competition with the interest of a nation？
168 Whether national wants ought not to be the rule of trade？ And
whether the most pressing wants of。 the majority ought not to be
first considered？
169 Whether it is possible the country should be well improved；
while our beef is exported； and our labourers live upon potatoes？
170 If it be resolved that we cannot do without foreign trade；
whether； at least； it may not be worth while to consider what
branches thereof deserve to be entertained； and how far we may be
able to carry it on under our present limitations？
171 What foreign imports may be necessary for clothing and
feeding the families of persons not worth above one hundred
pounds a year？ And how many wealthier there are in the kingdom；
and what proportion they bear to the other inhabitants？
172 Whether trade be not then on a right foot； when foreign
commodities are imported in exchange only for domestic
superfluities？
173 Whether the quantities of beef； butter； wool； and leather；
exported from this island； can be reckoned the superfluities of a
country； where there are so many natives naked and famished？
174 Whether it would not be wise so to order our trade as to
export manufactures rather than provisions； and of those such as
employ most hands？
175 Whether she would not be a very vile matron； and justly
thought either mad or foolish； that should give away the
necessaries of life from her naked and famished children； in
exchange for pearls to stick in her hair； and sweetmeats to
please her own palate？
176 Whether a nation might not be considered as a family？
177 Whether the remark made by a Venetian ambassador to Cardinal
Richelieu 'That France needed nothing to be rich and easy； but
to know how to spend what she dissipates' may not be of use also
to other people？
178 Whether hungry cattle will not leap over bounds？ And whether
most men are not hungry in a country where expensive fashions
obtain？
179 Whether there should not be published yearly； schedules of
our trade； containing an account of the imports and exports of
the foregoing year？
180 Whether other methods may not be found for supplying the
funds； besides the custom on things imported？
181 Whether any art or manufacture be so difficult as the making
of good laws？
182 Whether our peers and gentlemen are born legislators？ Or；
whether that faculty be acquired by study and reflection？
183 Whether to comprehend the real interest of a people； and the
means to procure it； doth not imply some fund of knowledge；
historical； moral； and political； with a faculty of reason
improved by learning？
184 Whether every enemy to learning be not a Goth？ And whether
every such Goth among us be not an enemy to the country？
185 Whether； therefore； it would not be an omen of ill presage； a
dreadful phenomenon in the land； if our great men should take it
in their heads to deride learning and education？
186 Whether； on the contrary； it should not seem worth while to
erect a mart of literature in this kingdom； under wiser
regulations and better discipline than in any other part of
Europe？ And whether this would not be an infallible means of
drawing men and money into the kingdom？
187 Whether the governed be not too numerous for the governing
part of our college？ And whether it might not be expedient to
convert thirty natives…places into twenty fellowships？
188 Whether； if we had two colleges； there might not spring a
useful emulation between them？ And whether it might not be
contrived so to divide the fellows； scholars； and revenues
between both； as that no member should be a loser thereby？
189 Whether ten thousand pounds well laid out might not build a
decent college； fit to contain two hundred persons； and whether
the purchase money of the chambers would not go a good way
towards defraying the expense？
190 Where this college should be situated？
191 Whether； in imitation of the Jesuits at Paris； who admit
Protestants to study in their colleges； it may not be right for
us also to admit Roman Catholics into our college； without
obliging them to attend chapel duties； or catechisms； or divinity
lectures？ And whether this might not keep money in the kingdom；
and prevent the prejudices of a foreign education？
192 Whether it is possible a State should not thrive； whereof the
lower part were industrious； and the upper wise？
193 Whether the collected wisdom of ages and nations be not found
in books？
194 Whether Themistocles his art of making a little city； or a
little people； become a great one be learned anywhere so well as
in the writings of the ancients？
195 Whether a wise State hath any interest nearer heart than the
education of youth？
196 Whether the mind； like soil； doth not by disuse grow stiff
and whether reasoning and study be not like stirring and dividing
the glebe？
197 Whether an early habit of reflexion； although obtained by
speculative sciences； may not have its use in practical affairs？
198 Whether even those parts of academical learning which are
