OF VALUE.

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toit. In either case, if they are steady in their
operation, they may be equally regarded as
causes of value. We may often assign an ef-
fect to a cause, when perhaps we are unable to
trace the exact series of changes occurring be-
tween them, or, in other words, the less pro-
minent links in the chain of causes and effects
by which they are separated in time, but con-
nected in efficiency. In reference to the present
subject, this may be easily illustrated. The
equality in the cost of production of two ar-
ticles, for example, is a cause of their exchanging
for each other. This we know is the general
effect of such circumstances; but it would be
difficult to trace with precision the mode in
which the effect was produced, and which in-
deed might vary on different occasions without
disturbing the result. Suppose two persons, A
and B, of whom the former has linen, which he
wishes to exchange for woollen cloth, and the
latter has woollen cloth, which he wishes to ex-
change for linen. The matter would be abun-
dantly plain, if, besides knowing what his own