wealbk01-第21节

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and　lodged。

　　　　　Poverty；　though　it　no　doubt　discourages；　does　not　always

prevent　marriage。　It　seems　even　to　be　favourable　to　generation。　A

half…starved　Highland　woman　frequently　bears　more　than　twenty

children；　while　a　pampered　fine　lady　is　often　incapable　of

bearing　any；　and　is　generally　exhausted　by　two　or　three。

Barrenness；　so　frequent　among　women　of　fashion；　is　very　rare

among　those　of　inferior　station。　Luxury　in　the　fair　sex；　while　it

inflames　perhaps　the　passion　for　enjoyment；　seems　always　to

weaken；　and　frequently　to　destroy　altogether；　the　powers　of

generation。

　　　　　But　poverty；　though　it　does　not　prevent　the　generation；　is

extremely　unfavourable　to　the　rearing　of　children。　The　tender

plant　is　produced；　but　in　so　cold　a　soil　and　so　severe　a　climate；

soon　withers　and　dies。　It　is　not　uncommon；　I　have　been　frequently

told；　in　the　Highlands　of　Scotland　for　a　mother　who　has　borne

twenty　children　not　to　have　two　alive。　Several　officers　of　great

experience　have　assured　me；　that　so　far　from　recruiting　their

regiment；　they　have　never　been　able　to　supply　it　with　drums　and

fifes　from　all　the　soldiers'　children　that　were　born　in　it。　A

greater　number　of　fine　children；　however；　is　seldom　seen　anywhere

than　about　a　barrack　of　soldiers。　Very　few　of　them；　it　seems；

arrive　at　the　age　of　thirteen　or　fourteen。　In　some　places　one

half　the　children　born　die　before　they　are　four　years　of　age；　in

many　places　before　they　are　seven；　and　in　almost　all　places

before　they　are　nine　or　ten。　This　great　mortality；　however；　will

everywhere　be　found　chiefly　among　the　children　of　the　common

people；　who　cannot　afford　to　tend　them　with　the　same　care　as

those　of　better　station。　Though　their　marriages　are　generally

more　fruitful　than　those　of　people　of　fashion；　a　smaller

proportion　of　their　children　arrive　at　maturity。　In　foundling

hospitals；　and　among　the　children　brought　up　by　parish　charities；

the　mortality　is　still　greater　than　among　those　of　the　common

people。

　　　　　Every　species　of　animals　naturally　multiplies　in　proportion

to　the　means　of　their　subsistence；　and　no　species　can　ever

multiply　beyond　it。　But　in　civilised　society　it　is　only　among　the

inferior　ranks　of　people　that　the　scantiness　of　subsistence　can

set　limits　to　the　further　multiplication　of　the　human　species；

and　it　can　do　so　in　no　other　way　than　by　destroying　a　great　part

of　the　children　which　their　fruitful　marriages　produce。

　　　　　The　liberal　reward　of　labour；　by　enabling　them　to　provide

better　for　their　children；　and　consequently　to　bring　up　a　greater

number；　naturally　tends　to　widen　and　extend　those　limits。　It

deserves　to　be　remarked；　too；　that　it　necessarily　does　this　as

nearly　as　possible　in　the　proportion　which　the　demand　for　labour

requires。　If　this　demand　is　continually　increasing；　the　reward　of

labour　must　necessarily　encourage　in　such　a　manner　the　marriage

and　multiplication　of　labourers；　as　may　enable　them　to　supply

that　continually　increasing　demand　by　a　continually　increasing

population。　If　the　reward　should　at　any　time　be　less　than　what

was　requisite　for　this　purpose；　the　deficiency　of　hands　would

soon　raise　it；　and　if　it　should　at　any　time　be　more；　their

excessive　multiplication　would　soon　lower　it　to　this　necessary

rate。　The　market　would　be　so　much　understocked　with　labour　in　the

one　case；　and　so　much　overstocked　in　the　other；　as　would　soon

force　back　its　price　to　that　proper　rate　which　the　circumstances

of　the　society　required。　It　is　in　this　manner　that　the　demand　for

men；　like　that　for　any　other　commodity；　necessarily　regulates　the

production　of　men；　quickens　it　when　it　goes　on　too　slowly；　and

stops　it　when　it　advances　too　fast。　It　is　this　demand　which

regulates　and　determines　the　state　of　propagation　in　all　the

different　countries　of　the　world；　in　North　America；　in　Europe；

and　in　China；　which　renders　it　rapidly　progressive　in　the　first；

slow　and　gradual　in　the　second；　and　altogether　stationary　in　the

last。

　　　　　The　wear　and　tear　of　a　slave；　it　has　been　said；　is　at　the

expense　of　his　master；　but　that　of　a　free　servant　is　at　his　own

expense。　The　wear　and　tear　of　the　latter；　however；　is；　in

reality；　as　much　at　the　expense　of　his　master　as　that　of　the

former。　The　wages　paid　to　journeymen　and　servants　of　every　kind

must　be　such　as　may　enable　them；　one　with　another；　to　continue

the　race　of　journeymen　and　servants；　according　as　the　increasing；

