OurforeignpolicyduringthecenturyWasinthelongrunchieflydeterminedbytheinterestsofourtrade，howevermuchthetrademightattimesbehamperedbyill-conceivedregulations。ItisremarkablethatAdamSmith3*arguesthat，althoughthecapitalistisacuterthatthecountry-gentleman，hisacutenessischieflydisplayedbyknowinghisowninterestsbetter。Thoseinterests，hethinks，donotcoincidesomuchastheinterestsofthecountry-gentlemanwiththegeneralinterestsofthecountry。Consequentlythecountry-gentleman，thoughlessintelligent，ismorelikelytofavouranationalandliberalpolicy。Themerchant，infact，wasnotafree-traderbecausehehadreadAdamSmithorconsciouslyadoptedSmith’sprinciples，butbecauseorinsofarasparticularrestrictionsinterferedwithhim。ArthurYoungcomplainsbitterlyofthemanufacturerswhosupportedtheprohibitiontoexportEnglishwool，andsoprotectedtheirownclassattheexpenseofagriculturists。
Wedgwood，thoughagoodliberalandasupporterofPitt’sFrenchtreatyin1786，joinedinprotestingagainsttheproposalforfree-tradewithIreland。
TheIrish，hethought，mightrivalhispotteries。Thus，thoughasamatteroffactthegrowingclassofmanufacturersandmerchantswereinclinedinthemaintoliberalprinciples，itwaslessfromadhesiontoanygeneraldoctrinethanfromthefactthattheexistingrestrictionsandprejudicesgenerallyconflictedwiththeirplaininterests。
Anothercharacteristicisremarkable。Thoughthegrowthofmanufacturesandcommercemeantthegrowthofgreattowns，itdidnotmeanthegrowthofmunicipalinstitutions。Onthecontrary，asIshallpresentlyhavetonotice，themunicipalitiesweresinkingtotheirlowestebb。Manufactures，inthefirstinstance，spreadalongthestreamsintocountrydistricts：andtothegreatmanufacturer，workingforhisownhand，hisneighbourswerecompetitorsasmuchasallies。Thegreattowns，however，whichweregrowingup，showedthegeneraltendenciesoftheclass。Theywerecentresnotonlyofmanufacturingbutofintellectualprogress。ThepopulationofBirmingham，containingthefamousSohoworksofBoultonandWatt，hadincreasedbetween1740and1780from24，000to74，000inhabitants。Watt’spartnerBoultonstartedthe’LunarSociety’atBirmingham。4*ItsmostprominentmemberwasErasmusDarwin，famousthenforpoetrywhichischieflyrememberedbytheparodyintheAnti-Jacobin；andnowmorefamousastheadvocateofatheoryofevolutioneclipsedbytheteachingofhismorefamousgrandson，and，inanycase，amanofremarkableintellectualpower。AmongthosewhojoinedintheproceedingswasEdgeworth，whoin1768wasspeculatinguponmovingcarriagesbysteam，andThomasDay，whoseSandfordandMertonhelpedtospreadinEnglandtheeducationaltheoriesofRousseau。Priestley，whosettledatBirminghamin1780，becameamember，andwashelpedinhisinvestigationsbyWatt’scounselsandWedgwood’specuniaryhelp。AmongoccasionalvisitorswereSmeaton，SirJosephBanks，Solander，andHerschelofscientificcelebrity；whiletheliterarymagnate，DrParr，wholivedbetweenWarwickandBirmingham，occasionallyjoinedthecircle。Wedgwood，thoughtoofarofftobeamember，wasintimatewithDarwinandassociatedinvariousenterpriseswithBoulton。Wedgwood’scongenialpartner，ThomasBentley1731-1780，hadbeeninbusinessatManchesterandatLiverpool。HehadtakenpartinfoundingtheWarrington’Academy，’
thedissentingseminaryafterwardsmovedtoManchesterofwhichPriestleywastutor1761-1767，andhadlectureduponartattheacademyfoundedatLiverpoolin1773。AnothermemberoftheacademywasWilliamRoscoe1753-1831，whoseliterarytastewasshownbyhislivesofLorenzodeMediciandLeoX，andwhodistinguishedhimselfbyopposingtheslavetrade，thentheinfamyofhisnativetown。AlliedwithhiminthismovementwereWilliamRathboneandJamesCurrie1756-1805thebiographerofBurns，afriendofDarwinandanintelligentphysician。AtManchesterThomasPerceval1740-1804foundedthe’LiteraryandPhilosophicalSociety，in1780。HewasapupiloftheWarringtonAcademy，whichheafterwardsjoinedonremovingtoManchester，andheformedtheschemeafterwardsrealisedbyOwensCollege。Hewasanearlyadvocateofsanitarymeasuresandfactorylegislation，andamanofscientificreputation。