5. As to the equality and easy levying of taxes. It is too certain
that London hath at some time paid near half the excise of England,
and that the people pay thrice as much for the hearths in London as
those in the country, in proportion to the people of each, and that
the charge of collecting these duties have been about a sixth part
of the duty itself. Now in this great city the excise alone
according to the present laws would not only be double to the whole
kingdom, but also more equal. And the duty of hearths of the said
city would exceed the present proceed of the whole kingdom. And as
for the customs we mention them not at present.
6. Whether more would be gained by foreign commerce? The gain
which England makes by lead, coals, the freight of shipping, &c.,
may be the same, for aught I see, in both cases. But the gain which
is made by manufactures will be greater as the manufacture itself is
greater and better. For in so vast a city manufactures will beget
one another, and each manufacture will be divided into as many parts
as possible, whereby the work of each artisan will be simple and
easy. As, for example, in the making of a watch, if one man shall
make the wheels, another the spring, another shall engrave the dial-
plate, and another shall make the cases, then the watch will be
better and cheaper than if the whole work be put upon any one man.
And we also see that in towns, and in the streets of a great town,
where all the inhabitants are almost of one trade, the commodity
peculiar to those places is made better and cheaper than elsewhere.
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