128 Whether a general habit of living well would not produce numbers and industry' and whether, considering the tendency of human kind, the consequence thereof would not be foreign trade and riches, how unnecessary soever?
129 Whether, nevertheless, it be a crime to inquire how far we may do without foreign trade, and what would follow on such a supposition?
130 Whether the number and welfare of the subjects be not the true strength of the crown?
131 Whether in all public institutions there should not be an end proposed, which is to be the rule and limit of the means? Whether this end should not be the well-being of the whole? And whether, in order to this, the first step should not be to clothe and feed our people?
132 Whether there be upon earth any Christian or civilized people so beggarly, wretched, and destitute as the common Irish?
133 Whether, nevertheless, there is any other people whose wants may be more easily supplied from home?
134 Whether, if there was a wall of brass a thousand cubits high round this kingdom, our natives might not nevertheless live cleanly and comfortably, till the land, and reap the fruits of it?
135 What should hinder us from exerting ourselves, using our hands and brains, doing something or other, man, woman, and child, like the other inhabitants of God's earth?
136 Be the restraining our trade well or ill advised in our neighbours, with respect to their own interest, yet whether it be not plainly ours to accommodate ourselves to it?
137 Whether it be not vain to think of persuading other people to see their interest, while we continue blind to our own?
138 Whether there be any other nation possessed of so much good land, and so many able hands to work it, which yet is beholden for bread to foreign countries?
139 Whether it be true that we import corn to the value of two hundred thousand pounds in some years?
140 Whether we are not undone by fashions made for other people?
And whether it be not madness in a poor nation to imitate a rich one?
141 Whether a woman of fashion ought not to be declared a public enemy?
142 Whether it be not certain that from the single town of Cork were exported, in one year, no less than one hundred and seven thousand one hundred and sixty-one barrels of beef; seven thousand three hundred and seventy-nine barrels of pork; thirteen thousand four hundred and sixty-one casks, and eighty-five thousand seven hundred and twenty-seven firkins of butter? And what hands were employed in this manufacture?
143 Whether a foreigner could imagine that one half of the people were starving, in a country which sent out such plenty of provisions?
144 Whether an Irish lady, set out with French silks and Flanders lace, may not be said to consume more beef and butter than a hundred of our labouring peasants?
145 Whether nine-tenths of our foreign trade be not carried on singly to support the article of vanity?
146 Whether it can be hoped that private persons will not indulge this folly, unless restrained by the public?
147 How vanity is maintained in other countries? Whether in Hungary, for instance, a proud nobility are not subsisted with small imports from abroad?
148 Whether there be a prouder people upon earth than the noble Venetians, although they all wear plain black clothes?
149 Whether a people are to be pitied that will not sacrifice their little particular vanities to the public. good? And yet, whether each part would not except their own foible from this public sacrifice, the squire his bottle, the lady her lace?
150 Whether claret be not often drank rather for vanity than for health, or pleasure?
151 Whether it be true that men of nice palates have been imposed on, by elder wine for French claret, and by mead for palm sack?
152 Do not Englishmen abroad purchase beer and cider at ten times the price of wine?
153 How many gentlemen are there in England of a thousand pounds per annum who never drink wine in their own houses? Whether the same may be said of any in Ireland who have even? one hundred pounds per annum.
154 What reasons have our neighbours in England for discouraging French wines which may not hold with respect to us also?
155 How much of the necessary sustenance of our people is yearly exported for brandy?
156 Whether, if people must poison themselves, they had not better do it with their own growth?
157 If we imported neither claret from France, nor fir from Norway, what the nation would save by it?
158 When the root yieldeth insufficient nourishment, whether men do not top the tree to make the lower branches thrive?
159 Whether, if our ladies drank sage or balm tea out of Irish ware, it would be an insupportable national calamity?
160 Whether it be really true that such wine is best as most encourages drinking, i.e., that must be given in the largest dose to produce its effect? And whether this holds with regard to any other medicine?
161 Whether that trade should not be accounted most pernicious wherein the balance is most against us? And whether this be not the trade with France?
162 Whether it be not even madness to encourage trade with a nation that takes nothing of our manufacture?
163 Whether Ireland can hope to thrive if the major part of her patriots shall be found in the French interest?
164 Whether great plenty and variety of excellent wines are not to be had on the coasts of Italy and Sicily? And whether those countries would not take our commodities of linen, leather, butter, etc. in exchange for them?
165 Particularly, whether the Vinum Mamertinum, which grows on the mountains about Messina, a red generous wine, highly esteemed (if we may credit Pliny) by the ancient Romans, would not come cheap, and please the palates of our Islanders?
166 Why, if a bribe by the palate or the purse be in effect the same thing, they should not be alike infamous?
167 Whether the vanity and luxury of a few ought to stand in competition with the interest of a nation?