Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	accept_v	common_a	great_a	20	3	2.0729	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52443	Discourses upon trade, principally directed to the cases of the interest, coynage, clipping, increase of money	North, Dudley, Sir, 1641-1691.	1691 (1691)	Wing N1280; ESTC R5762	21,202	42

thing he says of what Nature his dealing hath been for he speaks impartially of Trade in general without warping to the Favour of any particular Interest It hath been observed formerly when Merchants have been consulted and the Questions concerned only Trade in general they agreed in Opinion but when opposite Interests were concerned they differed toto caelo As for his Opinion touching Interest of Money wherein he is clear that it should be left freely to the Market and not be restrained by Law he is lyable to the same suspicion which attends those of a different judgment that is partiality to his own Interest the difference is only in the supposed Cause which in the one is Wealth and in the other Want He hath given his judgment with his Reasons which every one is free to canvas and there is no other means whereby a wise and honest Person can justifie his Opinions in Publick Concerns In the next place I find Trade here Treated at another rate than usually hath been I mean Philosophically for the ordinary and vulgar conceits being meer Husk and Rubbish are waved and he begins at the quick from Principles indisputably true and so proceeding with like care comes to a Judgment of the nicest Disputes and Questions concerning Trade And this with clearness enough for he reduceth things to their Extreams wherein all discriminations are most gross and sensible and then shews them and not in the state of ordinary concerns whereof the terms are scarce distinguishable This Method of Reasoning hath been introduc'd with the new Philosophy the old dealt in Abstracts more than Truths and was employed about forming Hypotheses to fit abundance of precarious and insensible Principles such as the direct or oblique course of the Atomes in vacuo Matter and Form Privation solid Orbs fuga vacui and many others of like nature whereby they made sure of nothing but upon the appearance of Des Carte's excellent dissertation de Methodo so much approved and accepted in our Ages all those Chymera's soon dissolved and vanisht And hence it is that Knowledge in great measure is become Mechanical which word I need not interpret farther than by noting it here means built upon clear and evident Truths But yet this great Improvement of Reason which the World hath lately obtained is not diffus'd enough and resides chiefly with the studious and learned the common People having but a small share for they cannot abstract so as to have a true and just thought of the most ordinary things but are possest and full of the vulgar Errors of sense Except in some few things that fail within the compass of their day-labour and so gives them an Experience As when a Common-Seaman with all his Ignorance proves a better Mechanick for actual Service than the Professor himself with all his Learning The case of Trade is the same for although to buy and sell be the Employment of every man more or less and the Common People for the most part depend upon it for their daily subsistence yet there are very few who consider Trade in general upon true Principles but are satisfied to understand their own particular Trades and which way to let themselves into immediate gain And out of this active Sphere nothing is so fallacious and full of Error as mens Notions of Trade And there is another Reason why this matter seems less understood than in truth it is For whenever Men consult for the Publick Good as for the advancement of Trade wherein all are concerned they usually esteem the immediate Interest of their own to be the common Measure of Good and Evil. And there are many who to gain a little in their own Trades care not how much others suffer and each Man strives that all others may be forc'd in their dealings to act subserviently for his Profit but under the covert of the Publick So Clothiers would have men be forc'd to buy their Manufacture and I may mention such as sell Wool they would have men forc'd to buy of them at an high Price though the Clothier loseth The Tinners would have their Tin dear though the Merchant profits little And in general all those who are lazy and do not or are not active enough and cannot look out to vent the Product of their Estates or to Trade with it themselves would have all Traders forc'd by Laws to bring home to them sufficient Prizes whether they gain or lose by it And all the while not one of them will endure to be under a force to Sell or Let their own Estates at lower rates than the free Market of things will produce Now it is no wonder that out of these Ingredients a strange Medley of Error should result whereby seldom any Publick Order which hath been establisht and intended or at least pretended for the good of Trade in general hath had a suitable Effect but on the contrary hath for the most part proved prejudicial and thereupon by common consent been discontinued But this is too copious Matter for a Preface and tho' many Instances occur I leave all and return to the matter of Vulgar Errors in Trade It is not long since there was a great noise with Inquiries into the Balance of Exportation and Importation and so into the Balance of Trade as they called it For it was fancyed that if we brought more Commodities in than we carried out we were in the High-way to Ruin In like manner have we heard much said against the East-India Trade against the French Trade with many other like politick conceits in Trade most of which Time and better Judgment hath disbanded but others succeed in their room according as new Persons find Encouragement to invent and inspire for promoting their private Interest by imposing on those who desire to be cunning And now we complain for want of Money in specie that Bullion is Exported or mis-employed to other uses than making Money and ascribe the deadness of Trade especially of Corn and Cattel in the Country to this and hope by a Regulation of the Bullion-Trade and stinting the Price except it be in Money to make a through Reformation and give new Life to all things with much more ejusdem farina which I do not particularize this being enough for a taste Now it may appear strange to hear it said That the whole World as to Trade is but as one Nation or People and therein Nations are as Persons That the loss of a Trade with one Nation is not that only separately considered but so much of the Trade of the World rescinded and lost for all is combined together That there can be no Trade unprofitable to the Publick for if any prove so men leave it off and where-ever the Traders thrive the Publick of which they are a part thrives also That to force Men to deal in any prescrib'd manner may profit such as happen to serve them but the Publick gains not because it is taking from one

