ment of what his industry has gained. By offering, not only a share of the enjoyments of life, but respectability, and an advancement in the scale of society, as a reward for successful industry."

The majority of people always labour as much as, under existing circumstances, they find most agreeable to them, after calculating, on one hand, the fatigue and privation of pleasure attendant on labour, and, on the other, the gratifications which its rewards procure. Doubtless, the legislature would be travelling out of its course were it to require more work from the people than they now perform. Each individual in his particular station, and with reference to his own physical constitution, must be better able to judge for himself than any other person can for him, when, in his own case, it is better to labour or to forbear. But governments have seldom or never pursued the wise course of forbearing to intermeddle with the industry of the people. It would have been well if they had. On the contrary, the sanction of law, and the power of the magistrate, have been directed in some instances to compel the people to work less than they otherwise would do. This has been done when the civil power has been employed to enforce the observance of religious festivals and ceremonies; and to require the people to call off their attention from the concerns of the body, in order that it may be devoted to the concerns of the soul. Considering that industry is the only source whence our temporal wants can be supplied, we cannot but deprecate as injurious to the comforts of the people, and as a cause of poverty, a religion which unnecessarily multiplies the numbers of the priesthood, enjoins rest from labour during a considerable portion of the time, or enforces an unnecessary sacrifice of time in attendance on religious services. Those men who have added to the ceremonies and festivals of religion by the institution of saints' days, fast days, and the like, however pious may have been their motives, cannot be regarded as having served the cause of humanity, or even of religion: the consequences of their conduct have proved similarly mischievous with those of the enemies of mankind. There are countries in which the days of rest enjoined on the people make one half of the year, and where,

in consequence, their wealth and comforts are proportionably curtailed. Considering that opulence and civilization greatly subserve the interests of morality and religion, the waste of the capacities of the people thus occasioned, instead of promoting piety, has served not only to make them poor, but, as the inevitable results of poverty, to render them ignorant and

vicious.

It is not meant, however, to affirm that unremitting labour is desirable. To induce too great exertion would be not less mischievous than to induce too little. Happily, the powers of labour have acquired so high a degree of efficiency, that all the indispensable requisites to existence and comfort may be obtained by the generality of mankind with less than incessant exertion; and nothing but pride and vanity, or an inordinate appetite for expense, can render so much labour necessary. From the constitution of man, relaxation must be allowed both for the body and the mind, if we would preserve their health and vigour, and prevent premature exhaustion and decay. Perhaps, ten hours' labour in the day, that is, from six to six, with two hours of interval, is as much as ought to be required for a constancy; with extraordinary exertions only on extraordinary or urgent occasions. Time should be allowed also for the cultivation of the intellectual powers, and the moral improvement, of the labouring classes: objects which conduce not less to wealth and enjoyment in this life, than to the happiness of a future. "That sacred institution which withdraws one day in seven from the ordinary employments of life, and assigns it to religious and moral improvement, and innocent pleasures, can never be too much admired and respected. When viewed merely as a human institution, it deserves a preference to any which the heathen world can lay claim to; and we ought carefully to guard against any practice that may infringe on the reverence with which it is regarded, and thereby open the way for its gradual neglect."* If this institution be viewed, as it probably was intended, more for the benefit of the servant, whose time is not at his own disposal, than of the master, whose time is his own, it exhibits an admirable and beautiful example

Progress of Society, p. 186.

of that benevolence which breathes throughout the whole system of morals of which it forms a part; and in which the happiness of the meanest of mankind is as much attended to, and accounted of equal value with that of the most exalted.

From the fact, that it is by labour alone our wants and desires can be supplied and gratified, it follows, that it is matter of primary importance, that the measures which form the peculiar province of government should be carried into effect without abstracting from productive occupations more of the industry of the country than is necessary.

