce yield to those of
politics; the English, on the contrary, have ever made their political
interests give way to those of commerce. They know better than any other
people upon earth how to value, at the same time, these three great
advantages — religion, commerce, and liberty.
