In the works, however, which he published after his return to official employment, he did not venture to disturb current economic ideas, devoting himself to carrying on the statistical work of Sir William Petty and Mr Gregory King, and attempting by an elaborate investigation to ascertain the precise position of England in regard to the balance of trade. His views on taxation have been already alluded to. He thought that the incidence of taxation should be proportional to the tax-payer's ability to pay, and that taxes should bear chiefly on consumers of luxuries. He thought that "all taxes whatsoever were, in their last resort, a charge upon land." Trade with uncivilised countries such as Africa was, he thought, best carried on by a monopolistic corporation. As regards the labour question, he strongly advocated the compulsory employment of the able-bodied poor in manufactures, as a means to cheap production and the consequent command of foreign markets. Davenant's chief works were --