Pagina 438 van 2651

If, in any country, the common and favourite vegetable food of

the people should be drawn from a plant of which the most common

land, with the same, or nearly the same culture, produced a much

greater quantity than the most fertile does of corn; the rent of

the landlord, or the surplus quantity of food which would remain

to him, after paying the labour, and replacing the stock of the

farmer, together with its ordinary profits, would necessarily be

much greater. Whatever was the rate at which labour was commonly

maintained in that country, this greater surplus could always

maintain a greater quantity of it, and, consequently, enable the

landlord to purchase or command a greater quantity of it. The

real value of his rent, his real power and authority, his command

of the necessaries and conveniencies of life with which the

labour of other people could supply him, would necessarily be

much greater.