wealbk01-第43章

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both　of　provisions　and　other　goods。　The　assize　of　bread　is；　so

far　as　I　know；　the　only　remnant　of　this　ancient　usage。　Where

there　is　an　exclusive　corporation；　it　may　perhaps　be　proper　to

regulate　the　price　of　the　first　necessary　of　life。　But　where

there　is　none；　the　competition　will　regulate　it　much　better　than

any　assize。　The　method　of　fixing　the　assize　of　bread　established

by　the　31st　of　George　II　could　not　be　put　in　practice　in

Scotland；　on　account　of　a　defect　in　the　law；　its　execution

depending　upon　the　office　of　a　clerk　of　the　market；　which　does

not　exist　there。　This　defect　was　not　remedied　till　the　3rd　of

George　III。　The　want　of　an　assize　occasioned　no　sensible

inconveniency；　and　the　establishment　of　one；　in　the　few　places

where　it　has　yet　taken　place；　has　produced　no　sensible　advantage。

In　the　greater　part　of　the　towns　of　Scotland；　however；　there　is

an　incorporation　of　bakers　who　claim　exclusive　privileges；　though

they　are　not　very　strictly　guarded。

　　　　　The　proportion　between　the　different　rates　both　of　wages　and

profit　in　the　different　employments　of　labour　and　stock；　seems

not　to　be　much　affected；　as　has　already　been　observed；　by　the

riches　or　poverty；　the　advancing；　stationary；　or　declining　state

of　the　society。　Such　revolutions　in　the　public　welfare；　though

they　affect　the　general　rates　both　of　wages　and　profit；　must　in

the　end　affect　them　equally　in　all　different　employments。　The

proportion　between　them；　therefore；　must　remain　the　same；　and

cannot　well　be　altered；　at　least　for　any　considerable　time；　by

any　such　revolutions。　　　



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XI



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Of　the　Rent　of　Land　



　　　　　RENT；　considered　as　the　price　paid　for　the　use　of　land；　is

naturally　the　highest　which　the　tenant　can　afford　to　pay　in　the

actual　circumstances　of　the　land。　In　adjusting　the　terms　of　the

lease；　the　landlord　endeavours　to　leave　him　no　greater　share　of

the　produce　than　what　is　sufficient　to　keep　up　the　stock　from

which　he　furnishes　the　seed；　pays　the　labour；　and　purchases　and

maintains　the　cattle　and　other　instruments　of　husbandry；　together

with　the　ordinary　profits　of　farming　stock　in　the　neighbourhood。

This　is　evidently　the　smallest　share　with　which　the　tenant　can

content　himself　without　being　a　loser；　and　the　landlord　seldom

means　to　leave　him　any　more。　Whatever　part　of　the　produce；　or；

what　is　the　same　thing；　whatever　part　of　its　price　is　over　and

above　this　share；　he　naturally　endeavours　to　reserve　to　himself

as　the　rent　of　his　land；　which　is　evidently　the　highest　the

tenant　can　afford　to　pay　in　the　actual　circumstances　of　the　land。

Sometimes；　indeed；　the　liberality；　more　frequently　the　ignorance；

of　the　landlord；　makes　him　accept　of　somewhat　less　than　this

portion；　and　sometimes　too；　though　more　rarely；　the　ignorance　of

the　tenant　makes　him　undertake　to　pay　somewhat　more；　or　to

content　himself　with　somewhat　less　than　the　ordinary　profits　of

farming　stock　in　the　neighbourhood。　This　portion；　however；　may

still　be　considered　as　the　natural　rent　of　land；　or　the　rent　for

which　it　is　naturally　meant　that　land　should　for　the　most　part　be

let。

　　　　　The　rent　of　land；　it　may　be　thought；　is　frequently　no　more

than　a　reasonable　profit　or　interest　for　the　stock　laid　out　by

the　landlord　upon　its　improvement。　This；　no　doubt；　may　be　partly

the　case　upon　some　occasions；　for　it　can　scarce　ever　be　more　than

partly　the　case。　The　landlord　demands　a　rent　even　for　unimproved

land；　and　the　supposed　interest　or　profit　upon　the　expense　of

improvement　is　generally　an　addition　to　this　original　rent。　Those

improvements；　besides；　are　not　always　made　by　the　stock　of　the

landlord；　but　sometimes　by　that　of　the　tenant。　When　the　lease

comes　to　be　renewed；　however；　the　landlord　commonly　demands　the

same　augmentation　of　rent　as　if　they　had　been　all　made　by　his

own。

　　　　　He　sometimes　demands　rent　for　what　is　altogether　incapable

of　human　improvement。　Kelp　is　a　species　of　sea…weed；　which；　when

burnt；　yields　an　alkaline　salt；　useful　for　making　glass；　soap；

and　for　several　other　purposes。　It　grows　in　several　parts　of

Great　Britain；　particularly　in　Scotland；　upon　such　rocks　only　as

lie　within　the　high　water　mark；　which　are　twice　every　day　covered

with　the　sea；　and　of　which　the　produce；　therefore；　was　never

augmented　by　human　industry。　The　landlord；　however；　whose　estate

is　bounded　by　a　kelp　shore　of　this　kind；　demands　a　rent　for　it　as

much　as　for　his　corn　fields。

　　　　　The　sea　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　islands　of　Shetland　is

