“They“taxesonconsumption“mustbeveryheavytaxes，indeed，andveryinjudiciouslylevied，whichtheartisanwillnot，ofhimself，beenabledtopay，bysuperiorindustryandfrugality，withoutraisingthepriceofhislabour。”
ItisalmostasifRobertWalpolehimselfwerespeaking，especiallyifwealsotakeintoconsiderationthepassageintheessayon“publiccredit“
inwhich，referringtothedifficultyoftaxingthestate’screditors，thefollowingissaid:
“Thediminutionoftheirrevenuewouldnotbedisguisedundertheappearanceofabranchofexciseorcustoms。”
AsmighthavebeenexpectedofaScotchman，Hume’sadmirationofbourgeoisacquisitivenesswasbynomeanspurelyplatonic。Startingasapoorman，heworkedhimselfuptoaverysubstantialannualincomeofmanythousandsofpounds;whichHerrDühringasheisherenotdealingwithPetty