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manner in which he is commonly accommodated。 Compared; indeed;

with the more extravagant luxury of the great; his accommodation

must no doubt appear extremely simple and easy; and yet it may be

true; perhaps; that the accommodation of a European prince does

not always so much exceed that of an industrious and frugal

peasant as the accommodation of the latter exceeds that of many

an African king; the absolute master of the lives and liberties

of ten thousand naked savages。





                             CHAPTER II 



  Of the Principle which gives occasion to the Division of Labour





     THIS division of labour; from which so many advantages are

derived; is not originally the effect of any human wisdom; which

foresees and intends that general opulence to which it gives

occasion。 It is the necessary; though very slow and gradual

consequence of a certain propensity in human nature which has in

view no such extensive utility; the propensity to truck; barter;

and exchange one thing for another。

     Whether this propensity be one of those original principles

in human nature of which no further account can be given; or

whether; as seems more probable; it be the necessary consequence

of the faculties of reason and speech; it belongs not to our

present subject to inquire。 It is common to all men; and to be

found in no other race of animals; which seem to know neither

this nor any other species of contracts。 Two greyhounds; in

running down the same hare; have sometimes the appearance of

acting in some sort of concert。 Each turns her towards his

companion; or endeavours to intercept her when his companion

turns her towards himself。 This; however; is not the effect of

any contract; but of the accidental concurrence of their passions

in the same object at that particular time。 Nobody ever saw a dog

make a fair and deliberate exchange of one bone for another with

another dog。 Nobody ever saw one animal by its gestures and

natural cries signify to another; this is mine; that yours; I am

willing to give this for that。 When an animal wants to obtain

something either of a man or of another animal; it has no other

means of persuasion but to gain the favour of those whose service

it requires。 A puppy fawns upon its dam; and a spaniel endeavours

by a thousand attractions to engage the attention of its master

who is at dinner; when it wants to be fed by him。 Man sometimes

uses the same arts with his brethren; and when he has no other

means of engaging them to act according to his inclinations;

endeavours by every servile and fawning attention to obtain their

good will。 He has not time; however; to do this upon every

occasion。 In civilised society he stands at all times in need of

the cooperation and assistance of great multitudes; while his

whole life is scarce sufficient to gain the friendship of a few

persons。 In almost every other race of animals each individual;

when it is grown up to maturity; is entirely independent; and in

its natural state has occasion for the assistance of no other

living creature。 But man has almost constant occasion for the

help of his brethren; and it is in vain for him to expect it from

their benevolence only。 He will be more likely to prevail if he

can interest their self…love in his favour; and show them that it

is for their own advantage to do for him what he requires of

them。 Whoever offers to another a bargain of any kind; proposes

to do this。 Give me that which I want; and you shall have this

which you want; is the meaning of every such offer; and it is in

this manner that we obtain from one another the far greater part

of those good offices which we stand in need of。 It is not from

the benevolence of the butcher; the brewer; or the baker that we

expect our dinner; but from their regard to their own interest。

We address ourselves; not to their humanity but to their

self…love; and never talk to them of our own necessities but of

their advantages。 Nobody but a beggar chooses to depend chiefly

upon the benevolence of his fellow…citizens。 Even a beggar does

not depend upon it entirely。 The charity of well…disposed people;

indeed; supplies him with the whole fund of his subsistence。 But

though this principle ultimately provides him with all the

necessaries of life which he has occasion for; it neither does

nor can provide him with them as he has occasion for them。 The

greater part of his occasional wants are supplied in the same

manner as those of other people; by treaty; by barter; and by

purchase。 With the money which one man gives him he purchases

food。 The old clothes which another bestows upon him he exchanges

for other old clothes which suit him better; or for lodging; or

for food; or for money; with which he can buy either food;

clothes; or lodging; as he has occasion。

     As it is by treaty; by barter; and by purchase that we

obtain from one another the greater part of those mutual good

offices which we stand in need of; so it is this same trucking

disposition which originally gives occasion to the division of

labour。 In a tribe of hunters or shepherds a particular person

makes bows and arrows; for example; with more readiness and

dexterity than any other。 He frequently exchanges them for cattle

or for venison with his companions; and he finds at last that he

can in this manner get more cattle and venison than if he himself

went to the field to catch them。 From a regard to his own

interest; therefore; the making of bows and arrows grows to be

his chief business; and he becomes a sort of armourer。 Another

excels in making the frames and covers of their little huts or

movable houses。 He is accustomed to be of use in this way to his

neighbours; who reward him in the same manner with cattle and

with venison; till at last he finds it his interest to dedicate

himself entirely to this employment; and to become a sort of

house…carpenter。 In the same manner a third becomes a smith or a

brazier; a fourth a tanner or dresser of hides or skins; the

principal part of the nothing of savages。 And thus the certainty

of being able to exchange all that surplus part of the produce of

his own labour; which is over and above his own consumption; for

such parts of the produce of other men's labour as he may have

occasion for; encourages every man to apply himself to a

particular occupation; and to cultivate and bring to perfection

whatever talent or genius he may possess for that particular

species of business。

     The difference of natural talents in different men is; in

reality; much less than we are aware of; and the very different

genius which appears to distinguish men of different professions;

when grown up to maturity; is not upon many occasions so much the

cause as the effect of the division of labour。 The difference

between the most dissimilar characters; between a philosopher and

a common street porter; for example; seems to arise not so much

from nature as from habit; custom; and education。 When they came

into the world; and for the first six or eight years of their

existence; they were perhaps very much alike; and neither their

parents nor playfellows could perceive any remarkable difference。

About that age; or soon after; they come to be employed in very

different occupations。 The difference of talents comes then to be

taken notice of; and widens by degrees; till at last the vanity

of the philosopher is willing to acknowledge scarce any

resemblance。 But without the disposition to truck; barter; and

exchange; every man must have procured to himself every necessary

and conveniency of life which he wanted。 All must have had the

same duties to perform; and the same work to do; and there could

have been no such difference of employment as could alone give

occasion to any great difference of talents。

     As it is this disposition which forms that difference of

talents; so remarkable among men of different professions; so it

is this same disposition which renders that difference useful。

Many tribes of animals acknowledged to be all of the same species

derive from nature a much more remarkable distinction of genius;

than what; antecedent to custom and education; appears to take

place among men。 By nature a philosopher is not in genius and

disposition half so different from a street porter; as a mastiff

is from a greyhound; or a greyhound from a spaniel; or this last

from a shepherd's dog。 Those different tribes of animals;

however; though all of the same species; are of scarce any use to

one another。 The strength of the mastiff is not; in the least;

supported either by the swiftness of the greyhound; or by the

sagacity of the spaniel; or by the docility of the shepherd's

dog。 The effects of those different geniuses and talents; for

want of the power or disposition to barter and exchange; cannot

be brought into a common stock; and do not in the least

contribute to the better accommodation ind convenie

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