45 



fections, is not less clear, than the necessity of their acting. 

 They exclude all interference witli the objects of their selec- 



ed empire. The governments of modern Europe, with few 

 or no exceptions, became established over territories of large 

 extent, and embracing a numerous population. Governmenl 

 was, therefore, the common property of too great a number, 

 to concentrate in itself the affections of individuals. Hence 

 lha-t affection attached itself to other objects, and accomplished 

 its purposes in the advancement of the individual, tlirough 

 the medium, not of the state, but of the acquisition of know- 

 ledge, and the accumulation of wealth. Two important re- 

 sults have followed, the one a national, the other an individ- 

 ual. From the engrossing character of individual 'pursuits, 

 the first result was, that governments were left to take care 

 of themselves. They did take good care of themselves. 

 Until recently they have possessed a decidely despotic ten« 



The other result is told in the fact of individual advance- 

 ment. The science of political economy originated from the 

 activity of the individual spirit of this era— That science was 

 unknown to the Greeks and Romans. They never dreamed 

 of dividing iliemselves into producing, distributing, and con- 

 suming classes. It was left to this era to develope the indi- 

 vidual spirit in all the various departments of industry. To 

 facilitate the operations of that spirit, the numerous and di- 

 versified objects of individual pursuit have been subdivided 

 into their distinct and appropriate classes. The division of 

 labor has been regarded as the true barometer, indicating, 

 with unerring certainty, the degree towards perfection, to 

 which every social system has advanced. This division has 

 been refined, and refined, until the very pin that connects 

 our garments has passed through eighteen distinct operations, 

 requiring the agency of eighteen different persons, before a 

 complete finish is given to it. This extreme division of labor 

 has resulted in affording every person employment ; in pre- 



