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The common complaint, that luxury extends itself even to the

lowest ranks of the people, and that the labouring poor will not

now be contented with the same food, clothing, and lodging, which

satisfied them in former times, may convince us that it is not

the money price of labour only, but its real recompence, which

has augmented.

Is this improvement in the circumstances of the lower ranks of

the people to be regarded as an advantage, or as an

inconveniency, to the society? The answer seems at first

abundantly plain. Servants, labourers, and workmen of different

kinds, make up the far greater part of every great political

society. But what improves the circumstances of the greater part,

can never be regarded as any inconveniency to the whole. No

society can surely be flourishing and happy, of which the far

greater part of the members are poor and miserable. It is but

equity, besides, that they who feed, clothe, and lodge the whole

body of the people, should have such a share of the produce of

their own labour as to be themselves tolerably well fed, clothed,

and lodged.