The Querist Part 2

95. Qu. Whether our hankering after our woollen trade be not the true and only reason which hath created a jealousy in England towards Ireland? And whether anything can hurt us more than such jealousy?

96. Qu. Whether it be not the true interest of both nations to become one people? And whether either be sufficiently apprised of this?

97. Qu. Whether the upper part of this people are not truly English, by blood, language, religion, manners, inclination, and interest?

98. Qu. Whether we are not as much Englishmen as the children of old Romans, born in Britain, were still Romans?

99. Qu. Whether it be not our true interest not to interfere with them; and, in every other case, whether it be not their true interest to befriend us?

100. Qu. Whether a mint in Ireland might not be of great convenience to the kingdom; and whether it could be attended with any possible inconvenience to Great Britain? And whether there were not mints in Naples and Sicily, when those kingdoms were provinces to Spain or the house of Austria?

101. Qu. Whether anything can be more ridiculous than for the north of Ireland to be jealous of a linen manufacturer in the south?

102. Qu. Whether the county of Tipperary be not much better land than the county of Armagh; and yet whether the latter is not much better improved and inhabited than the former?

103. Qu. Whether every landlord in the kingdom doth not know the cause of this? And yet how few are the better for such their knowledge?

104. Qu. Whether large farms under few hands, or small ones under many, are likely to be made most of? And whether flax and tillage do not naturally multiply hands, and divide land into small holdings, and well-improved?

105. Qu. Whether, as our exports are lessened, we ought not to lessen our imports? And whether these will not be lessened as our demands, and these as our wants, and these as our customs or fas.h.i.+ons? Of how great consequence therefore are fas.h.i.+ons to the public?

106. Qu. Whether it would not be more reasonable to mend our state than to complain of it; and how far this may be in our own power?

107. Qu. What the nation gains by those who live in Ireland upon the produce of foreign Countries?

108. Qu. How far the vanity of our ladies in dressing, and of our gentlemen in drinking, contributes to the general misery of the people?

109. Qu. Whether nations, as wise and opulent as ours, have not made sumptuary laws; and what hinders us from doing the same?

110. Qu. Whether those who drink foreign liquors, and deck themselves and their families with foreign ornaments, are not so far forth to be reckoned absentees?

111. Qu. Whether, as our trade is limited, we ought not to limit our expenses; and whether this be not the natural and obvious remedy?

112. Qu. Whether the dirt, and famine, and nakedness of the bulk of our people might not be remedied, even although we had no foreign trade? And whether this should not be our first care; and whether, if this were once provided for, the conveniences of the rich would not soon follow?

113. Qu. Whether comfortable living doth not produce wants, and wants industry, and industry wealth?

114. Qu. Whether there is not a great difference between Holland and Ireland? And whether foreign commerce, without which the one could not subsist, be so necessary for the other?

115. Qu. Might we not put a hand to the plough, or the spade, although we had no foreign commerce?

116. Qu. Whether the exigencies of nature are not to be answered by industry on our own soil? And how far the conveniences and comforts of life may be procured by a domestic commerce between the several parts of this kingdom?

117. Qu. Whether the women may not sew, spin, weave, embroider sufficiently for the embellishment of their persons, and even enough to raise envy in each other, without being beholden to foreign countries?

118. Qu. Suppose the bulk of our inhabitants had shoes to their feet, clothes to their backs, and beef in their bellies, might not such a state be eligible for the public, even though the squires were condemned to drink ale and cider?

119. Qu. Whether, if drunkenness be a necessary evil, men may not as well drink the growth of their own country?

120. Qu. Whether a nation within itself might not have real wealth, sufficient to give its inhabitants power and distinction, without the help of gold and silver?

121. Qu. Whether, if the arts of sculpture and painting were encouraged among us, we might not furnish our houses in a much n.o.bler manner with our own manufactures?

122. Qu. Whether we have not, or may not have, all the necessary materials for building at home?

123. Qu. Whether tiles and plaster may not supply the place of Norway fir for flooring and wainscot?

124. Qu. Whether plaster be not warmer, as well as more secure, than deal? And whether a modern fas.h.i.+onable house, lined with fir, daubed over with oil and paint, be not like a fire-s.h.i.+p, ready to be lighted up by all accidents?

125. Qu. Whether larger houses, better built and furnished, a greater train of servants, the difference with regard to equipage and table between finer and coa.r.s.er, more and less elegant, may not be sufficient to feed a reasonable share of vanity, or support all proper distinctions? And whether all these may not be procured by domestic industry out of the four elements, without ransacking the four quarters of the globe?

126. Qu. Whether anything is a n.o.bler ornament, in the eye of the world, than an Italian palace, that is, stone and mortar skilfully put together, and adorned with sculpture and painting; and whether this may not be compa.s.sed without foreign trade?

127. Qu. Whether an expense in gardens and plantations would not be an elegant distinction for the rich, a domestic magnificence employing many hands within, and drawing nothing from abroad?

128. Qu. Whether the apology which is made for foreign luxury in England, to wit, that they could not carry on their trade without imports as well as exports, will hold in Ireland?

129. Qu. Whether one may not be allowed to conceive and suppose a society or nation of human creatures, clad in woollen cloths and stuffs, eating good bread, beef and mutton, poultry and fish, in great plenty, drinking ale, mead, and cider, inhabiting decent houses built of brick and marble, taking their pleasure in fair parks and gardens, depending on no foreign imports either for food or raiment? And whether such people ought much to be pitied?

130. Qu. Whether Ireland be not as well qualified for such a state as any nation under the sun?

131. Qu. Whether in such a state the inhabitants may not contrive to pa.s.s the twenty-four hours with tolerable ease and cheerfulness? And whether any people upon earth can do more?

132. Qu. Whether they may not eat, drink, play, dress, visit, sleep in good beds, sit by good fires, build, plant, raise a name, make estates, and spend them?

133. Qu. Whether, upon the whole, a domestic trade may not suffice in such a country as Ireland, to nourish and clothe its inhabitants, and provide them with the reasonable conveniences and even comforts of life?

134. Qu. Whether a general habit of living well would not produce numbers and industry' and whether, considering the tendency of human kind, the consequence thereof would not be foreign trade and riches, how unnecessary soever?

135. Qu. Whether, nevertheless, it be a crime to inquire how far we may do without foreign trade, and what would follow on such a supposition?

136. Qu. Whether the number and welfare of the subjects be not the true strength of the crown?

137. Qu. Whether in all public inst.i.tutions there should not be an end proposed, which is to be the rule and limit of the means?

Whether this end should not be the well-being of the whole? And whether, in order to this, the first step should not be to clothe and feed our people?

138. Qu. Whether there be upon earth any Christian or civilized people so beggarly, wretched, and dest.i.tute as the common Irish?

139. Qu. Whether, nevertheless, there is any other people whose wants may be more easily supplied from home?

140. Qu. Whether, if there was a wall of bra.s.s a thousand cubits high round this kingdom, our natives might not nevertheless live cleanly and comfortably, till the land, and reap the fruits of it?

141. Qu. What should hinder us from exerting ourselves, using our hands and brains, doing something or other, man, woman, and child, like the other inhabitants of G.o.d's earth?

142. Qu. Be the restraining our trade well or ill advised in our neighbours, with respect to their own interest, yet whether it be not plainly ours to accommodate ourselves to it?

143. Qu. Whether it be not vain to think of persuading other people to see their interest, while we continue blind to our own?