diminishing；　or　stationary　demand　of　the　society　may　happen　to

require。　But　though　the　wear　and　tear　of　a　free　servant　be

equally　at　the　expense　of　his　master；　it　generally　costs　him　much

less　than　that　of　a　slave。　The　fund　destined　for　replacing　or

repairing；　if　I　may　say　so；　the　wear　and　tear　of　the　slave；　is

commonly　managed　by　a　negligent　master　or　careless　overseer。　That

destined　for　performing　the　same　office　with　regard　to　the　free

man；　is　managed　by　the　free　man　himself。　The　disorders　which

generally　prevail　in　the　economy　of　the　rich；　naturally　introduce

themselves　into　the　management　of　the　former：　the　strict

frugality　and　parsimonious　attention　of　the　poor　as　naturally

establish　themselves　in　that　of　the　latter。　Under　such　different

management；　the　same　purpose　must　require　very　different　degrees

of　expense　to　execute　it。　It　appears；　accordingly；　from　the

experience　of　all　ages　and　nations；　I　believe；　that　the　work　done

by　freemen　comes　cheaper　in　the　end　than　that　performed　by

slaves。　It　is　found　to　do　so　even　at　Boston；　New　York；　and

Philadelphia；　where　the　wages　of　common　labour　are　so　very　high。

　　　　　The　liberal　reward　of　labour；　therefore；　as　it　is　the　effect

of　increasing　wealth；　so　it　is　the　cause　of　increasing

population。　To　complain　of　it　is　to　lament　over　the　necessary

effect　and　cause　of　the　greatest　public　prosperity。

　　　　　It　deserves　to　be　remarked；　perhaps；　that　it　is　in　the

progressive　state；　while　the　society　is　advancing　to　the　further

acquisition；　rather　than　when　it　has　acquired　its　full　complement

of　riches；　that　the　condition　of　the　labouring　poor；　of　the　great

body　of　the　people；　seems　to　be　the　happiest　and　the　most

comfortable。　It　is　hard　in　the　stationary；　and　miserable　in　the

declining　state。　The　progressive　state　is　in　reality　the　cheerful

and　the　hearty　state　to　all　the　different　orders　of　the　society。

The　stationary　is　dull；　the　declining；　melancholy。

　　　　　The　liberal　reward　of　labour；　as　it　encourages　the

propagation；　so　it　increases　the　industry　of　the　common　people。

The　wages　of　labour　are　the　encouragement　of　industry；　which；

like　every　other　human　quality；　improves　in　proportion　to　the

encouragement　it　receives。　A　plentiful　subsistence　increases　the

bodily　strength　of　the　labourer；　and　the　comfortable　hope　of

bettering　his　condition；　and　of　ending　his　days　perhaps　in　ease

and　plenty；　animates　him　to　exert　that　strength　to　the　utmost。

Where　wages　are　high；　accordingly；　we　shall　always　find　the

workmen　more　active；　diligent；　and　expeditious　than　where　they

are　low：　in　England；　for　example；　than　in　Scotland；　in　the

neighbourhood　of　great　towns　than　in　remote　country　places。　Some

workmen；　indeed；　when　they　can　earn　in　four　days　what　will

maintain　them　through　the　week；　will　be　idle　the　other　three。

This；　however；　is　by　no　means　the　case　with　the　greater　part。

Workmen；　on　the　contrary；　when　they　are　liberally　paid　by　the

piece；　are　very　apt　to　overwork　themselves；　and　to　ruin　their

health　and　constitution　in　a　few　years。　A　carpenter　in　London；

and　in　some　other　places；　is　not　supposed　to　last　in　his　utmost

vigour　above　eight　years。　Something　of　the　same　kind　happens　in

many　other　trades；　in　which　the　workmen　are　paid　by　the　piece；　as

they　generally　are　in　manufactures；　and　even　in　country　labour；

wherever　wages　are　higher　than　ordinary。　Almost　every　class　of

artificers　is　subject　to　some　peculiar　infirmity　occasioned　by

excessive　application　to　their　peculiar　species　of　work。

Ramuzzini；　an　eminent　Italian　physician；　has　written　a　particular

book　concerning　such　diseases。　We　do　not　reckon　our　soldiers　the

most　industrious　set　of　people　among　us。　Yet　when　soldiers　have

been　employed　in　some　particular　sorts　of　work；　and　liberally

paid　by　the　piece；　their　officers　have　frequently　been　obliged　to

stipulate　with　the　undertaker；　that　they　should　not　be　allowed　to

earn　above　a　certain　sum　every　day；　according　to　the　rate　at

which　they　were　paid。　Till　this　stipulation　was　made；　mutual

emulation　and　the　desire　of　greater　gain　frequently　prompted　them

to　overwork　themselves；　and　to　hurt　their　health　by　excessive

labour。　Excessive　application　during　four　days　of　the　week　is

frequently　the　real　cause　of　the　idleness　of　the　other　three；　so

much　and　so　loudly　complained　of。　Great　labour；　either　of　mind　or

body；　continued　for　several　days　together；　is　in　most　men

naturally　followed　by　a　great　desire　of　relaxation；　which；　if　not

restrained　by　force　or　by　some　strong　necessity；　is　almost

irresistibl