SO 
F.—ECONOMIC SCIENCE AND STATISTICS. 153 
_ and does not really give, any serious qualification to the general proposition. 
t 
This is amusingly illustrated by two parallel passages employing an iden- 
tical phrase. In the one he is commenting on the respect which mankind 
has for success, for wealth and greatness. This respect might certainly 
seem to the moralist extravagant; if not, what Smith himself calls it, 
‘the great and universal cause of the corruption of our moral sentiments.’ 
He continues, however, unperturbed: ‘This great disorder in our moral 
sentiments is by no means without its utility ; and we may on this, as 
‘well as on many other occasions, admire the wisdom of God even in the 
weakness and folly of man. Our admiration of success is founded upon the 
same principle with our respect for wealth and greatness and is equally 
necessary for establishing the distinction of ranks and the order of society.’ 
In the other passage, Smith is commenting on the fact that ‘ the world 
_ judges by the event and not by the design.’ This, again, might well seem 
to the moralist unsatisfactory. And so, indeed, it is; but it is all for a good 
end. ‘Nature, when she implanted the seeds of this irregularity in the 
human breast, seems, as wpon all other occasions, to have intended the 
happiness and perfection of the species. ... That necessary rule of justice 
that men in this life are liable to punishment for their actions only . 
is founded upon this salutary and useful irregularity concerning merit and 
demerit, which at first sight appears so absurd and unaccountable. But 
every part of Nature, when attentively surveyed, equally demonstrates the 
providential care of its Author, and we may admire the wisdom and goodness 
of God even in the weakness and folly of men.’ ? 
The truth is that Smith was bound by his general philosophical position 
to generalise, however frequently Scotch caution might check him for the 
moment. For if ‘the happiness of mankind’ was ‘ the original purpose 
intended by the Author of Nature,’ and if Nature was conceived as Smith 
conceived it, then he was prepared to find, on an ‘ examination of the works 
of Nature,’ that they seemed all ‘intended to promote happiness and to 
guard against misery.’® Any apparent defects must be the irreducible 
minimum of evil necessary for the existence of the good. 
* All Discord, Harmony not understood ; 
All partial Evil, universal Good,’ 
as Pope has it. 
As early as the date of his ‘Moral Sentiments’ Smith began to find his 
philosophic optimism confirmed in the economic sphere. ‘ Success in every 
sort of business’ is ‘the reward most proper for encouraging industry, 
prudence, and circumspection. .. . Wealth, and external honours are their 
proper recompense, and the recompense which they seldom fail of acquir- 
ing.’ And thus, ‘ the general rules by which prosperity and adversity are 
commonly distributed . . . appear to be perfectly suited to the situation of 
mankind in this life.’ ® The ‘ pleasures of wealth,’ it is true, are vastly 
ee cemroted by the imagination$ but ‘ it is well that Nature imposes upon 
® The matter is considered at length in two places; Part I., Sec. IIL. ch. iii. 
(Reprint, p. 56); and Part VI., Sec. III. (Reprint, p. 224). 
7? Part II., Sec. III., ch. iii. ° Of the Final Cause of this a deen of Sentiments.’ 
(Reprint, p. 96.) 
§ Part III., ch. v. (Reprint, p. 146.) 
® bid. p. 147. 
