Adam Smith failed to mention the equilibrium

The gain from foreign trade is what we import. What we export is a cost of getting those imports. And the proper objective for a nation as Adam Smith put it, is to arrange things so that we get as large a volume of imports as possible, for as small a volume of exports as possible.

Uncle Milt got half the story and Mark J. Perry double quoted the error. 

The equilibrium consists of one remaining person in England selling the rest of the nation to  Germans.  This is impossible, and the real equilibrium is that England slowly absorbs Germans until England is mostly German.  

In other words, smooth evolution is what you advocate, Mark.  Why not say it, claiming that we are all better off is saying we are all better walking on two legs than four, evolution makes us better off.  Say the friggen fact and quit trying to fake it.

You are like a number of economists, giving good advice, then to embarrassed to explain why. And improvement over outright denial, but still a subtle denial.