Ch. xi. Condition of the Poor considered. 393 



Fortunately, however, even on the narrowest 

 political principles, the adoption of such a system 

 would not answer. It has always been observed 

 that those, who work chiefly on their own pro- 

 perty, work very indolently and unwillingly when 

 employed for others ; and it must necessarily 

 happen, when, from the general adoption of a very 

 cheap food, the population of a country increases 

 considerably beyond the demand for labour, that 

 habits of idleness and turbulence will be generated, 

 most peculiarly unfavourable to a flourishing state 

 of manufactures. In spite of the cheapness of la- 

 bour in Ireland, there are few manufactures which 

 can be prepared in that country for foreign sale so 

 cheap as in England : and this is in a great mea- 

 sure owing to the want of those industrious habits 

 which can only be produced by regular employ- 

 ment. 



