326 Effects of the Knowledge of Bk. iv. 



their superiors, gives to each individual a greater 

 personal respectability, and a greater fear of per- 

 sonal degradation ; it is evident that it will power- 

 fully co-operate with the security of property in 

 animating the exertions of industry, and in gene- 

 rating habits of prudence ; and thus more power- 

 fully tend to increase the riches and prosperity of 

 the lower classes of the community, than if the 

 same laws had existed under a despotism. 



But though the tendency of a free constitution 

 and a good government to diminish poverty be 

 certain ; yet their effect in this way must neces- 

 sarily be indirect and slow, and very different from 

 the direct and immediate relief, which the lower 

 classes of people are too frequently in the habit of 

 looking forward to as the consequence of a revo- 

 lution. This habit of expecting too much, and 

 the irritation occasioned by disappointment, con- 

 tinually give a wrong direction to their efforts in 

 favour of liberty, and constantly tend to defeat the 

 accomplishment of those gradual reforms in go- 

 vernment, and that slow melioration of the con- 

 dition of the lower classes of society, which are 

 really attainable. It is of the very highest im- 

 portance therefore, to know distinctly what govern- 

 ment cannot do, as well as what it can. If I were 

 called upon to name the cause, which, in my con- 

 ception, had more than any other contributed to 

 the very slow progress of freedom, so dishearten- 

 ing to every liberal mind, I should say that it was 

 the confusion that had existed respecting the 

 causes of the unhappiness and discontents which 



