or cheat, as they do in other Countries. How did you live in your own
Country? says one of the _Frenchmen_. Oh! says the _Spaniard_, very well
for a while; I had a great many thousand Pistoles left me by my Ancestors.
What have you done with them? says one of the _Frenchmen_: I put them into
a _Policy_, says the _Spaniard_, where I was to have a great Interest for
them. And what became of that Policy? says one of the _Frenchmen_. The
_Spaniard_ replied, that at first the Interest was paid, and then Things
went merrily enough; but that in a little Time the Body _Politick_ became
_Bankrupt_, and paid neither Principal nor Interest. And did all the
Adventurers lose their Money? says one of the _Frenchmen_. All, replies the
_Spaniard_, except those that were concerned in the Management: and is
Money plenty in _Spain_ now? says one of the _Frenchmen_. Never so scarce,
answers the _Spaniard_; for all Degrees of Men, all Artificers, and
Mechanicks left off their Trades, and put their Effects into this Policy,
that they might live at their Ease; and now they're all ruined; and of all
the immense Sums that were put into this damned Policy, there is not the
hundredth Part to be found, and that is in the Hands of those few that
cheated the rest; but whether it be sunk again into the Bowels of the
Earth, or where it is gone, we cannot tell. At this one of the _French_ Men
smiled, and told the _Spaniard_, he could let him into the Secret; _while
your Nation was in Pursuit of this imaginary Mountain of Gold_, says he,
_and all your People neglected their Employments; we, with such Trumpery as
these, have drawn away the Wealth of your_ Indian _Mines; we sell our Ware
in your Country, and carry your Money back to our own; By which Means we
inrich our own Country, and impoverish yours: Of all the Treasures that
come into_ Spain, _you enjoy only the Name; for while you are busy in
Chimera's, our Industry drains all the Treasure from you; and take this
with you, that_ all Projects must end like the Searches for the
Philosopher's Stone, that is, in Smoke, where the _Interest_ is paid out of
the _Principal Stock_, and is not supported by any industrious _Traffick_.