more　than　commonly　abundant　in　fish；　which　makes　a　great　part　of

the　subsistence　of　their　inhabitants。　But　in　order　to　profit　by

the　produce　of　the　water；　they　must　have　a　habitation　upon　the

neighbouring　land。　The　rent　of　the　landlord　is　in　proportion；　not

to　what　the　farmer　can　make　by　the　land；　but　to　what　he　can　make

both　by　the　land　and　by　the　water。　It　is　partly　paid　in　sea…fish；

and　one　of　the　very　few　instances　in　which　rent　makes　a　part　of

the　price　of　that　commodity　is　to　be　found　in　that　country。

　　　　　The　rent　of　the　land；　therefore；　considered　as　the　price

paid　for　the　use　of　the　land；　is　naturally　a　monopoly　price。　It

is　not　at　all　proportioned　to　what　the　landlord　may　have　laid　out

upon　the　improvement　of　the　land；　or　to　what　he　can　afford　to

take；　but　to　what　the　farmer　can　afford　to　give。

　　　　　Such　parts　only　of　the　produce　of　land　can　commonly　be

brought　to　market　of　which　the　ordinary　price　is　sufficient　to

replace　the　stock　which　must　be　employed　in　bringing　them

thither；　together　with　its　ordinary　profits。　If　the　ordinary

price　is　more　than　this；　the　surplus　part　of　it　will　naturally　go

to　the　rent　of　land。　If　it　is　not　more；　though　the　commodity　may

be　brought　to　market；　it　can　afford　no　rent　to　the　landlord。

Whether　the　price　is　or　is　not　more　depends　upon　the　demand。

　　　　　There　are　some　parts　of　the　produce　of　land　for　which　the

demand　must　always　be　such　as　to　afford　a　greater　price　than　what

is　sufficient　to　bring　them　to　market；　and　there　are　others　for

which　it　either　may　or　may　not　be　such　as　to　afford　this　greater

price。　The　former　must　always　afford　a　rent　to　the　landlord。　The

latter　sometimes　may；　and　sometimes　may　not；　according　to

different　circumstances。

　　　　　Rent；　it　is　to　be　observed；　therefore；　enters　into　the

composition　of　the　price　of　commodities　in　a　different　way　from

wages　and　profit。　High　or　low　wages　and　profit　are　the　causes　of

high　or　low　price；　high　or　low　rent　is　the　effect　of　it。　It　is

because　high　or　low　wages　and　profit　must　be　paid；　in　order　to

bring　a　particular　commodity　to　market；　that　its　price　is　high　or

low。　But　it　is　because　its　price　is　high　or　low；　a　great　deal

more；　or　very　little　more；　or　no　more；　than　what　is　sufficient　to

pay　those　wages　and　profit；　that　it　affords　a　high　rent；　or　a　low

rent；　or　no　rent　at　all。

　　　　　The　particular　consideration；　first；　of　those　parts　of　the

produce　of　land　which　always　afford　some　rent；　secondly；　of　those

which　sometimes　may　and　sometimes　may　not　afford　rent；　and；

thirdly；　of　the　variations　which；　in　the　different　periods　of

improvement；　naturally　take　place　in　the　relative　value　of　those

two　different　sorts　of　rude　produce；　when　compared　both　with　one

another　and　with　manufactured　commodities；　will　divide　this

chapter　into　three　parts。　　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　PART　1

　　　　　　　　　Of　the　Produce　of　Land　which　always　affords　Rent　

　　　　　AS　men；　like　all　other　animals；　naturally　multiply　in

proportion　to　the　means　of　their　subsistence；　food　is　always；

more　or　less；　in　demand。　It　can　always　purchase　or　command　a

greater　or　smaller　quantity　of　labour；　and　somebody　can　always　be

found　who　is　willing　to　do　something　in　order　to　obtain　it。　The

quantity　of　labour；　indeed；　which　it　can　purchase　is　not　always

equal　to　what　it　could　maintain；　if　managed　in　the　most

economical　manner；　on　account　of　the　high　wages　which　are

sometimes　given