wealbk01-第4章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



example；　which　covers　the　day…labourer；　as　coarse　and　rough　as　it

may　appear；　is　the　produce　of　the　joint　labour　of　a　great

multitude　of　workmen。　The　shepherd；　the　sorter　of　the　wool；　the

wool…comber　or　carder；　the　dyer；　the　scribbler；　the　spinner；　the

weaver；　the　fuller；　the　dresser；　with　many　others；　must　all　join

their　different　arts　in　order　to　complete　even　this　homely

production。　How　many　merchants　and　carriers；　besides；　must　have

been　employed　in　transporting　the　materials　from　some　of　those

workmen　to　others　who　often　live　in　a　very　distant　part　of　the

country！　How　much　commerce　and　navigation　in　particular；　how　many

ship…builders；　sailors；　sail…makers；　rope…makers；　must　have　been

employed　in　order　to　bring　together　the　different　drugs　made　use

of　by　the　dyer；　which　often　come　from　the　remotest　corners　of　the

world！　What　a　variety　of　labour；　too；　is　necessary　in　order　to

produce　the　tools　of　the　meanest　of　those　workmen！　To　say　nothing

of　such　complicated　machines　as　the　ship　of　the　sailor；　the　mill

of　the　fuller；　or　even　the　loom　of　the　weaver；　let　us　consider

only　what　a　variety　of　labour　is　requisite　in　order　to　form　that

very　simple　machine；　the　shears　with　which　the　shepherd　clips　the

wool。　The　miner；　the　builder　of　the　furnace　for　smelting　the　ore；

the　seller　of　the　timber；　the　burner　of　the　charcoal　to　be　made

use　of　in　the　smelting…house；　the　brickmaker；　the　brick…layer；

the　workmen　who　attend　the　furnace；　the　mill…wright；　the　forger；

the　smith；　must　all　of　them　join　their　different　arts　in　order　to

produce　them。　Were　we　to　examine；　in　the　same　manner；　all　the

different　parts　of　his　dress　and　household　furniture；　the　coarse

linen　shirt　which　he　wears　next　his　skin；　the　shoes　which　cover

his　feet；　the　bed　which　he　lies　on；　and　all　the　different　parts

which　compose　it；　the　kitchen…grate　at　which　he　prepares　his

victuals；　the　coals　which　he　makes　use　of　for　that　purpose；　dug

from　the　bowels　of　the　earth；　and　brought　to　him　perhaps　by　a

long　sea　and　a　long　land　carriage；　all　the　other　utensils　of　his

kitchen；　all　the　furniture　of　his　table；　the　knives　and　forks；

the　earthen　or　pewter　plates　upon　which　he　serves　up　and　divides

his　victuals；　the　different　hands　employed　in　preparing　his　bread

and　his　beer；　the　glass　window　which　lets　in　the　heat　and　the

light；　and　keeps　out　the　wind　and　the　rain；　with　all　the

knowledge　and　art　requisite　for　preparing　that　beautiful　and

happy　invention；　without　which　these　northern　parts　of　the　world

could　scarce　have　afforded　a　very　comfortable　habitation；

together　with　the　tools　of　all　the　different　workmen　employed　in

producing　those　different　conveniences；　if　we　examine；　I　say；　all

these　things；　and　consider　what　a　variety　of　labour　is　employed

about　each　of　them；　we　shall　be　sensible　that；　without　the

assistance　and　co…operation　of　many　thousands；　the　very　meanest

person　in　a　civilised　country　could　not　be　provided；　even

according　to　what　we　very　falsely　imagine　the　easy　and　simple

manner　in　which　he　is　commonly　accommodated。　Compared；　indeed；

with　the　more　extravagant　luxury　of　the　great；　his　accommodation

must　no　doubt　appear　extremely　simple　and　easy；　and　yet　it　may　be

true；　perhaps；　that　the　accommodation　of　a　European　prince　does

not　always　so　much　exceed　that　of　an　industrious　and　frugal

peasant　as　the　accommodation　of　the　latter　exceeds　that　of　many

an　African　king；　the　absolute　master　of　the　lives　and　liberties

of　ten　thousand　naked　savages。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　II　