In this view, we must account as injurious the employment of a large military or naval force, or the maintenance of large municipal establishments, where smaller establishments would sufficiently answer the purpose; as well as the maintenance of a numerous court or retinue in attendance upon the sovereign and the inferior public officers. The abstracting of so many persons from productive employment, and the waste of their labour without a useful object, must diminish the gross produce of the industry of the nation, while it burthens it with the expense of their maintenance, and, in consequence, diminishes the comforts of the people.

The same may be said of a complicated system of finance, which raises the public revenue from a great variety of sources, and requires the employment of a vast number of persons in its collection and management. If a simple system, with a few taxes, and a small number of persons to collect them, are equally well calculated for raising the same revenue, they are, on the same principle, decidedly preferable. These remarks apply also to a numerous ecclesiastical establishment; but more especially to the practice of monachism. A Chinese emperor in his decree says, "Our ancestors held it as a maxim, that if there were a man who did not work, or a woman that was idle, somebody must suffer cold or hunger in the empire." There are civilized nations that would do well to adopt the same sentiment. The practice of maintaining criminals and the able-bodied poor at the public expense in idleness, or in labour which is either altogether or nearly unprofitable, is liable to the same objections. These persons, in consequence, are a burthen

on society of an unnecessary magnitude; since, if they were placed in the hands of persons who had an interest in making their labour profitable, they would almost all be made to do something towards their maintenance, as is found to be the case in those parishes which contract with persons for the maintenance of the poor, and allow the contractor the produce of their labour.

The object in private life is, to go the shortest and most direct way to the attainment of the desired end; and to use the most economical means for that purpose. This rule is no less advantageous in public matters. Every circuitous procedure, every useless law, and unnecessary form or regulation, is a burthen and loss; inasmuch as the trouble thereby given is an exaction of labour which would otherwise be applicable to useful purposes, but is now applied to no purpose whatever, and therefore is wholly thrown away. The evils arising from overlegislation are of no ordinary magnitude, as well as those which proceed from an undigested, confused, and intricate law. Were the objects of legislation simplified, and all the laws methodically digested and arranged in a natural and lucid order; were the different statutes relating to the same subject brought together into one view, with the points hitherto decided and established as precedents, and further reference to previous authority rendered unnecessary; doubtless, less than half the number of persons at present following the profession of the law would be sufficient. The time, the talents, and property spent in acquiring a knowledge of law, and the time and talents afterwards devoted to its practice, must be of an enormous amount. If one half of these were saved and applied to the purposes of industry in other ways, the beneficial results would be incalculable; every social interest would more rapidly advance; the mass of commodities produced by industry would be vastly increased; their abundance would render them cheaper, and more easily procurable by any individual who possessed wherewithal of labour or property to purchase them.

In this country, in general, the women add but little to the pecuniary support of the family, from the want of employment for them beyond their attendance on domestic duties; and this

is partly owing to the customs and prejudices of this country, which allow of employing them in but few manufactures or laborious occupations. It is different in most other countries, where women are more employed in the fields and in other occupations which are here almost entirely confined to the men. Before the inventions in mauufacturing machinery, spinning and knitting afforded constant employment to females, when domestic duties allowed; but since these have been taken away, there is nothing left, in places where there are no manufactories. It were much to be wished that they should be more employed in the labours which men perform, or that some domestic manufacture were introduced, which might be a constant resource at home, in the intervals of household occupations.

CHAPTER V.

ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH OCCASION EMPLOYMENT, OR A WANT OF EMPLOYMENT.

THE full powers of industry of a community cannot be brought into action unless there be employment for the workmen. In consequence of the distribution of employment, and the mutability of the affairs of industry, a want of work in some employments is continually recurring: the workman is desirous to labour, but cannot find employment. The industry, then, of a community, and consequently, the abundance and excellence of its supply of the necessaries and conveniences of life, depends, also, on the degree in which a constancy of employment can be obtained, and a stagnation of business averted. But how, or why, at one time, employment for the labourer is offered in abundance, and, at another, exists in such scarcity that it can only be procured with difficulty, few persons seem distinctly to understand. Hence, the circumstances which occasion an abundance or scarcity of employment present a subject of inquiry of no subordinate importance.