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each other's industry。
Since such； therefore； are the advantages of water…carriage；
it is natural that the first improvements of art and industry
should be made where this conveniency opens the whole world for a
market to the produce of every sort of labour； and that they
should always be much later in extending themselves into the
inland parts of the country。 The inland parts of the country can
for a long time have no other market for the greater part of
their goods； but the country which lies round about them； and
separates them from the sea…coast； and the great navigable
rivers。 The extent of their market； therefore； must for a long
time be in proportion to the riches and populousness of that
country； and consequently their improvement must always be
posterior to the improvement of that country。 In our North
American colonies the plantations have constantly followed either
the sea…coast or the banks of the navigable rivers； and have
scarce anywhere extended themselves to any considerable distance
from both。
The nations that； according to the best authenticated
history； appear to have been first civilised； were those that
dwelt round the coast of the Mediterranean Sea。 That sea； by far
the greatest inlet that is known in the world； having no tides；
nor consequently any waves except such as are caused by the wind
only； was； by the smoothness of its surface； as well as by the
multitude of its islands； and the proximity of its neighbouring
shores； extremely favourable to the infant navigation of the
world； when； from their ignorance of the compass； men were afraid
to quit the view of the coast； and from the imperfection of the
art of shipbuilding； to abandon themselves to the boisterous
waves of the ocean。 To pass beyond the pillars of Hercules； that
is； to sail out of the Straits of Gibraltar； was； in the ancient
world； long considered as a most wonderful and dangerous exploit
of navigation。 It was late before even the Phoenicians and
Carthaginians； the most skilful navigators and ship…builders of
those old times； attempted it； and they were for a long time the
only nations that did attempt it。
Of all the countries on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea；
Egypt seems to have been the first in which either agriculture or
manufactures were cultivated and improved to any considerable
degree。 Upper Egypt extends itself nowhere above a few miles from
the Nile； and in Lower Egypt that great river breaks itself into
many different canals； which； with the assistance of a little
art； seem to have afforded a communication by water…carriage； not
only between all the great towns； but between all the
considerable villages； and even to many farmhouses in the
country； nearly in the same manner as the Rhine and the Maas do
in Holland at present。 The extent and easiness of this inland
navigation was probably one of the principal causes of the early
improvement of Egypt。
The improvements in agriculture and manufactures seem
likewise to have been of very great antiquity in the provinces of
Bengal； in the East Indies； and in some of the eastern provinces
of China； though the great extent of this antiquity is not
authenticated by any histories of whose authority we； in this
part of the world； are well assured。 In Bengal the Ganges and
several other great rivers form a great number of navigable
canals in the same manner as the Nile does in Egypt。 In the
Eastern provinces of China too； several great rivers form； by
their different branches； a multitude of canals； and by
communicating with one another afford an inland navigation much
more extensive than that either of the Nile or the Ganges； or
perhaps than both of them put together。 It is remarkable that
neither the ancient Egyptians； nor the Indians； nor the Chinese；
encouraged foreign commerce； but seem all to have derived their
great opulence from this inland navigation。
All the inland parts of Africa； and all that part of Asia
which lies any considerable way north of the Euxine and Caspian
seas； the ancient Scythia； the modern Tartary and Siberia； seem
in all ages of the world to have been in the same barbarous and
uncivilised state in which we find them at present。 The Sea of
Tartary is the frozen ocean which admits of no navigation； and
though some of the greatest rivers in the world run through that
country； they are at too great a distance from one another to
carry commerce and communication through the greater part of it。
There are in Africa none of those great inlets； such as the
Baltic and Adriatic seas in Europe； the Mediterranean and Euxine
seas in both Europe and Asia； and the gulfs of Arabia； Persia；
India； Bengal； and Siam； in Asia； to carry maritime commerce into
the interior parts of that great continent： and the great rivers
of Africa are at too great a distance from one another to give
occasion to any considerable inland navigation。 The commerce
besides which any nation can carry on by means of a river which
does not break itself into any great number of branches or
canals； and which runs into another territory before it reaches
the sea； can never be very considerable； because it is always in
the power of the nations who possess that other territory to
obstruct the communication between the upper country and the sea。
The navigation of the Danube is of very little use to the
different states of Bavaria； Austria and Hungary； in comparison
of what it would be if any of them possessed the whole of its
course till it falls into the Black Sea。
CHAPTER IV
Of the Origin and Use of Money
WHEN the division of labour has been once thoroughly
established； it is but a very small part of a man's wants which
the produce of his own labour can supply。 He supplies the far
greater part of them by exchanging that surplus part of the
produce of his own labour； which is over and above his own
consumption； for such parts of the produce of other men's labour
as he has occasion for。 Every man thus lives by exchanging； or
becomes in some measure a merchant； and the society itself grows
to be what is properly a commercial society。
But when the division of labour first began to take place；
this power of exchanging must frequently have been very much
clogged and embarrassed in its operations。 One man； we shall
suppose； has more of a certain commodity than he himself has
occasion for； while another has less。 The former consequently
would be glad to dispose of； and the latter to purchase； a part
of this superfluity。 But if this latter should chance to have
nothing that the former stands in need of； no exchange can be
made between them。 The butcher has more meat in his shop than he
himself can consume； and the brewer and the baker would each of
them be willing to purchase a part of it。 But they have nothing
to offer in exchange； except the different productions of their
respective trade