I am apt to think most Men would agree with me in this, that if a Method could be found out whereby Four or Five Millions might be raised Yearly with little Charge and great Ease and Equality it must be much better than now it is, and this to be a Fund out of which the Parliament to appropriate what Summs they see necessary for every use, so that then they would have Leisure to spend much of their time on other Affairs, which is now wholly taken up about Ways and Means; besides, when the People knew there was no new Tax to be raised, they would more chearfully look upon the opening of a Sessions; and the _French_ King must be exceedingly discouraged, when he shall see that after so great Expences we come on with new Vigour, and have provided a Fund for carrying on the War till he can be brought to such Terms as will establish a safe and lasting Peace, which by the Means hitherto used we cannot expect, every Tax we have given being like the Gasps of a Man labouring for Life, whereby he concluded we could not subsist a Year longer, and doubtless his Emissaries in _England_ have not failed to represent things to him in their worst Colours; but I hope both He and They will find that the People of _England_, to defend their Religion, Liberties, and Properties, neither want Money, nor a Will to give it. The Taxes of this Kingdom are chiefly to be raised on Land or Trade, the first must be eased, and what is laid on the latter must be done with great Caution and Consideration, things must be well weighed, and the Principles whereon we proceed must be sure and solid, and then a thinking Man may improve them by well-digested Notions; Trade like the Camel will stoop to take up its Burthen, but the weight thereof must not be greater than it can chearfully rise under, otherwise we destroy it, and shall by our inconsiderate Covetousness lose those Golden Eggs it every day would bring us. Another thing to be consider'd in the laying a Tax is, that the Poor bear little or none of the Burthen, their Province being more properly to labour and fight than pay; He that gets his Money by the Sweat of his Brows parts not from it without much Remorse and Discontent, and when all is done, 'tis but a little they pay, therefore Taxes that light heavy on them (such as Chimney-Money, and oftentimes a Poll) tend rather to unhinge than assist the Government, by disgusting such a number of robust and hardy Men as carry a great personal Ballance in the Kingdom, and may be apt when they think themselves opprest to joyn with any for a present Relief, not being well able to foresee the Consequences of things at a distance. Great Care should also be taken of our Manufactures and Manufacturers, that they be not opprest.