ow the Commerce of the Towns contributed to the Improvement of the Country

First, by affording a great and ready market for the rude produce of the country, they gave encouragement to its cultivation and further improvement.

This benefit was not even confined to the countries in which they were situated, but extended more or less to all those with which they had any dealings. To all of them they afforded a market for some part either of their rude or manufactured produce, and consequently gave some encouragement to the industry and improvement of all. Their own country, however, on account of its neighbourhood, necessarily derived the greatest benefit from this market. Its rude produce being charged with less carriage, the traders could pay the growers a better price for it, and yet