100 Of P()or-L(nvs, continued. Bk. iii. 



the masters, as it prevents them from withdrawing 

 the supply, and taking the only course which can 

 prevent the total destruction of their capitals, and 

 the necessity of turning off all tlieir men instead 

 of a part. 



On the other hand, some classes of merchants 

 and manufacturers clamour very loudly for the 

 prohibition of all foreign commodities which may 

 enter into competition with domestic products, 

 and interfere, as they intimate, with the employ- 

 ment of British industry. But this is most natu- 

 rally and most justly deprecated by other classes 

 of British subjects, who are employed to a very 

 great extent in preparing and manufacturing those 

 commodities which are to purchase our imports 

 from foreign countries. And it must be allowed 

 to be perfectly true that a court-ball, at which 

 only British stuffs are admitted, may be the means 

 of throwing out of employment iu one quarter of 

 the country just as many persons as it furnishes 

 with employment in another. 



Still, it would be desirable if possible to employ 

 those that were out of work,- if it were merely to 

 avoid the bad moral eifects of idleness, and of the 

 evil habits which might be generated by depending 

 for a considerable time on mere alms. But the 

 difficulties just stated will shew, that we ought to 

 proceed in this part of the attempt with great 

 caution, and that the kinds of employment which 

 ought to be chosen are those, the results of which 

 will not interfere with existing capitals. Such are 

 public works of all descriptions, the making and 

 repairing of roads, bridges, railways, canals, &c. ; 



