149.  Qu.  Whether a foreigner could imagine that one half of the people were starving, in a country which sent out such plenty of provisions?

150.  Qu.  Whether an Irish lady, set out with French silks and Flanders lace, may not be said to consume more beef and butter than a hundred of our labouring peasants?

151.  Qu.  Whether nine-tenths of our foreign trade be not carried on singly to support the article of vanity?

152.  Qu.  Whether it can be hoped that private persons will not indulge this folly, unless restrained by the public?

153.  Qu.  How vanity is maintained in other countries?  Whether in Hungary, for instance, a proud nobility are not subsisted with small imports from abroad?

154.  Qu.  Whether there be a prouder people upon earth than the noble Venetians, although they all wear plain black clothes?

155.  Qu.  Whether a people are to be pitied that will not sacrifice their little particular vanities to the public. good?  And yet, whether each part would not except their own foible from this public sacrifice, the squire his bottle, the lady her lace?

156.  Qu.  Whether claret be not often drank rather for vanity than for health, or pleasure?

157.  Qu.  Whether it be true that men of nice palates have been imposed on, by elder wine for French claret, and by mead for palm sack?

158.  Qu.  Do not Englishmen abroad purchase beer and cider at ten times the price of wine?

159.  Qu.  How many gentlemen are there in England of a thousand pounds per annum who never drink wine in their own houses?  Whether the same may be said of any in Ireland who have even? one hundred pounds per annum.

160.  Qu.  What reasons have our neighbours in England for discouraging French wines which may not hold with respect to us also?

161.  Qu.  How much of the necessary sustenance of our people is yearly exported for brandy?

162.  Qu.  Whether, if people must poison themselves, they had not better do it with their own growth?

163.  Qu.  If we imported neither claret from France, nor fir from Norway, what the nation would save by it?

164.  Qu.  When the root yieldeth insufficient nourishment, whether men do not top the tree to make the lower branches thrive?

165.  Qu.  Whether, if our ladies drank sage or balm tea out of Irish ware, it would be an insupportable national calamity?

166.  Qu.  Whether it be really true that such wine is best as most encourages drinking, i.e., that must be given in the largest dose to produce its effect?  And whether this holds with regard to any other medicine?

167.  Qu.  Whether that trade should not be accounted most pernicious wherein the balance is most against us?  And whether this be not the trade with France?

168.  Qu.  Whether it be not even madness to encourage trade with a nation that takes nothing of our manufacture?