But he that has a cow
upon the common, and earns his shilling by the day at his labor,
has twice as much already as this would come to for his share;
because if the land were thus divided, there would be nobody to
set him on work. So my Lord Epimonus's footman, who costs him
thrice as much as one of these could thus get, would certainly
lose by his bargain. What should we speak of those innumerable
trades whereupon men live, not only better than others upon good
shares of lands, but become also purchasers of greater estates?
Is not this the demonstration which my lord meant, that the
revenue of industry in a nation, at least in this, is three or
four-fold greater than that of the mere rent? If the people then
obstruct industry, they obstruct their own livelihood; but if
they make a war, they obstruct industry. Take the bread out of
the people's mouths, as did the Roman patricians, and you are
sure enough of a war, in which case they may be levellers; but
our agrarian causes their industry to flow with milk and honey.
it will be owned that this is true, if the people were given to
understand their own happiness; but where is it they do that? Let
me reply with the like question, where do they not? They do not
know their happiness it should seem in France, Spain, and Italy;
but teach them what it is, and try whose sense is the truer.
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