wealbk01-第36章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



than　the　highlands　of　Scotland　are　now；　and　which　had　no　foreign

commerce；　the　materials　of　clothing　would　evidently　be　so

superabundant　that　a　great　part　of　them　would　be　thrown　away　as

useless；　and　no　part　could　afford　any　rent　to　the　landlord。

　　　　　The　materials　of　lodging　cannot　always　be　transported　to　so

great　a　distance　as　those　of　clothing；　and　do　not　so　readily

become　an　object　of　foreign　commerce。　When　they　are　superabundant

in　the　country　which　produces　them；　it　frequently　happens；　even

in　the　present　commercial　state　of　the　world；　that　they　are　of　no

value　to　the　landlord。　A　good　stone　quarry　in　the　neighbourhood

of　London　would　afford　a　considerable　rent。　In　many　parts　of

Scotland　and　Wales　it　affords　none。　Barren　timber　for　building　is

of　great　value　in　a　populous　and　well…cultivated　country；　and　the

land　which　produces　it　affords　a　considerable　rent。　But　in　many

parts　of　North　America　the　landlord　would　be　much　obliged　to

anybody　who　would　carry　away　the　greater　part　of　his　large　trees。

In　some　parts　of　the　highlands　of　Scotland　the　bark　is　the　only

part　of　the　wood　which；　for　want　of　roads　and　water…carriage；　can

be　sent　to　market。　The　timber　is　left　to　rot　upon　the　ground。

When　the　materials　of　lodging　are　so　superabundant；　the　part　made

use　of　is　worth　only　the　labour　and　expense　of　fitting　it　for

that　use。　It　affords　no　rent　to　the　landlord；　who　generally

grants　the　use　of　it　to　whoever　takes　the　trouble　of　asking　it。

The　demand　of　wealthier　nations；　however；　sometimes　enables　him

to　get　a　rent　for　it。　The　paving　of　the　streets　of　London　has

enabled　the　owners　of　some　barren　rocks　on　the　coast　of　Scotland

to　draw　a　rent　from　what　never　afforded　any　before。　The　woods　of

Norway　and　of　the　coasts　of　the　Baltic　find　a　market　in　many

parts　of　Great　Britain　which　they　could　not　find　at　home；　and

thereby　afford　some　rent　to　their　proprietors。

　　　　　Countries　are　populous　not　in　proportion　to　the　number　of

people　whom　their　produce　can　clothe　and　lodge；　but　in　proportion

to　that　of　those　whom　it　can　feed。　When　food　is　provided；　it　is

easy　to　find　the　necessary　clothing　and　lodging。　But　though　these

are　at　hand；　it　may　often　be　difficult　to　find　food。　In　some

parts　even　of　the　British　dominions　what　is　called　a　house　may　be

built　by　one　day's　labour　of　one　man。　The　simplest　species　of

clothing；　the　skins　of　animals；　require　somewhat　more　labour　to

dress　and　prepare　them　for　use。　They　do　not；　however；　require　a

great　deal。　Among　savage　and　barbarous　nations；　a　hundredth　or

little　more　than　a　hundredth　part　of　the　labour　of　the　whole　year

will　be　sufficient　to　provide　them　with　such　clothing　and　lodging

as　satisfy　the　greater　part　of　the　people。　All　the　other

ninety…nine　parts　are　frequently　no　more　than　enough　to　provide

them　with　food。

　　　　　But　when　by　the　improvement　and　cultivation　of　land　the

labour　of　one　family　can　provide　food　for　two；　the　labour　of　half

the　society　becomes　sufficient　to　provide　food　for　the　whole。　The

other　half；　therefore；　or　at　least　the　greater　part　of　them；　can

be　employed　in　providing　other　things；　or　in　satisfying　the　other

wants　and　fancies　of　mankind。　Clothing　and　lodging；　household

furniture；　and　what　is　called　Equipage；　are　the　principal　objects

of　the　greater　part　of　those　wants　and　fancies。　The　rich　man

consumes　no　more　food　than　his　poor　neighbour。　In　quality　it　may

be　very　different；　and　to　select　and　prepare　it　may　require　more

labour　and　art；　but　in　quantity　it　is　very　nearly　the　same。　But

compare　the　spacious　palace　and　great　wardrobe　of　the　one　with

