246 General Observations. Bk. 



111. 



appear in the state of the actual population ; but 

 probably none whatever in the state of the lower 

 classes of people, with respect to the price of 

 labour, and the facility of supporting a family. 

 The waste among the rich, and the horses kept 

 for pleasure, have indeed a little the effect of the 

 consumption of grain in distilleries, noticed before 

 with regard to China. On the supposition, that 

 the food consumed in this manner may be with- 

 drawn on the occasion of a scarcity, and be applied 

 to the relief of the poor, they operate certainly, as 

 far as they go, like granaries, which are only 

 opened at the time that they are most wanted, 

 and must therefore tend rather to benefit than to 

 injure the lower classes of society. 



With regard to uncultivated land, it is evident 

 that its effect upon the poor is neither to injure 

 nor to benefit them. The sudden cultivation of it 

 will indeed tend to improve their condition for a 

 time, and the neglect of lands before cultivated 

 will certainly make their situation worse for a cer- 

 tain period ; but when no changes of this kind are 

 going forward, the effect of uncultivated land on 

 the lower classes operates merely like the posses- 

 sion of a smaller territory. It may indeed be a 

 point of some importance to the poor, whether a 

 country be in the habit of exporting or importing; 

 corn ; but this point is not necessarily connected 

 with the complete or incomplete cultivation of the 

 whole territory, but depends upon the proportion 

 of the surplus produce to those who are supported 

 by it ; and in fact this proportion is generally the 



