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the goods and wares fall in price it takes more of them to 
pay the rents. Thus fixed incomes, from fixed estates, place 
the non-producing at an advantage over the producing 
classes. Still, however, several of the non-producing classes 
are quite distinct from the above-named, and constitute the 
most important elements of society, viz., those who devote 
their time, talents, and influence to the teaching of true and 
useful knowledge; to sustaining our health and physical 
powers ; to protecting our lives, property, civil and religious 
freedom ; to making and administering laws for securing 
peace, order, and the reign of justice through all classes in 
society ; in short, all persons engaged in any kind of useful 
vocation must be ranked among those conducing, direct^ or 
indirectly, to the welfare of the nation at large. On the other 
hand, those forming no part of the above-named classes, and 
yet possessing large incomes derived from the labour of others, 
can hardly be held contributors to the general good of society, 
whilst they often exert power and influence to its serious de- 
triment, and sometimes even gain applause for the evils they 
engender — shielded by the dazzle of wealth and the license 
conceded to “ fashionable life.” 
In treating of wealth , we must keep in view that there 
are two distinct classes, each with many varieties ; viz., that 
which fructifies, and, wisely guided, will reproduce and 
multiply itself ; and that which supplies imaginary and idle 
wants, ministers to tastes and passions hurtful to the pos- 
sessors, and requires external support to escape extinction. 
Nothing is more common than to hear people speak “ with 
loud applause ” of the wealth and splendour displayed in 
the numerous mansions and parks spread over “ these 
beautiful islands,” not only as highly ornamental, but as 
being eminently useful to the body of the nation. A 
greater fallacy could hardly be imagined. For it were easy 
to prove that the nation would be none the worse off if 
i 
such seats of grandeur had no existence in the land. 
