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Secondly, the advantage which is gained by saving the time

commonly lost in passing from one sort of work to another, is

much greater than we should at first view be apt to imagine it.

It is impossible to pass very quickly from one kind of work to

another, that is carried on in a different place, and with quite

different tools. A country weaver, who cultivates a small farm,

must lose a good deal of time in passing from his loom to the

field, and from the field to his loom. When the two trades can be

carried on in the same workhouse, the loss of time is, no doubt,

much less. It is, even in this case, however, very considerable.

A man commonly saunters a little in turning his hand from one

sort of employment to another. When he first begins the new work,

he is seldom very keen and hearty; his mind, as they say, does

not go to it, and for some time he rather trifles than applies to

good purpose.