the　hovel　and　the　few　rags　of　the　other；　and　you　will　be　sensible

that　the　difference　between　their　clothing；　lodging；　and

household　furniture　is　almost　as　great　in　quantity　as　it　is　in

quality。　The　desire　of　food　is　limited　in　every　man　by　the　narrow

capacity　of　the　human　stomach；　but　the　desire　of　the　conveniences

and　ornaments　of　building；　dress；　equipage；　and　household

furniture；　seems　to　have　no　limit　or　certain　boundary。　Those；

therefore；　who　have　the　command　of　more　food　than　they　themselves

can　consume；　are　always　willing　to　exchange　the　surplus；　or；　what

is　the　same　thing；　the　price　of　it；　for　gratifications　of　this

other　kind。　What　is　over　and　above　satisfying　the　limited　desire

is　given　for　the　amusement　of　those　desires　which　cannot　be

satisfied；　but　seem　to　be　altogether　endless。　The　poor；　in　order

to　obtain　food；　exert　themselves　to　gratify　those　fancies　of　the

rich；　and　to　obtain　it　more　certainly　they　vie　with　one　another

in　the　cheapness　and　perfection　of　their　work。　The　number　of

workmen　increases　with　the　increasing　quantity　of　food；　or　with

the　growing　improvement　and　cultivation　of　the　lands；　and　as　the

nature　of　their　business　admits　of　the　utmost　subdivisions　of

labour；　the　quantity　of　materials　which　they　can　work　up

increases　in　a　much　greater　proportion　than　their　numbers。　Hence

arises　a　demand　for　every　sort　of　material　which　human　invention

can　employ；　either　usefully　or　ornamentally；　in　building；　dress；

equipage；　or　household　furniture；　for　the　fossils　and　minerals

contained　in　the　bowels　of　the　earth；　the　precious　metals；　and

the　precious　stones。

　　　　　Food　is　in　this　manner　not　only　the　original　source　of　rent；

but　every　other　part　of　the　produce　of　land　which　afterwards

affords　rent　derives　that　part　of　its　value　from　the　improvement

of　the　powers　of　labour　in　producing　food　by　means　of　the

improvement　and　cultivation　of　land。

　　　　　Those　other　parts　of　the　produce　of　land；　however；　which

afterwards　afford　rent；　do　not　afford　it　always。　Even　in　improved

and　cultivated　countries；　the　demand　for　them　is　not　always　such

as　to　afford　a　greater　price　than　what　is　sufficient　to　pay　the

labour；　and　replace；　together　with　it　ordinary　profits；　the　stock

which　must　be　employed　in　bringing　them　to　market。　Whether　it　is

or　is　not　such　depends　upon　different　circumstances。

　　　　　Whether　a　coal…mine；　for　example；　can　afford　any　rent

depends　partly　upon　its　fertility；　and　partly　upon　its　situation。

　　　　　A　mine　of　any　kind　may　be　said　to　be　either　fertile　or

barren；　according　as　the　quantity　of　mineral　which　can　be　brought

from　it　by　a　certain　quantity　of　labour　is　greater　or　less　than

what　can　be　brought　by　an　equal　quantity　from　the　greater　part　of

other　mines　of　the　same　kind。

　　　　　Some　coal…mines　advantageously　situated　cannot　be　wrought　on

account　of　their　barrenness。　The　produce　does　not　pay　the

expense。　They　can　afford　neither　profit　nor　rent。

　　　　　There　are　some　of　which　the　produce　is　barely　sufficient　to

pay　the　labour；　and　replace；　together　with　it　ordinary　profits；

the　stock　employed　in　working　them。　They　afford　some　profit　to

the　undertaker　of　the　work；　but　no　rent　to　the　landlord。　They　can

be　wrought　advantageously　by　nobody　but　the　landlord；　who；　being

himself　undertaker　of　the　work；　gets　the　ordinary　profit　of　the

capital　which　he　employs　in　it。　Many　coal…mines　in　Scotland　are

wrought　in　this　manner；　and　can　be　wrought　in　no　other。　The

landlord　will　allow　nobody　else　to　work　them　without　paying　some

rent；　and　nobody　can　afford　to　pay　any。

　　　　　Other　coal…mines　in　the　same　country；　sufficiently　fertile；

cannot　be　wrought　on　account　of　their　situation。　A　quantity　of

