2: Essays 
few years equalled by a growing daughter; but in the 
case of a mother-country and her colonies, it is quite 
different. The growth of the children tends to in- 
crease the growth of the mother, and so the difference 
and superiority are longer preserved. Were the in- 
habitants of this island limited to their present num- 
ber by any thing in nature, or by unchangeable 
circumstances, the equality of population between 
the two countries might indeed sooner come to pass; 
but sure experience, in those parts of the island where 
manufactures have been introduced, teaches us that 
people increase and multiply in proportion as the 
means and facility of gaining a livelihood increase; 
and that this island, if they could be employed, is 
capable of supporting ten times the present number 
of people. 
In proportion, therefore, as the demand increases 
for the manufactures of Britain, by the increase of 
people in her colonies, the number of her people at 
home will increase; and with them the strength as 
well as the wealth of the nation. For satisfaction in 
this point, let the reader compare in his mind the 
number and force of our present fleets with our fleet 
in Queen Elizabeth’s time,* before we had colonies. 
Let him compare the ancient with the present state 
of our towns on or near our western coast (Manches- 
ter, Liverpool, Kendal, Lancaster, Glasgow, and the 
countries round them) that trade with any manufac- 
tures for our colonies (not to mention Leeds, Hali- 
fax, Sheffield, and Birmingham), and consider what 
a difference there is in the numbers of people, build- 
* Namely forty sail, none of more than forty guns. 
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