Page:Life of Sir William Petty 1623 – 1687.djvu/204

 

CHAPTER VII

POLITICAL ARITHMETIC

 

Captain Graunt—Sir William Davenant—Principal works—Hobbes—The 'Book of Rates'—France and Holland—'Treatise on Taxes'—Proposals for reform—The prohibitory system—The origin of value—The mercantile system—Difficulties of reform—The Navigation Acts—Customs duties—Excise—The par of value—Usury laws—Rent—Views on population—Growth of London—The division of labour—Supply and demand—The 'Essays'—France and Holland—The example of Holland—The greatness of England.

From Aubrey's friendly pen we get a sketch of Sir William at about this period of his life. 'He is a proper handsome man, the antiquarian writes; 'measures six foot high, good head of brown hair, moderately turning up—vide his picture as Dr. of Physick. His eyes are a kind of goose grey, but very short sighted, and as to aspect, beautiful, and promise sweetness of nature; and they do not deceive, for he is a marvellous good natured person, and εὺσπλαγχνος^[1]. Eyebrows thick, dark and straight (horizontal). His head is very large, μακροκεφαλος^[2]. He was in his youth slender; but, since these twenty years and more past, he grew very plump, so that now (1680) he is abdomine tardus. This last March 1679-80 I persuaded him to sit for his picture to Mr. Logan the graver, whom I forthwith went for myselfe; and he drewe it just before his going into Ireland, and 'tis very like him.^[3] But about 1659, he had a picture in miniature drawne by his friend and mine, Mr. Samuel Cowper (prince of limners of his age), one of the likest that ever he drew. He is a person of admirable inventive head and practicall parts.'

It has been seen that in the letter to Lord Anglesea, written

1. merciful (note from Wikisource ed.)
2. great-headed (note from Wikisource ed.)
3. Bodleian Letters, ii. 487. This is probably the picture which is engraved on the frontispiece of the map of Ireland, and is mentioned by Walpole in his Anecdotes of Painters. See Larcom, Down Survey, note p. 347.