　　Of　the　Principle　which　gives　occasion　to　the　Division　of　Labour





　　　　　THIS　division　of　labour；　from　which　so　many　advantages　are

derived；　is　not　originally　the　effect　of　any　human　wisdom；　which

foresees　and　intends　that　general　opulence　to　which　it　gives

occasion。　It　is　the　necessary；　though　very　slow　and　gradual

consequence　of　a　certain　propensity　in　human　nature　which　has　in

view　no　such　extensive　utility；　the　propensity　to　truck；　barter；

and　exchange　one　thing　for　another。

　　　　　Whether　this　propensity　be　one　of　those　original　principles

in　human　nature　of　which　no　further　account　can　be　given；　or

whether；　as　seems　more　probable；　it　be　the　necessary　consequence

of　the　faculties　of　reason　and　speech；　it　belongs　not　to　our

present　subject　to　inquire。　It　is　common　to　all　men；　and　to　be

found　in　no　other　race　of　animals；　which　seem　to　know　neither

this　nor　any　other　species　of　contracts。　Two　greyhounds；　in

running　down　the　same　hare；　have　sometimes　the　appearance　of

acting　in　some　sort　of　concert。　Each　turns　her　towards　his

companion；　or　endeavours　to　intercept　her　when　his　companion

turns　her　towards　himself。　This；　however；　is　not　the　effect　of

any　contract；　but　of　the　accidental　concurrence　of　their　passions

in　the　same　object　at　that　particular　time。　Nobody　ever　saw　a　dog

make　a　fair　and　deliberate　exchange　of　one　bone　for　another　with

another　dog。　Nobody　ever　saw　one　animal　by　its　gestures　and

natural　cries　signify　to　another；　this　is　mine；　that　yours；　I　am

willing　to　give　this　for　that。　When　an　animal　wants　to　obtain

something　either　of　a　man　or　of　another　animal；　it　has　no　other

means　of　persuasion　but　to　gain　the　favour　of　those　whose　service

it　requires。　A　puppy　fawns　upon　its　dam；　and　a　spaniel　endeavours

by　a　thousand　attractions　to　engage　the　attention　of　its　master

who　is　at　dinner；　when　it　wants　to　be　fed　by　him。　Man　sometimes

uses　the　same　arts　with　his　brethren；　and　when　he　has　no　other

means　of　engaging　them　to　act　according　to　his　inclinations；

endeavours　by　every　servile　and　fawning　attention　to　obtain　their

good　will。　He　has　not　time；　however；　to　do　this　upon　every

occasion。　In　civilised　society　he　stands　at　all　times　in　need　of

the　cooperation　and　assistance　of　great　multitudes；　while　his

whole　life　is　scarce　sufficient　to　gain　the　friendship　of　a　few

persons。　In　almost　every　other　race　of　animals　each　individual；

when　it　is　grown　up　to　maturity；　is　entirely　independent；　and　in

its　natural　state　has　occasion　for　the　assistance　of　no　other

living　creature。　But　man　has　almost　constant　occasion　for　the

help　of　his　brethren；　and　it　is　in　vain　for　him　to　expect　it　from

their　benevolence　only。　He　will　be　more　likely　to　prevail　if　he

can　interest　their　self…love　in　his　favour；　and　show　them　that　it

is　for　their　own　advantage　to　do　for　him　what　he　requires　of

them。　Whoever　offers　to　another　a　bargain　of　any　kind；　proposes

to　do　this。　Give　me　that　which　I　want；　and　you　shall　have　this

which　you　want；　is　the　meaning　of　every　such　offer；　and　it　is　in

this　manner　that　we　obtain　from　one　another　the　far　greater　part

of　those　good　offices　which　we　stand　in　need　of。　It　is　not　from

the　benevolence　of　the　butcher；　the　brewer；　or　the　baker　that　we

expect　our　dinner；　but　from　their　regard　to　their　own　interest。

We　address　ourselves；　not　to　their　humanity　but　to　their

self…love；　and　never　talk　to　them　of　our　own　necessities　but　of

their　advantages。　Nobody　but　a　beggar　chooses　to　depend　chiefly

upon　the　benevolence　of　his　fellow…citizens。　Even　a　beggar　does

not　depend　upon　it　entirely。　The　charity　of　well…disposed　people；

indeed；　supplies　him　with　the　whole　fund　of　his　subsistence。　But

though　this　principle　ultimately　provides　him　with　all　the

necessaries　of　life　which　he　has　occasion　for；　it　neither　does

nor　can　provide　him　with　them　as　he　has　occasion　for　them。　The

greater　part　of　his　occasional　wants　are　supplied　in　the　same

manner　as　those　of　other　people；　by　treaty；　by　barter；　and　by

purchase。　With　the　money　which　one　man　gives　him　he　purchases

food。　The　old　clothes　which　another　bestows　upon　him　he　exchanges

for　other　old　clothes　which　suit　him　better；　or　for　lodging；　or

for　food；　or　for　money；　with　which　he　can　buy　either　food；

clothes；　or　lodging；　as　he　has　occasion。

　　　　　As　it　is　by　treaty；　by　barter；　and　by　purchase　that　we

obtain　from　one　another　the　greater　part　of　those　mutual　good

offices　which　we