wealbk05-第41章

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derived；　for　a　long　time；　the　greater　part　of　that　revenue　which

defrayed　the　necessary　expenses　of　the　commonwealth。　The　rent　of

the　crown　lands　constituted　for　a　long　time　the　greater　part　of

the　revenue　of　the　ancient　sovereigns　of　Europe。

　　　　　War　and　the　preparation　for　war　are　the　two　circumstances

which　in　modern　times　occasion　the　greater　part　of　the　necessary

expense　of　all　great　states。　But　in　the　ancient　republics　of

Greece　and　Italy　every　citizen　was　a　soldier；　who　both　served　and

prepared　himself　for　service　at　his　own　expense。　Neither　of　those

two　circumstances；　therefore；　could　occasion　any　very

considerable　expense　to　the　state。　The　rent　of　a　very　moderate

landed　estate　might　be　fully　sufficient　for　defraying　all　the

other　necessary　expenses　of　government。

　　　　　In　the　ancient　monarchies　of　Europe；　the　manners　and　customs

of　the　times　sufficiently　Prepared　the　great　body　of　the　people

for　war；　and　when　they　took　the　field；　they　were；　by　the

condition　of　their　feudal　tenures；　to　be　maintained　either　at

their　own　expense；　or　at　that　of　their　immediate　lords；　without

bringing　any　new　charge　upon　the　sovereign。　The　other　expenses　of

government　were；　the　greater　part　of　them；　very　moderate。　The

administration　of　justice；　it　has　been　shown；　instead　of　being　a

cause　of　expense；　was　a　source　of　revenue。　The　labour　of　the

country　people；　for　three　days　before　and　for　three　days　after

harvest；　was　thought　a　fund　sufficient　for　making　and　maintaining

all　the　bridges；　highways；　and　other　public　works　which　the

commerce　of　the　country　was　supposed　to　require。　In　those　days

the　principal　expense　of　the　sovereign　seems　to　have　consisted　in

the　maintenance　of　his　own　family　and　household。　The　officers　of

his　household；　accordingly；　were　then　the　great　officers　of

state。　The　lord　treasurer　received　his　rents。　The　lord　steward

and　lord　chamberlain　looked　after　the　expense　of　his　family。　The

care　of　his　stables　was　committed　to　the　lord　constable　and　the

lord　marshal。　His　houses　were　all　built　in　the　form　of　castles；

and　seem　to　have　been　the　principal　fortresses　which　he

possessed。　The　keepers　of　those　houses　or　castles　might　be

considered　as　a　sort　of　military　governors。　They　seem　to　have

been　the　only　military　officers　whom　it　was　necessary　to　maintain

in　time　of　peace。　In　these　circumstances　the　rent　of　a　great

landed　estate　might；　upon　ordinary　occasions；　very　well　defray

all　the　necessary　expenses　of　government。

　　　　　In　the　present　state　of　the　greater　part　of　the　civilised

monarchies　of　Europe；　the　rent　of　all　the　lands　in　the　country；

managed　as　they　probably　would　be　if　they　all　belonged　to　one

proprietor；　would　scarce　perhaps　amount　to　the　ordinary　revenue

which　they　levy　upon　the　people　even　in　peaceable　times。　The

ordinary　revenue　of　Great　Britain；　for　example；　including　not

only　what　is　necessary　for　defraying　the　current　expense　of　the

year；　but　for　paying　the　interest　of　the　public　debts；　and　for

sinking　a　part　of　the　capital　of　those　debts；　amounts　to　upwards

of　ten　millions　a　year。　But　the　land…tax；　at　four　shillings　in

the　pound；　falls　short　of　two　millions　a　year。　This　land…tax；　as

it　is　called；　however；　is　supposed　to　be　one…fifth；　not　only　of

the　rent　of　all　the　land；　but　of　that　of　all　the　houses；　and　of

the　interest　of　all　the　capital　stock　of　Great　Britain；　that　part

of　it　only　excepted　which　is　either　let　to　the　public；　or

employed　as　farming　stock　in　the　cultivation　of　land。　A　very

considerable　part　of　the　produce　of　this　tax　arises　from　the　rent

of　houses；　and　the　interest　of　capital　stock。　The　land…tax　of　the

city　of　London；　for　example；　at　four　shillings　in　the　pound；

amounts　to　L123；399　6s。　7d。　That　of　the　city　of　Westminster；　to

L63；092　1s。　5d。　That　of　the　palaces　of　Whitehall　and　St。　James's；

to　L30；754　6s。　3d。　A　certain　proportion　of　the　land…tax　is　in　the

same　manner　assessed　upon　all　the　other　cities　and　towns

