NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. 253

raising the value of money, s0 accurately describes the
only process which can be termed with propriety measur-
ing value, that I cannot resist the temptation of inserting
it here in confirmation of my own views.

¢¢ By this measure of commerce, viz. the quantity of
silver, men measure the value of all other things. Thus to
measure what the value of lead is to wheat, and of either
of them to a certain sort of linen cloth, the quantity of
silver that each is valued at, or sells for, needs only be
known ; for if a yard of cloth be sold for half an ounce of
silver, a bushel of wheat for one ounce, and a hundred
weight of lead for two ounces; any one presently sees and
says, that a bushel of wheat is double the value of a yard
of that cloth, and but half the value of an hundred weight
of lead.” — Further Considerations concerning raising the
Value of Money.
NOTE H (page 158).
Many of the strictures which have been made on
Mr. Ricardo’s writings, in this and other chapters, would
be in some degree obviated if two things were conceded,
namely, if we assumed that he was constantly speaking of
real value, and if we were to grant him the absurdity
which we have shown this expression to imply ; or, in other
words, if we were to consider it as importing cost of
production, without relation to the power of commanding
in exchange. But then, although some inconsistencies