4 
we 
we 
es 
neither on its erudition, its. arts, its manufactures, nor its‘com= 
merce, but.on its agriculture. 
From the land which is. well cultivated, however inclement 
‘the fky or rebellious the foil, the cultivators always extract 
fubfiftence. Certain of fupport, they are not afraid of the bur- - 
den of families. Population and. induftry increafe together. 
Children are fet-to employment; and they, by their labour; con- 
tribute to their own maintenance and the publick wealth... Cities 
are fupplied with the fuperfluous part of the population and 
produce of the conntry.. Thus fcholars, artifts, manufaéturers 
and traders are generated and. fupported by the hufband- 
man.. 
Wuite the artificer: puts'in motion the moft powerful ma- 
chines for abridging labour, while the merchant covers the 
feas with veffels which tranfport the treafures of one country 
to another, they are ftill indebted to the perpetual exertion of 
human induftry for the riches they amafs. But the hufband- 
man employs in his fervice Nature’ herfelf. He prepares ma- 
terials for her to work on, directs her. efforts, and the feafons 
and the glebe accumulate his wealth. . 
THe capital, therefore, which is. employed in agriculture 
Ras a twofold advantage over all other: capitals of general uti- 
lity. Firft, it calls.into exiftence:a: more confiderable -mafs of 
produétive labour than an equal capital employed in any other 
way. Secondly, in proportian to. the quantity of labour which 
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