Enquirer, Av. and Prof., p

24. Helvétius, De C Esprit, discours I, chap. m. Cf. Godwin (2' édit. vol. II, pp. 477-478 1: A vast disproportion of the wealth of the communily has been thrown into the hands of the few ; — et Helvétius : « une grande disproportion entre les richesses des citoyens ».

25. Yindicalion of naliiral society (Works, vol. I, pp. 71 sqq.).Before \ve finish our examination 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 most obvions division of society is into rich andpoir; and it is no Icss obvions, that tl>e number of the former bears a great disprofiortion to those of the lalter. The wbole business of the pour is to administer to the idieness, folly, and luxury of the rich ; and that of the rich, in retui n, is to find the besl methods of conflrming the slavery and increasing the burlhens of the poor. In a state of nature, it is an invariable law, that a man's acquisitions are in proportion to bis labours. In a state of artificial society, il Is a law as constant and as invariable, that those -wlio labour most enjoy the fcwest things ; and that thos^ who labour not at ail, iiave the greatest number of enjoyments. A constitution ofthings this, strange and ridlculous beyond expression.

26. Pol. Just., Book VIII, chap. m. 2<= éd., vol. II, pp. 4'i7-448, et: Enquirer, Av. and Prof., ])\). 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, avecle sous-titre : A forcible exposure of the demoralizing tendencies of coinpi-tilion.

320 NOTES. (Pp. \■2'2-l■l'^)