in these times, considered as no contemptible part of the revenue of the
greatest sovereigns in Europe. It consisted in such treasure as was found
concealed in the earth, and to which no particular person could prove any
right. This was regarded, in those times, as so important an object, that it
was always considered as belonging to the sovereign, and neither to the
finder nor to the proprietor of the land, unless the right to it had been
conveyed to the latter by an express clause in his charter. It was put upon
the same footing with gold and silver mines, which, without a special clause
in the charter, were never supposed to be comprehended in the general grant
of the lands, though mines of lead, copper, tin, and coal were, as things of
smaller consequence.




CHAPTER II.

OF MONEY, CONSIDERED AS A PARTICULAR BRANCH OF THE GENERAL STOCK OF THE
SOCIETY, OR OF THE EXPENSE OF MAINTAINING THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

It has been shown in the First Book, that the price of the greater part of
commodities resolves itself into three parts, of which one pays the wages of
the labour, another the profits of the stock, and a third the rent of the
land which had been employed in producing and bringing them to market: that
there are, indeed, some commodities of which the price is made up of two of
those parts only, the wages of labour, and the profits of stock ; and a very
few in which it consists altogether in one, the wages of labour; but that
the price of every commodity necessarily resolves itself into some one or
other, or all, of those three parts; every part of it which goes neither to
rent nor to wages, being necessarily profit to some body.