An inquiry into the state of National Subsistence, as connected with the progress of wealth and population.

COMBER, William Turner.

Published by London: printed by J. M'Creery; for T. Cadell and W. Davies, 1808

About this Item

8vo, xv, (i), 323, (1); 59 (Appendix) pp., with the half-title, generally somewhat foxed and browned, appropriately rebound in calf-backed boards. First edition. The first few chapters here deal with the history of the place of agriculture in the national economy and of the prices of grain from Saxon times to the end of the eighteenth century. The failure of successive crops in the early years of the nineteenth century, along with the depreciation of the currency, and high transport costs caused by the war with France, had brought about extraordinarily steep rises in the price of grain, and s serious reduction in stock. Comber proposed stopping the supply of certain sorts of grain to the distilleries in order to provide more for the people. Comber's work was one of the earliest to deal with a crisis that would be discussed extensively over the next few years by such economists as William Jacob, Malthus, and Ricardo. Uncommon; eleven copies located on COPAC and WorldCat. McCulloch, p. 75; Kress B.5322.

Seller Inventory # 18310

Bibliographic Details

• Title: An inquiry into the state of National Subsistence, as connected with the progress of wealth and population.
• Publisher: London: printed by J. M'Creery; for T. Cadell and W. Davies, 1808
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition