Having, therefore, as far as in me lies, abolished this additional duty upon wine; for I am not under the least concern about paying the interest of the national debt, but leave it, as in loyalty bound, wholly to the wisdom of the honourable House of Commons; I come now to consider by what methods we may be able to put off and delay our utter undoing as long as it is possible.

I never have discoursed with any reasonable man upon this subject, who did not allow that there was no remedy left us, but to lessen the importation of all unnecessary commodities as much as it was possible; and likewise either to persuade our absentees to spend their money at home, which is impossible; or tax them at five shillings in the pound during their absence, with such allowances, upon necessary occasions, as it shall be thought convenient:  or, by permitting us a free trade, which is denied to no other nation upon earth.  The three last methods are treated by Mr. Prior, in his most useful treatise, added to his list of absentees.[128]

It is to gratify the vanity, and pride, and luxury of the women, and of the young fops who admire them, that we owe this insupportable grievance, of bringing in the instruments of our ruin.  There is annually brought over to this kingdom near ninety thousand pounds worth of silk, whereof the greater part is manufactured.  Thirty thousand pounds more is expended in muslin, holland, cambric, and calico.  What the price of lace amounts to, is not easy to be collected from the custom-house book, being a kind of goods that takes up little room, and is easily run; but, considering the prodigious price of a woman’s head-dress, at ten, twelve, twenty pounds a yard, must be very great.  The tea, rated at seven shillings per pound, comes to near twelve thousand pounds; but, considering it as the common luxury of every chambermaid, sempstress, and tradesman’s wife, both in town and country, however they come by it, must needs cost the kingdom double that sum.  Coffee is somewhere above seven thousand pounds.  I have seen no account of the chocolate, and some other Indian or American goods.  The drapery imported is about four-and-twenty thousand pounds.  The whole amounts (with one or two other particulars) to one hundred and fifty thousand pounds.  The lavishing of all which money is just as prudent and necessary, as to see a man in an embroidered coat, begging out of Newgate in an old shoe.

I allow that the thrown and raw silk is less pernicious, because we have some share in the manufacture:  but we are not now in circumstances to trifle.  It costs us above forty thousand pounds a-year; and if the ladies, till better times, will not be content to go in their own country shifts, I wish they may go in rags.

Let them vie with each other in the fineness of their native linen:  their beauty and gentleness will as well appear, as if they were covered over with diamonds and brocade.