wealbk01-第49章

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property　is　established；　have　some　foreign　commerce　of　this　kind；

and　find　among　their　wealthier　neighbours　such　a　demand　for　all

the　materials　of　clothing　which　their　land　produces；　and　which

can　neither　be　wrought　up　nor　consumed　at　home；　as　raises　their

price　above　what　it　costs　to　send　them　to　those　wealthier

neighbours。　It　affords；　therefore；　some　rent　to　the　landlord。

When　the　greater　part　of　the　highland　cattle　were　consumed　on

their　own　hills；　the　exportation　of　their　hides　made　the　most

considerable　article　of　the　commerce　of　that　country；　and　what

they　were　exchanged　for　afforded　some　addition　to　the　rent　of　the

highland　estates。　The　wool　of　England；　which　in　old　times　could

neither　be　consumed　nor　wrought　up　at　home；　found　a　market　in　the

then　wealthier　and　more　industrious　country　of　Flanders；　and　its

price　afforded　something　to　the　rent　of　the　land　which　produced

it。　In　countries　not　better　cultivated　than　England　was　then；　or

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；