234 LIVES Jhortened by TEA. 
thoufand, if thofe caufes exift in their full force, what are we 
to expert for the time to come? We muft call for recruits 
from the continent. I fear that one part of the nation will not 
keep time and lengthen their lives by their virtue, as others 
shorten them by their vice. But whilft we wifh for more 
inhabitants, it is a clear point that our people, in fome parts of 
thefe kingdoms, can with difficulty live. Indeed there is an- 
other caufe for this, befides the lazinefs or vicioufnefs of the 
poor, which few of the rich: ever think of. It is this ; that 
the rich themfelves are extravagant ; they confume more 
than their share confidered as rich \ and it is by this means the 
poor are many times left in want. To illuftrate this opinion, 
if not to prove it, look into the ftate of the poor in arbitrary 
countries, where in proportion as great lords figure as petty 
fovereigns, their vaflals appear as slaves. 
But not to launch into too wide a field, I will only re- 
mark, that if there are feven and a half millions of people in 
England, one and a half in Scotland, and two in Ireland ; 
we may then calculate near fix millions of males. The call for 
war will take near one hundred and ten thoufand of them, 
which is the fifty-fourth man ; agriculture and manufactory 
will confequently be obftruCted, unlefs we employ foreigners to 
fight our battles. But when battles must be fought, or liberty 
or property guarded, if agriculture and manufactories fuffer, it 
is an evil we cannot well complain of. On the other hand, tho* 
the exigency of affairs, at a particular time, may render it proper 
or necessary to engage foreigners to aCt defenfively, it needs no 
learning 
