200 Of Corn-Laws. Bk. iii. 



corn had been imported ; I should have no hesi- 

 tation in considering such wealth and population 

 as much too dearly purchased. The happiness of 

 a society is, after all, the legitimate end even of 

 its wealth, power, and population. It is certainly 

 true that with a view to the structure of society 

 most favourable to this happiness, and an ade- 

 quate stimulus to the production of wealth from 

 the soil, a very considerable admixture of com- 

 mercial and manufacturing population with the 

 agricultural is absolutely necessary ; but there is 

 no argument so frequently and obviously fallacious 

 as that which infers that what is good to a certain 

 extent is good to any extent ; and though it will 

 be most readily admitted that, in a large landed 

 nation, the evils which belong to the manufacturing 

 and commercial system are much more than 

 counterbalanced by its advantages, as long as it is 

 supported by agriculture ; yet, in reference to the 

 effect of the excess which is not so supported, it 

 may fairly be doubted whether the evils do not 

 decidedly predominate. 



It is observed by Adam Smith, that the " ca- 

 pital which is acquired to any country by com- 

 merce and manufactures is all a very uncertain 

 and precarious possession, till some part of it has 

 been secured and realized in the cultivation and 

 improvement of its lands.* 



It is remarked in another place, that the mono- 

 poly of the colony trade, by raising the rate of 

 mercantile profit, discourages the improvement of 



* Vol. ii. b. iii. c. 4. p. 137. 



