ThecantonofUnterwaldinSwitzerlandisfrequentlyravagedbystormsandinundations，andistherebyexposedtoextraordinaryexpenses。Uponsuchoccasionsthepeopleassemble，andeveryoneissaidtodeclarewiththegreatestfranknesswhatheisworthinordertobetaxedaccordingly。AtZurichthelawordersthat，incasesofnecessity，everyoneshouldbetaxedinproportiontohisrevenue—theamountofwhichheisobligedtodeclareuponoath。Theyhavenosuspicion，itissaid，thatanyoftheirfellow—citizenswilldeceivethem。AtBaseltheprincipalrevenueofthestatearisesfromasmallcustomupongoodsexported。Allthecitizensmakeoaththattheywillpayeverythreemonthsallthetaxesimposedbythelaw。Allmerchantsandevenallinnkeepersaretrustedwithkeepingthemselvestheaccountofthegoodswhichtheyselleitherwithinorwithouttheterritory。Attheendofeverythreemonthstheysendthisaccounttothetreasurerwiththeamountofthetaxcomputedatthebottomofit。Itisnotsuspectedthattherevenuesuffersbythisconfidence。
Toobligeeverycitizentodeclarepubliclyuponoaththeamountofhisfortunemustnot，itseems，inthoseSwisscantonsbereckonedahardship。AtHamburgitwouldbereckonedthegreatest。Merchantsengagedinthehazardousprotectsoftradealltrembleatthethoughtsofbeingobligedatalltoexposetherealstateoftheircircumstances。Theruinoftheircreditandthemiscarriageoftheirprojects，theyforesee，wouldtoooftenbetheconsequence。Asoberandparsimoniouspeople，whoarestrangerstoallsuchprojects，donotfeelthattheyhaveoccasionforanysuchconcealment。
InHolland，soonaftertheexaltationofthelatePrinceofOrangetothestadtholdership，ataxoftwopercent，orthefiftiethpenny，asitwascalled，wasimposeduponthewholesubstanceofeverycitizen。EverycitizenassessedhimselfandpaidhistaxinthesamemannerasatHamburg，anditwasingeneralsupposedtohavebeenpaidwithgreatfidelity。Thepeoplehadatthattimethegreatestaffectionfortheirnewgovernment，whichtheyhadjustestablishedbyageneralinsurrection。Thetaxwastobepaidbutonce，inordertorelievethestateinaparticularexigency。Itwas，indeed，tooheavytobepermanent。Inacountrywherethemarketrateofinterestseldomexceedsthreepercent，ataxoftwopercentamountstothirteenshillingsandfourpenceinthepounduponthehighestnetrevenuewhichiscommonlydrawnfromstock。Itisataxwhichveryfewpeoplecouldpaywithoutencroachingmoreorlessupontheircapitals。Inaparticularexigencythepeoplemay，fromgreatpubliczeal，makeagreateffort，andgiveupevenapartoftheircapitalinordertorelievethestate。Butitisimpossiblethattheyshouldcontinuetodosoforanyconsiderabletime;andiftheydid，thetaxwouldruinthemsocompletelyastorenderthemaltogetherincapableofsupportingthestate。
ThetaxuponstockimposedbytheLand—taxBillinEngland，thoughitisproportionedtothecapital，isnotintendedtodiminishortakeawayanypartofthatcapital。Itismeantonlytobeataxupontheinterestofmoneyproportionedtothatupontherentofland，sothatwhenthelatterisatfourshillingsinthepound，theformermaybeatfourshillingsinthepoundtoo。
ThetaxatHamburgandthestillmoremoderatetaxofUnterwaldandZuricharemeant，inthesamemanner，tobetaxes，notuponthecapital，butupontheinterestornetrevenueofstock。ThatofHollandwasmeanttobeataxuponthecapital。