OF VALUE.

183

assignable influence, whether mediately or immediately,
 on the mind in the interchange of
commodities, may be considered as causes of
value.

Although, in the subsequent remarks, I may
sometimes have to bring into view the mental
operations implied in all cases of interchange,
yet, to avoid prolixity, instead of speaking of circumstances
 operating on the mind in regard to
any commodity, I shall frequently speak of those
circumstances as operating on the commodity
itself. While this will save circumlocution, it
will not, it is hoped, give rise to ambiguity, as
such language will be employed with a tacit
reference to the real nature of the occurrence
which it is intended to designate.
I have already had occasion to remark, that
since value is a relation between two objects, it
requires no proof that it cannot arise from
causes affecting only one of the objects, but
from two causes, or two sets of causes respectively
 operating upon the objects between
which the relation exists. If A is equal in