Discourses UPON TRADE Principally Directed to the CASES OF THE Interest of MONEY Coynage of MONEY Clipping of MONEY Increase of MONEY LONDON Printed for Tho. Basset at the George in Fleet-street 1691. THE PREFACE THese Papers came directed to me in order as I suppose to be made Publick And having transmitted them to the Press which is the only means whereby the University of Mankind is to be inform'd I am absolv'd of that Trust. The Author is pleas'd to conceal himself which after perusal of his Papers I do not ascribe to any Diffidence of his Reasons the Disgusts of Great Men nor overmuch Modesty which are the ordinary Inducements for lying hid but rather to avoid the Fatigue of digesting and polishing his Sentiments into such accurate Method and clean Style as the World commonly expects from Authors I am confident he seeks only the Publick Good and little regards Censure for the want of Neatness and Dress whereof he seems to make a slight account and to rely wholly upon the Truth and Justice of his Matter yet he may reasonably decline the being noted for either a careless or an illiterate Person The Publick is an acute as well as merciless Beast which neither over-sees a Failing nor forgives it but stamps judgment and Execution immediately thô upon a Member of itself and is no less Ingrateful than common Beggars who affront their Benefactors without whose Charity their Understandings would starve Wherefore I cannot but excuse our Friend's Retiredment and shall take advantage of his absence so far as to speak of his Discourses with more freedom then I verily believe his Presence would bear As for the Style you will find it English such as Men speaks which according to Horace is the Law and Rule of Language Nor do I perceive that the Gentleman intended more than his Title holds forth common Discourses which possibly were taken by an Amanuensis and dispatcht without much Correction Surely no Man would refuse the Conversation of an ingenious Friend because he doth not speak like Tully And if the Conversation be so desirable why should we quarrel with the same thing in Writing Nay it is very impolitick by such Exactions of Labour and Pains to discourage all Ingenious Persons from medling in Print whereby we lose the benefit of their Judgment in matters of common concern Words are indeed a Felicity which some have in great perfection but many times like a fair Face prove Temptations to Vice for I have known very good Sence neglected and post-poned to an Elegance of Expression whereas if Words are wanted the whole Effort is made by pure strength of Reason and that only is relied on The Lawyers in their Deeds wave all the Decorums of Language and regard only incontrovertible Expressions The Merchants in their Policies and Exchanges use no one Word but what is necessary to their Point because the Matter and Substance only is intended and not the Dress Why then should Reasoners be incumbred beyond what is necessary to make their Reason understood To speak very short and yet clear is a Vertue to be envyed and if directed to Persons or Assemblies whose business is great or made so by many Mens interposing in it it is absolutely necessary for your Discourse if it be tedious is better spared than the time but it is not so in dealing with lazy Ignorance of any sort or an Earitching Rabble who are actually impertinent as well as impetuous and not sensible of cheat And I may add That in Writing unless in the Epistolary way which being supposed hasty ought to be short and figurative an abundance of Words is more pardonable than obscurity or want of Sence because we take our own time and have leisure to peruse it I will grant that amongst opulent and idle Persons as well as Schollars whose business lies in Words the bare polishing of Language is one of the most commendable Entertainments and to them we resign it for to Men of business it is the most hateful thing I mean meer Idleness I grant also that delicacy of Words now most used in Poetry is useful for disposing way-ward People to learn or make them endure to read But the World is not at such low ebb of Curiosity in this Age. Men are forward enough to run their Noses into Books especially such as deal in Faction and Controversie And it were well if they were either Wrote or Read with as much Integrity as Industry we have no need of Sugar-plum devices to wheedle Men into Reading they are Inquisitive enough and if the Subject be their own Interest I am of Opinion if you can make 'em understand it you may trust them As for the Method used in these Papers there is so little of it affected that I am afraid some will say there is none at all I never thought that true Method consisted in affected Divisions and Sub-divisions Firsts Seconds Sub-firsts c. tho' all that is very useful in Works intended to be consulted as Repertories but where the Understanding is to be informed it is meer trash and the business is often lost in it And in such Designs it is enough if Things lie in the Order of Nature and the Conclusion is not put before the Premisses so that the course of the Argument is limpid and intelligible A Friend of mine used to say That if the First Chapter were before the Second it was all the Method he cared for meaning only what I have observed which I suppose you will find here This drudgery of Digesting is another Excise upon Sence which keeps back a great deal of it from coming forth and without a singular tallent and much exercise it makes composing extreamly difficult I do not understand why other Men as well as Mountaigne may not be indulged to ramble in Essays provided the Sence fails not The Scalligerana Pirroana Pensees and Mr. Selden's Table-talk are all heaps of incoherent scraps yet for the wit and spirit esteemed therefore let that which is most valuable Reason and Truth be encouraged to come abroad without imposing such chargeable Equipages upon it whereby Writers are made to resemble Brewers Horses very useful Animals but arrant Drudges Methinks when I meet with a great deal of Firsting and Seconding I smell one who conceits himself an Author a Creature as fulsome as any other sort of Impertinents If there be Reason and that understood what could the formal Methodist add Let me have the Cockle and who will take the gay shell Now after all this it will be injust not to say some what of the Subject-matter of these Discourses which is Commerce and Trade and the Author's manner of Treating it He seems to be of a Temper different from most who have medled with this Subject in Publick for it is manisest his Knowledge and Experience of Trade is considerable which could not be attained unless he were a Trader himself and yet it is not to be collected from any