134 ADAM SMITH. 



wealth, therefore, all objects of necessary use, of conve- 

 nience, of enjoyment, are either created or fashioned, or 

 in some way obtained, by human labour. The first 

 inquiry then, which presents itself, relates to the powers 

 of labour; the next to the distribution of its produce. 

 These two subjects are treated in the first book of the 

 * Wealth of Nations/ in eleven chapters, to which is added 

 a kind of appendix, called by the author a ' Digression, 

 upon Money Prices/ or as he terms it, " the variations in 

 the value of silver, and the variations in the real prices of 

 commodities." The unskilful and even illogical aspect of 

 this division is manifest ; for under the head of labour, are 

 comprehended the subjects of profit and rent as well as 

 wages. But subject to this objection against the arrange- 

 ment, and to the still more material objection which may 

 be urged against one portion of the doctrine, the first 

 book is of very great value, and unfolds at length the 

 fundamental principles of economical science. 



i. The first sub-division relating to the powers of 

 labour, embraces the subject of its division and its price ; 

 the former is treated of in the three first chapters; the 

 latter in ^Q fifth and eighth, but also occasionally in the 

 sixth, seventh and tenth. 



1 . The division of labour, both increases its productive 

 powers, and increases the excellence of its produce. Men 

 will work more when their attention is confined to a 

 single operation, than when it is distracted by several, 

 because time is saved by not passing from one thing to 

 another, and because the power or skill of the workman 

 is increased when he has but one thing to occupy him. 

 But independent of his increased skill making him do 

 more work, it makes him perform better the work which 



