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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？
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
colle