Enquirer, Av. and Prof., p

24. Hel vélins, De l'Esprit, discours I, chap. ni. Cf. Godwin (2 e édit. vol. II, pp. 477-478;: A vast disproportion of the wealth of the community has been thrown into the hands of the few ; — et Helvétius : « une grande disproportion entre les richesses des citoyens ».

20. V indication of miiural society ("Works, vol. I, pp. 71 sqq.). Bcfore we finish our exarnination of artificial society, I shall lead your lordship into a doser considération of the relations' which it gives birth to, and the benefits, if such there are, which resuit from those relations. The mostobvious division of society is into rich and po>r; and it is no less obvious, that the number of the former bears a great disprojiortion to those of the latter. The whole business of the poor is to adrainister to the idleness, folly, and luxury of the rich; and that of the rich, in return, is to find the best methods of confirming the slavery and increasing the burthens of the poor. In a state of nature, it is an invariable law, that a nia ri 's acquisitions are in proportion to bis labours. In a state of artificial society, it is a law as constant and as invariable, that those who labour most enjoy the fewest things; and that thoso who labour not at ail, ha\e the greatest number of enjoyments. A constitution of things this, strange and ridlculous beyond expression.

26. Pol. Jusl., Book VIII, chap. m. 2« éd., vol. II, pp. 447-448, et: Enquirer, Av. and Prof., pp. 173-17 i.

27. Enquirer, Part II, Kssay V, of Trades and Professions, pp. 217-218. L'essai a été réimprimé en 1842, à Manchester, avec le sous-titre : A forcible exposure of the demoralizing tendcjicies of compétition.

326 NOTES. (Pp, 122-129)