quite forgotten may not have improved and enriched the soil； like
those vegetables which are raised； not for themselves； but
ploughed in for a dressing of land？
199 Whether it was not an Irish professor who first opened the
public schools at Oxford？ Whether this island hath not been
anciently famous for learning？ And whether at this day it hath
any better chance for being considerable？
200 Whether we may not with better grace sit down and complain；
when we have done all that lies in our power to help ourselves？
201 Whether the gentleman of estate hath a right to be idle； and
whether he ought not to be the great promoter and director of
industry among his tenants and neighbours？
202 Whether in the cantons of Switzerland all under thirty years
of age are not excluded from their great councils？
203 Whether Homer's compendium of education； would not be a good
rule for modern educators of youth？ And whether half the learning
and study of these kingdoms is not useless； for want of a proper
delivery and punctuation being taught in our schools and
colleges？
204 Whether in any order a good building can be made of bad
materials？ Or whether any form of government can make a happy
State out of bad individuals？
205 What was it that Solomon compared to a jewel of gold in a
swine's snout？
206 Whether the public is more concerned in anything than in the
procreation of able citizens？
207 Whether to the multiplying of human kind； it would not much
conduce if marriages were made with good…liking？
208 Whether； if women had no portions； we should then see so many
unhappy and unfruitful marriages？
209 Whether the laws be not； according to Aristotle； a mind
without appetite or passion？ And consequently without respect of
persons？
210 Suppose a rich man's son marries a poor man's daughter；
suppose also that a poor man's daughter is deluded and debauched
by the son of a rich man； which is most to be pitied？
211 Whether the punishment sh ould be placed on the seduced or
the seducer？
212 Whether a promise made before God and man in the most solemn
manner ought to be violated？
213 Whether it was Plato's opinion that； 'for the good of the
community； rich should marry with rich？' … De Leg。 lib。 iv。
214 Whether； as seed equally scattered produceth a goodly
harvest； even so an equal distribution of wealth doth not cause a
nation to flourish？
215 Whence is it that Barbs and Arabs are so good horses？ And
whether in those countries they are not exactly nice in admitting
none but males of a good kind to their mares？
216 What effects would the same care produce in families？
217 Whether the real foundation for wealth must not be laid in
the numbers； the frugality； and the industry of the people？ And
whether all attempts to enrich a nation by other means； as
raising the coin； stock…jobbing； and such arts are not vain？
218 Whether a door ought not to be shut against all other methods
of growing rich； save only by industry and。 merit？ And whether
wealth got otherwise would not be ruinous to the public？
219 Whether the abuse of banks and paper…money is a just
objection against the use thereof？ And whether such abuse might
not easily be prevented？
220 Whether national banks are not found useful in Venice；
Holland； and Hamburg？ And whether it is not possible to contrive
one that may be useful also in Ireland？
221 Whether the banks of Venice and Amsterdam are not in the
hands of the public？
222 Whether it may not be worth while to inform ourselves in the
nature of those banks？ And what reason can be assigned why
Ireland should not reap the benefit of such public banks as well
as other countries？
223 Whether a bank of national credit； supported by public funds
and secured by Parliament； be a chimera or impossible thing？ And
if not； what would follow from the supposal of such a bank？
224 Whether the currency of a credit so well secured would not be
of great advantage to our trade and manufactures？
225 Whether the notes of such public bank would not have a more
general circulation than those of private banks； as being less
subject to frauds and hazards？
226 Whether it be not agreed that paper hath in many respects the
advantage above coin； as being of more dispatch in payments； more
easily transferred； preserved； and recovered when lost？
227 Whether； besides these advantages； there be not an evident
necessity for circulating credit by paper； from the defect of
coin in this kingdom？
228 Whether it be rightly remarked by some that； as banking
brings no treasure into the kingdom like trade； private wealth
must sink as the bank riseth？ And whether whatever causeth
industry to flourish and circulate may not be said to increase
our treasure？
229 Whether the ruinous effects of Mississippi； South Sea；1 and
such schemes were not owing to an abuse of paper money or credit；
in making it a means for idleness and gaming； instead of a motive
and help to industry？
230 Whether the rise of the bank of Amsterdam was not purely
casual； for the security and dispatch of payments？ And whether
the good effects thereof； in