mineral　sufficient　to　defray　the　expense　of　working　could　be

brought　from　the　mine　by　the　ordinary；　or　even　less　than　the

ordinary；　quantity　of　labour；　but　in　an　inland　country；　thinly

inhabited；　and　without　either　good　roads　or　water…carriage；　this

quantity　could　not　be　sold。

　　　　　Coals　are　a　less　agreeable　fuel　than　wood：　they　are　said；

too；　to　be　less　wholesome。　The　expense　of　coals；　therefore；　at

the　place　where　they　are　consumed；　must　generally　be　somewhat

less　than　that　of　wood。

　　　　　The　price　of　wood　again　varies　with　the　state　of

agriculture；　nearly　in　the　same　manner；　and　exactly　for　the　same

reason；　as　the　price　of　cattle。　In　its　rude　beginnings　the

greater　part　of　every　country　is　covered　with　wood；　which　is　then

a　mere　encumberance　of　no　value　to　the　landlord；　who　would　gladly

give　it　to　anybody　for　the　cutting。　As　agriculture　advances；　the

woods　are　partly　cleared　by　the　progress　of　tillage；　and　partly

go　to　decay　in　consequence　of　the　increased　number　of　cattle。

These；　though　they　do　not　increase　in　the　same　proportion　as

corn；　which　is　altogether　the　acquisition　of　human　industry；　yet

multiply　under　the　care　and　protection　of　men；　who　store　up　in

the　season　of　plenty　what　may　maintain　them　in　that　of　scarcity；

who　through　the　whole　year　furnish　them　with　a　greater　quantity

of　food　than　uncultivated　nature　provides　for　them；　and　who　by

destroying　and　extirpating　their　enemies；　secure　them　in　the　free

enjoyment　of　all　that　she　provides。　Numerous　herds　of　cattle；

when　allowed　to　wander　through　the　woods；　though　they　do　not

destroy　the　old　trees；　hinder　any　young　ones　from　coming　up　so

that　in　the　course　of　a　century　or　two　the　whole　forest　goes　to

ruin。　The　scarcity　of　wood　then　raises　its　price。　It　affords　a

good　rent；　and　the　landlord　sometimes　finds　that　he　can　scarce

employ　his　best　lands　more　advantageously　than　in　growing　barren

timber；　of　which　the　greatness　of　the　profit　often　compensates

the　lateness　of　the　returns。　This　seems　in　the　present　times　to

be　nearly　the　state　of　things　in　several　parts　of　Great　Britain；

where　the　profit　of　planting　is　found　to　be　equal　to　that　of

either　corn　or　pasture。　The　advantage　which　the　landlord　derives

from　planting　can　nowhere　exceed；　at　least　for　any　considerable

time；　the　rent　which　these　could　afford　him；　and　in　an　inland

country　which　is　highly　cultivated；　it　will　frequently　not　fall

much　short　of　this　rent。　Upon　the　sea…coast　of　a　well　improved

country；　indeed；　if　coals　can　conveniently　be　had　for　fuel；　it

may　sometimes　be　cheaper　to　bring　barren　timber　for　building　from

less　cultivated　foreign　countries　than　to　raise　it　at　home。　In

the　new　town　of　Edinburgh；　built　within　these　few　years；　there　is

not；　perhaps；　a　single　stick　of　Scotch　timber。

　　　　　Whatever　may　be　the　price　of　wood；　if　that　of　coals　is　such

that　the　expense　of　a　coal　fire　is　nearly　equal　to　that　of　a　wood

one；　we　may　be　assured　that　at　that　place；　and　in　these

circumstances；　the　price　of　coals　is　as　high　as　it　can　be。　It

seems　to　be　so　in　some　of　the　inland　parts　of　England；

particularly　in　Oxfordshire；　where　it　is　usual；　even　in　the　fires

of　the　common　people；　to　mix　coals　and　wood　together；　and　where

the　difference　in　the　expense　of　those　two　sorts　of　fuel　cannot；

therefore；　be　very　great。

　　　　　Coals；　in　the　coal　countries；　are　everywhere　much　below　this

highest　price。　If　they　were　not；　they　could　not　bear　the　expense

of　a　distant　carriage；　either　by　land　or　by　water。　A　small

quantity　only　could　be　sold；　and　the　coal　masters　and　coal

proprietors　find　it　more　for　their　interest　to　sell　a　great

quantity　at　a　price