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cheaper than it had been during the sixty-four last years of the

last century; and about nine shillings and sixpence cheaper than

it had been during the sixteen years preceding 1636, when the

discovery of the abundant mines of America may be supposed to

have produced its full effect; and about one shilling cheaper

than it had been in the twenty-six years preceding 1620, before

that discovery can well be supposed to have produced its full

effect. According to this account, the average price of middle

wheat, during these sixty-four first years of the present

century, comes out to have been about thirty-two shillings the

quarter of eight bushels.

The value of silver, therefore, seems to have risen somewhat in

proportion to that of corn during the course of the present

century, and it had probably begun to do so even some time before

the end of the last.