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ON THE CAUSES 
article cost him, each had a knowledge of the 
producing cost of the article to be received in 
exchange. But it is likely enough that they do 
not possess this latter knowledge, and in this 
case the defect will be supplied by the compe- 
tition of the producers, which is itself governed 
by the cost of production; and thus, although 
the two parties to the bargain may not be 
guided by a knowledge of what each article 
has cost to produce it, they are determined by 
considerations, of which the cost of production 
is the real origin. This is still more strikingly 
the case in other instances. A clergyman, who 
received his tithes in kind, and exchanged 
raw produce for cloth, might be ignorant of the 
cost of either, yet the terms of his bargain 
would be determined by the general cost of 
both. The cost would regulate the point at 
which the competition of the producers would 
fis each article, or their ordinary prices; and a 
knowledge of these prices would operate on his 
mind in the exchanges which he made. 
Whatever circumstances, therefore, act with