182 AN INaUIRY INTO THE NATURAL LAWS WHICH 



them ; and not only the immediate time and labour, but that which 

 had been employed in acquiring knowledge, skill, and quickness, so as 

 to do most and in the best manner, as well as that accnmulation of the 

 results of previous labour which enables a man to live whilst working 

 at an object, and to obtain whatever he needs for its completion. It 

 is evident that no one would give a price for what he could as easily 

 take without it : but if social order will not permit the stronger to 

 take from others against their will, what is not to be had every- 

 - where and without exertion, must be obtained either by our own la- 

 bour directly employed upon it, or by an exchange for it of the pro- 

 duce of our labour otherwise employed ; and the natural measure of 

 price is, that results of equal amounts of labour and skill have the 

 same value. 



Such slight disturbing causes need hardly be mentioned in this 

 connection as that needful labours which are peculiarly disagreeable, 

 and which almost everybody would gladly avoid, must be paid for 

 somewhat more highly, to induce some to undertake them ; whilst 

 those which are most liked, and which great numbers are very willing 

 to perform, meet with a smaller return ; or that he, whose skill and 

 industry ckn produce most of a desired article in a given time, will 

 have the full benefit of his superiority, — since equal quantities of the 

 same thing will have equal value, by whomsoever or in whatever time 

 prepared. Hence, also, when the quantity of the return for labour 

 depends on situation, the weather, or any cause not easily calculated 

 before-hand, the peculiar success is like all advantages unequally 

 scattered by Providence, and the amount of gain is disconnected from 

 the amount of labour, price here obviously depending on the labour 

 others must undergo to secure the same products, or if they are 

 scarcely attainable by labour, on what others will give rather than do 

 without them. Whenever, from any cause, more people want to ob- 

 tain any article than the producers of it can supply, its value, com- 

 pared with other things, must rise. Whenever, on the other hand, 

 more of the article is offered for exchange than is wanted, its com- 

 parative value must fall. When in any community the quantity of an 

 article wanted is within, or at least does not exceed, what some mem- 

 bers of the community can supply in return for things which they 

 want, price will be regulated by the amount of labour expended on 

 each article ; but any limit to the supply, or difference in the quantity 

 of labour different individuals must bestow in order to maintain it, 