corporate　in　the　kingdom；　and　arises　almost　altogether；　either

from　the　rent　of　houses；　or　from　what　is　supposed　to　be　the

interest　of　trading　and　capital　stock。　According　to　the

estimation；　therefore；　by　which　Great　Britain　is　rated　to　the

land…tax；　the　whole　mass　of　revenue　arising　from　the　rent　of　all

the　lands；　from　that　of　all　the　houses；　and　from　the　interest　of

all　the　capital　stock；　that　part　of　it　only　excepted　which　is

either　lent　to　the　public；　or　employed　in　the　cultivation　of

land；　does　not　exceed　ten　millions　sterling　a　year；　the　ordinary

revenue　which　government　levies　upon　the　people　even　in　peaceable

times。　The　estimation　by　which　Great　Britain　is　rated　to　the

land…tax　is；　no　doubt；　taking　the　whole　kingdom　at　an　average；

very　much　below　the　real　value；　though　in　several　particular

counties　and　districts　it　is　said　to　be　nearly　equal　to　that

value。　The　rent　of　the　lands　alone；　exclusively　of　that　of

houses；　and　of　the　interest　of　stock；　has　by　many　people　been

estimated　at　twenty　millions；　an　estimation　made　in　a　great

measure　at　random；　and　which；　I　apprehend；　is　as　likely　to　be

above　as　below　the　truth。　But　if　the　lands　of　Great　Britain；　in

the　present　state　of　their　cultivation；　do　not　afford　a　rent　of

more　than　twenty　millions　a　year；　they　could　not　well　afford　the

half；　most　probably　not　the　fourth　part　of　that　rent；　if　they　all

belonged　to　a　single　proprietor；　and　were　put　under　the

negligent；　expensive；　and　oppressive　management　of　his　factors

and　agents。　The　crown　lands　of　Great　Britain　do　not　at　present

afford　the　fourth　part　of　the　rent　which　could　probably　be　drawn

from　them　if　they　were　the　property　of　private　persons。　If　the

crown　lands　were　more　extensive；　it　is　probable　they　would　be

still　worse　managed。

　　　　　The　revenue　which　the　great　body　of　the　people　derives　from

land　is　in　proportion；　not　to　the　rent；　but　to　the　produce　of　the

land。　The　whole　annual　produce　of　the　land　of　every　country；　if

we　except　what　is　reserved　for　seed；　is　either　annually　consumed

by　the　great　body　of　the　people；　or　exchanged　for　something　else

that　is　consumed　by　them。　Whatever　keeps　down　the　produce　of　the

land　below　what　it　would　otherwise　rise　to　keeps　down　the　revenue

of　the　great　body　of　the　people　still　more　than　it　does　that　of

the　proprietors　of　land。　The　rent　of　land；　that　portion　of　the

produce　which　belongs　to　the　proprietors；　is　scarce　anywhere　in

Great　Britain　supposed　to　be　more　than　a　third　part　of　the　whole

produce。　If　the　land　which　in　one　state　of　cultivation　affords　a

rent　of　ten　millions　sterling　a　year　would　in　another　afford　a

rent　of　twenty　millions；　the　rent　being；　in　both　cases；　supposed

a　third　part　of　the　produce；　the　revenue　of　the　proprietors　would

be　less　than　it　otherwise　might　be　by　ten　millions　a　year　only；

but　the　revenue　of　the　great　body　of　the　people　would　be　less

than　it　otherwise　might　be　by　thirty　millions　a　year；　deducting

only　what　would　be　necessary　for　seed。　The　population　of　the

country　would　be　less　by　the　number　of　people　which　thirty

millions　a　year；　deducting　always　the　seed；　could　maintain

according　to　the　particular　mode　of　living　and　expense　which

might　take　place　in　the　different　ranks　of　men　among　whom　the

remainder　was　distributed。

　　　　　Though　there　is　not　at　present；　in　Europe；　any　civilised

state　of　any　kind　which　derives　the　greater　part　of　its　public

revenue　from　the　rent　of　lands　which　are　the　property　of　the

state；　yet　in　all　the　great　monarchies　of　Europe　there　are　still

many　large　tracts　of　land　which　belong　to　the　crown。　They　are

generally　forest；　and　sometimes　forest　where；　after　travelling

several　miles；　you　will　scarce　find　a　single　tree；　a　mere　waste

and　loss　of　country　in　respect　both　of　produce　and　population。　In

every　great　monarchy　of　Europe　the　sale　of　the　crown　lands　would

produce　a　very　large　sum　of　money；　which；　if　applied　to　the

payment　of　the　public　debts；　would　deliver　from　mortgage　a　much

greater　revenue　than　any　which　those　lands　ha