Ch. xiv. General Ohervations. 231 



and limited by the real wages of labour, it is ne- 

 cessary to remark that, practically, the current 

 wages of day-labour estimated in the necessaries of 

 life do not always correctly represent the quantity 

 of these necessaries which it is in the power of 

 the lower classes to consume ; and that some- 

 times the error is in excess and sometimes in 

 defect. 



In a state of things when the prices of corn 

 and of all sorts of commodities are rising, the 

 money wages of labour do not always rise in pro- 

 portion ; but this apparent disadvantage to the 

 labouring classes is sometimes more than counter- 

 balanced by the plenty of employment, the quan- 

 tity of task-work that can be obtained, and the 

 opportunity given to women and children to add 

 considerably to the earnings of the family. In this 

 case, the power of the labouring classes to com- 

 mand the necessaries of life is much greater than 

 is implied by the current rate of their wages, and 

 will of course have a proportionably greater effect 

 on the population. 



On the other hand, when prices are generally 

 falling, it often happens that the current rate of 

 wages does not fall in proportion ; but this appa- 

 rent advantage is in the same manner often more 

 than counterbalanced by the scarcity of work, and 

 the impossibility of finding employment for all 

 the members of a labourer's family who are able 

 and willing to be industrious. In this case, the 

 powers of the labouring classes to command the 



