ON THE NATURE any others. But it will be found, that, in speak- ing of the value of a being equal to the value of B, we are led to use the expression by the constant reference which we unavoidably make to the relations of these commodities to other commodities, particularly to money, and the import of our language, in its whole extent, is, that a and B bear an equal relation to a third commodity, or to commodities in general. It is from this circumstance of constant re- ference to other commodities, or to money, when we are speaking of the relation between any two commodities, that the notion of value, as something intrinsic and absolute, has arisen. When we compare objects with each other as exchangeable commodities, two relations ne- cessarily mix themselves in our comparison — the mutual relation of the objects, and their re- lations to other objects; and it is these latter which occasion the semblance of absolute value, because they seem independent of the former, which is the immediate object of our attention. Indeed, it is generally by their re- lation to a third commodity, that we can at all