Strona 517 z 2651

Upon all these accounts, therefore, we may rest assured, that

equal quantities of corn will, in every state of society, in

every stage of improvement, more nearly represent, or be

equivalent to, equal quantities of labour, than equal quantities

of any other part of the rude produce of land. Corn, accordingly,

it has already been observed, is, in all the different stages of

wealth and improvement, a more accurate measure of value than any

other commodity or set of commodities. In all those different

stages, therefore, we can judge better of the real value of

silver, by comparing it with corn, than by comparing it with any

other commodity or set of commodities.