_Distilling_ is an _Art_ so exceedingly Improved in a few Years that had it not met with Discouraging _Laws_ 'twould by this time have attained to a great height; this brings great profit to the Nation, for next to that of making something out of nothing is the making somthing of what is worth nothing, therefore this Art ought to have been Handled very chearily, to have been trained up with a great deal of gentleness, and not loaden with _Taxes_ in its Infancy, like the _Hen_ in the _Fable_, we had not Patience to expect its Treasure as Time and Nature could produce it, but by our Avarice were like to discourage it in the beginning, however it hath still bore up under all the weight laid upon it. 'Twas a great mistake to appoint Measures by _Act of Parliament_ to the _Distillers_ in their workings, Mens knowledge increases by Observation, and this is the reason why one Age exceeds another in any sort of _Mistery_, because they improve the Notions of their Predecessors, therefore confining _Distilling_ only to Corn was an Error, 'tis true other things were allowed to be used, but on such Terms and Restrictions as were next to a Prohibition, had the makers of that _Law_ then Prohibited _Coffee_ and _Tea_ to be drank in _Publick_ _Houses_ it might more probably have answered their ends in advancing the price of _Barly_ by a greater consumption of _Ale_, and by degrees the _Distillers_ would have fallen on that Commodity themselves, using it with other mixtures, and thereby drawing from it a cleaner Spirit then it doth afford of it self, which they might in time have Rectified to such a fineness as to have increased very much its use. No Nation can give more incouragement to the Mistery of _Distilling_ then _England_, whose Plantations being many and well Peopled where those Spirits are so necessary and useful for the Inhabitants, and these depending wholly on us for all things, might have been supplied with them hence only, besides the great Quantities used in our Navigation, therefore a total Prohibition of their Importation from other Nations (who make them generally of such things which are else of little value) would be very convenient: We have many Materials of our own Product to work on, such as are _Melasses_, _Cyder_, _Perry_, Barly, &c. all which in time they would have used, for as the _Distillers_ found their sales increased they would have made new _Essays_: It was a great discouragement both to them, and also to the _Sugar Bakers_ and _Brewers_, to hinder Distilling on _Mellasses_, _Scum_, _Tilts_, and _Wash_, a fault the _Dutch_ nor no Trading Nation besides our selves would have been guilty of, and proceeded from ill Advice given that _Parliament_ by those who under pretence of advancing Corn designed to discourage _Distilling_, only took it by that handle they thought would be best received in the House, which being generally made up of _Gentlemen_ unskilful in Trade lookt no deeper into it than as