OF VALUE.

10

most convenient of all, yet any other commodity
 might answer the purpose.
Such a measure as this, however, has not
contented political economists; it is only, they
say, a measure of commodities at the same
time: they have wished for something to measure
 the value of commodities at different
periods.

Let us see what this amounts to: if it is
wished to measure or compare the value of corn
and cloth at one period with their value at another
 period, money will evidently answer the
purpose. We have only to inquire the prices
of corn and cloth at each period, and we shall
then be able to ascertain how they have varied
relatively to each other. If, in the year 1600,
cloth was 20s. a yard, and corn 10s. a bushel,
and in the year 1800, cloth was 10s. and corn
10s., then it would manifestly appear, that in
1600 a yard of cloth would command in exchange

 or be worth two bushels of corn, and in
1800 only one bushel. Thus by inquiring the
prices of the commodities we should ascertain