the great trading and manufacturing towns, Rouen, Bordeaux, Lyons, &c,
which also suffer the principal part of the loss by importation of
articles previously produced at home. The capital thus set free, finds
its most convenient seat to be Paris, since the business to which it
must turn is the production of articles to be unproductively consumed by
the sojourners.

The great trading towns of France would undoubtedly be more flourishing,
if France were not frequented by foreigners.

Rome and Naples are perhaps purely benefited by the foreigners
sojourning there: for they have so little external trade, that their
case may resemble that of the village in our hypothesis.

Absenteeism, therefore, (except as shown in the first Essay,) is a
local, not a national evil; and the resort of foreigners, in so far as
they purchase for unproductive consumption, is not, in any commercial
country, a national, though it may be a local good.

From the considerations which we have now adduced, it is obvious what
is meant by such phrases as a _brisk demand_, and a rapid circulation.
There is a brisk demand and a rapid circulation, when goods, generally
speaking, are sold as fast as they can be produced. There is slackness,
on the contrary, and stagnation, when goods, which have been produced,
remain for a long time unsold. In the former case, the capital which has
been locked up in production is disengaged as soon as the production is
completed; and can be immediately employed in further production. In the
latter case, a large portion of the productive capital of the country is
lying in temporary inactivity.