Page images
PDF
EPUB

THE

ENQUIRER.

PART II.

ESSAY I.

OF RICHES AND POVERTÝ.

THERE is nothing that deserves to be

more minutely watched, than what may be ftyled an intemperate spirit of philosophy.

The fect that carried this fpirit to the most ridiculous extreme among the ancients, were the Stoics.

One of the decifions of this fpirit is, that riches are no benefit, and poverty no evil.

If this maxim were true, particularly the latter member, in its utmost extent, the chief argument in favour of political reform and amendment would be shown to be utterly falfe.

[blocks in formation]

We will confine ourselves to points of more aniverfal application.

First, the abridgment of life, and privation of the enjoyments of life.

As to the abridgment of life we are fcarcely competent judges, fince wealth, expended im fenfuality and indulgence, is fcarcely lefs inimical to the protraction of exiftence. Every one can fee however, that inordinate labour produces untimely decrepitude. Every one can conceive the varieties of pain and disease, which accrue from the restraint of our limbs, the intemperate exercise of the muscles, and a continual expofure to the inclemency of the feafons.

That the poor are peculiarly fubjected to a privation of the enjoyments of life, and obliged to content themfelves for the greater part of their exiftence with that negative happiness which confifts in the abfence of pain, is a point too evident to need illuftration.

Secondly, the poor are condemned to a want of that leifure which is neceffary for the improvement of the mind. They are the predeftinated victims of ignorance and prejudice. They are compelled for the most part to rank with those creatures, that exift only for a few years, and then are, as if they had never been. They

merely

[ocr errors]

gown, we only change one fpecies of defpot for

another.

But, it will be asked, is not the complaint here recited, unreasonable and unjuft? Is any man entitled to claim through life, that he should be maintained by the industry of others?

Certainly not. The injuftice I fuffer, is not in the actual labour, but in the quantity of that labour. If no man were abfolutely compelled to perform a greater share of labour than, multiplied by the number of members in the community, was neceffary for the fubfiftence of the community, he would have no right to complain on that account. But the labour then required, would be diminished to a tenth, perhaps a twentieth part of the labour now impofed upon the hufbandman and artificer*.

The evil of poverty principally confifts of the following particulars: leaving out of the enumeration the frequently experienced infufficiency of labour to maintain the poor; the ufual accident of men's being thruft out of their cuftomary train of industry and refource for bread by the fluctuations of fociety; and the want of a fuitable provifion for ficknefs, infirmity and

age.

*Political Juftice, Book VIII, Chap. VI, octavo edition.

We will confine ourselves to points of more univerfal application.

Firft, the abridgment of life, and privation of the enjoyments of life.

As to the abridgment of life we are scarcely competent judges, fince wealth, expended in fenfuality and indulgence, is fcarcely lefs inimical to the protraction of existence. Every one can fee however, that inordinate labour produces untimely decrepitude. Every one can conceive the varieties of pain and disease, which accrue from the restraint of our limbs, the intemperate exercife of the mufcles, and a continual expofure to the inclemency of the seasons.

That the poor are peculiarly fubjected to a privation of the enjoyments of life, and obliged to content themfelves for the greater part of their exiftence with that negative happiness which confifts in the abfence of pain, is a point too evident to need illuftration.

Secondly, the poor are condemned to a want of that leisure which is neceffary for the improvement of the mind. They are the predeftinated victims of ignorance and prejudice. They are compelled for the most part to rank with those creatures, that exist only for a few years, and then are as if they had never been. They

merely

Addison ludicrously exclaims in his tragedy

of Cato:

What pity 'tis

That we can die but once to serve our country!

If the condition of human life correfponded indeed with this patriotic wifh, a man might content himself to pafs through one of its repetitions under the preffure of great difadvantages. But, when we recollect that we appear but once upon this theatre, that our life is fhort and precarious, that we rife out of nothing, and that, when we die, we "pafs a bourne from which no traveller returns*;" we cannot but deeply regret, that our exertions are fo many ways fettered and drawn afide from their true direction, and that the life we would improve for happiness or for honour, is almost inevitably rendered in a great degree abortive.

The genuine wealth of man is leifure, when it meets with a difpofition to improve it. All other riches are of petty and inconfiderable value.

1

Is there not a state of fociety practicable, in which leifure fhall be made the inheritance of every one of its members?

[blocks in formation]
« PreviousContinue »